page_title: Thomas Lee (Virginia colonist)
section_title: Marriage and family
hierarchical_section_title: Thomas Lee (Virginia colonist) / Political career / Marriage and family
context_page_description: Col. Thomas Lee was a leading political figure of colonial Virginia. He was a member of the Lee family, a political dynasty which included many figures from the pre-American Revolutionary War era until the late 20th century. Lee became involved in politics in 1710 and he became the resident manager of the Northern Neck Proprietary for Lady Catherine Fairfax. After his father died, he inherited land in Northumberland and Charles County. Lee later acquired vast holdings in what are now Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, and Loudoun Counties. These properties were developed as tobacco plantations.
  When Lee married Hannah Harrison Ludwell in 1722, he benefited by the connections of the already established Harrison family. A year later he would become a member of the House of Burgesses. After Lee's home was burnt down by criminals, he lost almost all of his possessions and a fair sum of money. With donations received from Caroline of Ansbach and English Commissioners, he built his new home on the Potomac River, naming it Stratford Hall. Four years later in 1733, he was appointed to the Governor's Council, upper house of the General Assembly.
context_section_description: In May 1722, Thomas Lee married Hannah Harrison Ludwell (December 5, 1701 – January 25, 1750), a member of the prominent Harrison family, at "Greenspring", James City County, Virginia. The marriage lasted his life and brought him increased wealth and status.  Hannah was the daughter of Philip Ludwell II of "Greenspring", and Hannah Harrison. The couple had eleven children; eight survived to adulthood:
  Richard Lee (b. 1723)
  Philip Ludwell Lee (February 24, 1726 – February 21, 1775)
  John Lee (b. 1728 d. 1782)
  Hannah Ludwell Lee (February 1729 – 1782)
  Thomas Ludwell Lee (December 13, 1730 – April 13, 1778); a member of the Virginia Delegates and editor of the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
  Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732 – January 19, 1794); signer of the United States Declaration of Independence
  Francis Lightfoot Lee (October 14, 1734 – January 11, 1797); signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Married Rebecca Tayloe, daughter of John Tayloe II of Mount Airy. Tayloe built Menokin for his daughter and her new husband.
  Alice Lee (June 4, 1736 – March 25, 1817)
  William Lee (August 31, 1737 – June 27, 1795)
  James Lee (b. and d. 1739)
  Arthur Lee (December 21, 1740 – December 12, 1792)
  1728 was a tragic year for Lee and his family. On January 29, thieves broke into the house stealing the Lee family plate, jewelry, and other articles of value, and upon leaving, set fire to the plantation house at Machodoc. The fire destroyed the entire plantation, including Thomas' office, the barns, and outhouses. Almost all of the Lees' possessions were destroyed, as well as up to 10,000 pounds in cash (equal to £1,362,437 today). The house quickly burned and Hannah Lee, being pregnant with her fourth child, had to be thrown from her chamber window on the second floor. This resulted in Hannah's miscarriage of a son (they named him John). also injured in the fire was a slave girl, who died. Virginia Governor William Gooch blamed transported convicts for the crime.  It is said that Col. Lee's loss was not less than 50,000 pounds (equal to £6,812,184 today). English Commissioners later gave Lee 300 pounds (equal to £40,873 today) as compensation and Queen Caroline also gave him money from her private purse to help with rebuilding. The convicts and an accomplice were later found guilty. Their punishment is unknown because the trial records were destroyed. When construction began on the new Lee mansion, the family stayed with Thomas's brother Henry at Lee Hall. Lee sold the "Machodoc" estate to Richard Lee III's son, George Lee, who built "Mount Pleasant".
  Lee's political career required trips to Williamsburg, causing him to be away from his family for extended periods of time. Lee managed to make the 80-mile (130-km) journey to his family and to be with his wife at the births of each of their children. Several of the sons became high-ranking political figures and were active in the American Revolutionary War and post-Revolution politics.  Richard Henry was a senator from Virginia to the United States Senate and Francis Lightfoot was in the Virginia Senate. Lee's youngest sons William Lee and Arthur Lee served as diplomats to various European countries.  William, along with Jan de Neufville, drafted an unofficial treaty between the United States and the Netherlands which Great Britain used as a reason for the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War.
  Lee later became a vestryman for Copole Parish and Justice of the Peace in Westmoreland County. In 1723, Lee became a member of the House of Burgesses. He held this office until he was appointed to the Governor's Council in the Virginia General Assembly in 1733. This position was a lifetime appointment. The Council was made up of twelve appointees who were selected by the Governor of Virginia and was the upper half of the Virginia General Assembly. The lower half was made up of the House of Burgesses. This position also gave Lee the rank of Colonel, a military rank that was second only to the governor. Members of the Council were advisers to the governor and judges in the General Court of the colony
caption: Portrait of Lee's wife Hannah
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