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Richard Lee, M.D. kidneyphysicians.com | Jennie Lee, DDS, Stanley Lee, DDS, Winnie Lee, DDS, Lee Dental Group - leedentalgroup.com |
For other persons named Richard Lee, see Richard Lee (disambiguation). Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732 – June 19, 1794) was an American statesman from Virginia best known for the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies' independence from Great Britain. His famous resolution of June 1776 led to the United States Declaration of Independence, which Lee signed. He also served a one-year term as the President of the Continental Congress, and was a U.S. Senator from Virginia from 1789 to 1792, serving during part of that time as one of the first Presidents pro tempore.
[edit] Early lifeLee was born in [Westmoreland County, Virginia|Westmoreland County]] in the Colony of Virginia on January 20, 1732. Richard was the son of Col. Thomas Lee, Hon. (1690–1750) and Hannah Harrison Ludwell (1701–1750). He was the great-uncle of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. His nephew, "Light Horse Harry" Lee earned minor fame during the Revolution, and is now mainly remembered as the father of Robert E. Lee. Richard was sent to England and educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield in Yorkshire. In 1752 he returned to Virginia, where he began to practice law. [edit] Early careerIn 1757, Lee was appointed justice of the peace for Westmoreland County. In 1758 he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he met Patrick Henry. An early advocate of independence, Lee became one of the first to create Committees of Correspondence among the many independence-minded Americans in the various colonies. [edit] American RevolutionIn August 1774, Lee was chosen as a delegate to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. In Lee's Resolution on the 7th of June 1776 during the Second Continental Congress, Lee put forth the motion to the Continental Congress to declare Independence from Great Britain, which read (in part):
Lee had returned to Virginia by the time Congress voted on and adopted the Declaration of Independence, but he signed the document when he returned to Congress. [edit] Quotes"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."[1] "The first maxim of a man who loves liberty, should be never to grant to rulers an atom of power that is not most clearly and indispensably necessary for the safety and well being of society."[2]  [edit] Political offices
[edit] Marriages and childrenRichard married first on December 5, 1757, Anne Aylett (1738–1768), daughter of William Aylett and Elizabeth Eskridge (1719), who married secondly, Dr. James Steptoe, Col. (1709–1757). Anne died December 12, 1768 at Chantille, Westmoreland Co., Virginia. The couple had four surviving children:
Richard re-married in June or July of 1769 to Anne (Gaskins) Pinckard. The couple had five surviving children:
[edit] Francis Lightfoot Lee IIRichard's youngest son was named for his brother Francis Lightfoot Lee, another signer of the Declaration of Independence. The younger Francis married Jane Fitzgerald on 9 Feb 1810.[3] In 1811 he purchased the estate Sully in Fairfax County, Virginia from his second cousin Richard Bland Lee.[4] Jane died on 25 Jul 1816, shortly after the birth on their fifth child.
[edit] AncestryRichard was the son of Col. Thomas Lee, Hon. (1690–1750) of "Stratford Hall", Westmoreland Co., Virginia. Thomas married Hannah Harrison Ludwell (1701–1750). Hannah was the daughter of Col. Philip Ludwell II (1672–1726) of "Greenspring", and Hannah Harrison (1679–1731). Thomas was the son of Col. Richard Lee II, Esq., "the scholar" (1647–1715) and Laetitia Corbin (c. 1657–1706). Laetitia was the daughter of Richard’s neighbor and, Councillor, Hon. Henry Corbin, Sr. (1629–1676) and Alice (Eltonhead) Burnham (c. 1627–1684). Richard II, was the son of Col. Richard Lee I, Esq., "the immigrant" (1618–1664) and Anne Constable (c. 1621–1666). Anne was the daughter of Thomas Constable and a ward of Sir John Thoroughgood. [edit] LegacyLee County, Georgia is named in his honor. Richard Henry Lee Elementary School in Rossmoor, California and honor as is Richard Henry Lee School in Chicago, Illinois are also named in his honor. [edit] Representations in fictionRichard Henry Lee is a key character in the musical 1776. He was portrayed by Ron Holgate in both the Broadway cast and in the 1972 film. The character performs a song called "The Lees of Old Virginia", in which he explains how he knows he will be able to convince the Virginia House of Burgesses to allow him to propose independence. [edit] References
[edit] External links
Categories: 1732 births | 1794 deaths | Continental Congressmen from Virginia | Signers of the United States Declaration of Independence | United States Senators from Virginia | Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate | House of Burgesses members | Speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates | Lee family of Virginia | People of Virginia in the American Revolution | Musical theatre characters | Anti-Federalists | English Americans | Old Savilians | People from Westmoreland County, Virginia | American planters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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