Thomas Lee (Virginia colonist)

Thomas Lee was born around 1690 at Mount Pleasant, on the Machodoc River in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His parents were Col. Richard Lee II, "the scholar", and Laetitia Corbin. His ancestors had immigrated from Coton, Shropshire to Virginia in 1642.[1][2] As the fourth son of the couple, Lee would not receive as large an inheritance as his older brothers. This did not prevent him from becoming successful in politics.

Lee attended college at The College of William and Mary around 1700.[3] Lee's education was referred to as a "common Virginia education".[4] He soon became interested in the working of the tobacco industry. He left home to work with his uncle Thomas Corbin in the tobacco business.

Portrait of Lee's wife Hannah

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.[10] 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:[6]

• 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.[11]
• Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732 – January 19, 1794); signer of the United States Declaration of Independence[12]
• Francis Lightfoot Lee (October 14, 1734 – January 11, 1797); signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.[12] 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).[13] 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 young slave girl, who died of her wounds.[14] 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). British officials 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 finance the rebuilding.[15][16] The convicts and an accomplice were later found guilty. Their punishment is unknown because the trial records were destroyed.[6] 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.[17] Several of the sons became high-ranking political figures and were active in the American Revolutionary War and post-war 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 nations.[18] William, along with Jan de Neufville, drafted an unofficial treaty between the United States and the Dutch Republic which Great Britain used as a casus belli for the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War.[19]

Lee later became a vestryman for Copole Parish and Justice of the Peace in Westmoreland County.[20] 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.[6] Members of the Council were advisers to the governor and judges in the General Court of the colony. Their work led them to spend about a third of the year in the capital Williamsburg.[6]

When Governor William Gooch was recalled to England in 1749, Lee was named President of the King's Council of Virginia and Commander-in-Chief of the colony. Nominated for appointment as Governor of Virginia by King George II, he died before it took place.[21][22]

Lee was appointed commissioner, along with William Beverley, to negotiate with the Six Nations of the Iroquois at the Treaty of Lancaster in 1744.[23] At the treaty, an agreement was made with the Six Nations for 400 pounds (equal to £68,610 today) in return for the right for Virginians to travel through and settle in the Shenandoah Valley.[24]

In 1747, Lee co-founded the Ohio Company of Virginia along with Lawrence Washington, Augustine Washington, Jr., the Duke of Bedford, and John Hanbury. The Ohio Company was a land speculation venture which helped colonize the Ohio Country. Lee's influence as a member of the Governor's Council helped lead to the success of the Ohio Company and within seven years the company had 100 families living in Ohio. He was also the first president of the Company and after Lee died, was succeeded by Lawrence Washington.

Stratford Hall Plantation, built by Thomas Lee.

With Lee's higher rank in society and wealth, he decided he needed to build a mansion to secure his position as one of the Virginia gentry.[6] he chose the "Clifts," which he had owned since the mid-1710s. Lee decided on this site because it was located in Westmoreland County, where he was born, and because it was located on the Potomac River. The land was sufficient for having many construction laborers live there. Hannah had an influential say in the design and planning of the interior of the house. Philip, the couple's eldest son, had said, "See what it is to be ruled by a woman. I should have been now living in a house like this ... had not my father been persuaded by his wife to put up this very inferior dwelling, now over my head."[25] The exact construction date of the house is unknown but it is estimated that construction began around 1725-30, as all of Lee's sons were born at Stratford. Workers on the plantation were from all the working class: free people and indentured servants (mostly from Europe), and African slaves.[26]

Between 1719 and 1746, Lee acquired vast holdings in what are now Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, and Loudoun counties. The town of Leesburg, was named in his honor as recommended by his two sons, who were the founders and trustees.

Hannah Harrison died at "Stratford" on January 25, 1749, having borne eleven children.[6] She was buried in the old family burying ground, called the "Burnt House Fields", at "Mount Pleasant". Her tombstone was later removed to "Stratford Hall", probably by Henry Lee, who built the new vault at that place. On November 14, 1750, Thomas Lee died at age sixty and was buried in the old "Burnt House Fields" at Mount Pleasant. According to his will, he wished to be buried in between his wife and his mother.[6] He bequeathed Stratford Hall to his eldest son, Philip Ludwell Lee, and the Machodoc plantation to his nephew, George Lee.[6]