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The objective of the "Lees of Virginia" Project is to give the accurate historical, documented account of the Lee Family lineage that was started by Richard Lee I "The Immigrant" and his wife Anne Constable. This project will include the direct descendants and ancestors of the Lees of Virginia lineage. Because this is a very complicated, sometimes confusing lineage, we understand that mistakes have occurred and therefore by creating this project we will be able to give a concise historical documentary that all may benefit from and be able to use as a reference guide, a problem solving tool to help resolve any inaccuracies and inconsistencies.
The First Generation
- Colonel Richard Lee I "The Immigrant"
- his wife Ann Lee (Constable)
- Children of Colonel Richard Lee I "The Immigrant" and Anne Constable:
- John C. Lee (1642-1673)
- Col. Richard Henry "the Scholar" Lee II, Esq. (1647-1714) - The Stratford Hall Lees
- Francis Lightfoot Lee (1648-1714)
- William Constable Lee (1650-1696) - The Bedford, Virginia Lees
- Hancock Lee (1645-1714)
- Elizabeth "Betsy" Howson (Lee) (1654-1693)
- Anne Lee (1645-1701)
- Charles C. Lee (1656-1701)
References:
"Our Lee Ancestors ...
They gave us our heritage, and it is time we show them our gratitude and recognition for who they were. They were not saints - sometimes proving their point rather strongly - but they did live with an ethic that we would do well to remember today. They worked hard - and were rewarded for that, usually. They helped one another, and as families were orphaned - took in the children, extended their families - took care of their own. They did not think for an instant if this was something the "government" should do. To them, that was unthinkable. Family and neighbors shouldered responsibility and moved on. They moved westward, ever westward - as pioneers - living and moving deeper and deeper into often hostile territory - to carve out civilization from nothing....
Our Lee Ancestors ...
They built a Nation that is the envy of everyone else who did not follow their example. They despised all who lacked self-respect. They built churches and schools as they needed them, held barn raisings and worked harvest days that ended in "courting" parties, establishing new generations. What we do today that we should not be doing, they would have strongly discouraged. What they did do, we should still be doing.
They are an example of success in the face of disease and hardship, we have now overcome. We should and can learn from their example - perhaps we too need to be tested and purified by the fires, the tribulations, as they were - for they turned out the better from these trials... perhaps we have become too soft, too lazy and self-indulgent. We should examine what made them great, examine what made them successful - and we should follow their examples, preferably without needing the experience of the tribulation, but through thought, morality and mental effort."
Jacqueli Finley