Genealogy Data Page 1138 (Notes Pages)

Lee Richard Col. [Male] b. 22 MAR 1618 St. Martin's Parish, Worcester, England - Emigrant - d. 01 MAR 1664 DIVIDING CREEK, Northumberland Co., VA

Evento: Fact 1

[wwspiers-erickson.GED]

Richard Lee, Sr. was the founder of the various Lee family branches. he Lees of Northern Neck VA, including both blood descendants and collateral kinsfolk, played key roles in shaping of the self-governing society of colonial America. Edmund Jennings Lee, portrays the Lees as follows: "The Lee family, founded in Virginia by a man of worth and estate, who held some highest offices in the colonial government, gave to colonial Virginia one governor, four members of the Council and twelve members of the House of Burgesses; in the colony of Maryland, two Councilors and three members of the Assembly; to the Revolution, four members of the Convention of 1776 that organized the State of Virginia, wo signers of the Declaration of Independence, the three eminent brothers, Thomas Ludwell, William and Arthur Lee, and the foremost cavalry officer of the war, Light Horse Harry Lee. To the civil service of the United States the Lee family has furnished one attorney-general and several members of Congress; to the State of Virginia, two governors; o the State of Maryland, a governor; and to the Confederate States, the illustrious commander of its armies, three major- generals, one brigadier-general. . . ." During the colonial and the revolutionary periods of American history, the Lee family carried on a tradition of public service influencing the political, social, and cultural life. Richard and Anne Lee's descendants intermarried with members of other prominent families becoming the architects of America's foundation. hey were the traders, merchants, planters, politicians doctors, lawyers, writers, diplomats, soldiers, teachers, and clergymen of their time. Lee family history is strongly tied to the history of colonial America. oday, many people in the U.S. can trace their ancestry back to the Lees and Northern Neck VA.
The Lee surname and its Saxon variations was acquired from a place in he landscape. The pedigree of the English Lees is registered at the Herald's College, established in 1484 by King Richard III in London, England.
Richard Lee was christened, 22 March 1618, at St. Martin's Parish in he city of Worcester, Worcestershire, England. He died, 1 Mar 1664, at DIVIDING CREEK PLANTATION, Northumberland Co., VA at the age of 45 years. Richard sailed to America aboard the ALEXANDER, 5 May 1635. He sailed with Governor Francis Wyatt on the voyage from England to Jamestown, about Nov 1639. Soon after his arrival at Jamestown, Richard married Anne Constable and settled on the north side of the York River at INDALL'S CREEK, 1642. It was located directly opposite the settlement of Yorktown. Richard started governmental service by clerking for the Quarter Court at Jamestown, 1641. He served under Sir Francis Wyatt, whom King Charles Stuart I appointed as governor of VA, 1639. Richard was appointed as the first Attorney General of VA, 1643-49. He served as a high sheriff, 1646; a burgess for York Co., VA, 1647; a secretary of he VA colony between 1649 and 1659; a member of the governor's council, 1651 and a burgess for Northumberland Co., VA, 1657. Richard became a council member again, when Sir William Berkeley was reappointed governor in 1660, after Charles II took the throne. He was a lawyer, a justice and a colonel of militia. He was a tobacco planter and a fur trader with commercial interests in two sailing vessels, the MARY AND ELIZABETH and the SUSAN, 1652. He traded tobacco in London where he owned a warehouse and a counting house. After the Indians suddenly massacred English settlers, the Lee family left their home at the head of INDALL'S CREEK on the north side of the York River, 1644. They moved o the safer south side of the river at NEW POQUOSON, York Co., VA and settled there for nine years, 1644-53. Richard's trading shallops were engaged in military operations against the Indians on the York River. During the fighting, he could only trade with the Indian tribes of Northern Neck who remained at peace with the English.
Richard was appointed Secretary of State, 1649. He made a voyage to he Netherlands to report on Virginia's loyalty to Charles II, 1650. Richard often represented VA interests in London, England.
Richard patented large tracts of land in Gloucester, Northumberland and Westmoreland counties. These properties became the estates and plantations of WAR CAPTAINS NECK, PARADISE, COBBS HALL, DITCHLEY, MACHODOC, LEE HALL and MOUNT PLEASANT. He patented 1000 acres on Poropotank Creek, an estuary of the York River, 20 miles from its mouth, 10 Aug 1642. The Lee family lived at Poropotank in York Co., VA, 1653-56. In this wild region, they planted tobacco, built warehouses and a store. Richard named this plantation PARADISE. He patented an additional 1250 acres on the north side of the York River, 1648. Richard purchased two tracts of land in Northern Neck from the Indians, about 1649. The first tract of 800 acres at DIVIDING CREEK became the site of COBBS HALL. The Lees were among the first English families to settle in the vicinity of DIVIDING CREEK. The territory was occupied by friendly Wicocomico Indians. The second tract consisting of 2,600 acres was obtained from the Matchotic Indians on Machodoc river, now in estmoreland Co., VA.
Richard Lee developed four major plantations: (1) WAR CAPTAINS NECK, left to Francis Lee; (2)PARADISE, left to Richard Lee, Jr.; (3)DIVIDING CREEK, left to his wife Anne and later divided among his three youngest sons--William, Hancock and Charles; and (4)MACHODOC, left to John Lee and later inherited by his brother, Richard Lee, Jr., who also acquired the land in MD that became BLENHEIM, the seat of Philip Corbin Lee. Richard Lee, Sr. continued to acquire land grants in Northumberland, estmoreland, and Fairfax counties, frontier regions of the Potomac. He patented a 1000-acre tract, later sold to the Washington family, that became the site of MOUNT VERNON. Richard secured a patent to 800 adjoining acres of land at DIVIDING CREEK, 21 May 1651, which became DITCHLEY. He settled at DIVIDING CREEK and traded in pelts with the icocomico Indians, spring of 1656. This same year, Richard patented a 600-acre tract which later became COBBS HALL. This made a total of 1900 acres of land at the DIVIDING CREEK area. After five years at DIVIDING CREEK, Richard moved his entire family to England. He purchased the STRATFORD-LANGTON ESTATE, three miles from London, to be near his mercantile business and schools for his children, Feb 1661. Within two years, Richard returned to DIVIDING CREEK with his eldest son John, where he died, 1664. At the time, his real estate holdings consisted of STRATFORD-LANGTON and about 15,000 acres of land along the Potomac River in the colonies of VA and MD. Richard's will was dated 6 Feb 1664 and proved 10 Jan 1665 in London, England. Richard Lee was buried in a garden 400 feet southwest of the DIVIDING CREEK dwelling where a large Sycamore tree now stands. The garden is now called COBBS HALL BURYING GROUND.
Historic Marker J-88, DITCHLEY AND COBBS, Rte. 200, 1.4 miles north of Kilmarnock, Northumberland Co., VA: DITCHLEY AND COBBS--Ditchley, five miles northeast, was patented in 1651 by Colonel Richard Lee. The first house dated from 1687; the present house was built by Kendall Lee in 1752. Cobbs Hall, near by, was acquired by Richard Lee, probably before 1651. A house was built there by Charles Lee in 1720; the present house is modern.
Historic Marker NW-9, Rte. 17, at Gloucester Point, Gloucester Co., VA: GLOUCESTER POINT--Known first as Tyndall's Point. The colonists built a fort here in 1667. In 1676 Bacon led his rebels across the river here. Tarleton and Dundas occupied the place in October, 1781, in he siege of Yorktown. Cornwallis planned to break through the blockade here, but a storm kept him from crossing the river. The point was fortified by the Confederates in 1861 and occupied by the Union troops in 1862.
Andrewes Creek [Andrew's Creek] Stream. Northumberland Co., VA, south of Dividing Creek, in Bluff Point Neck, near Freeman's Ford. This creek was attested in 1656 transfer of 600 acres to Colonel Richard Lee.
Bishop's Neck, Tract--Northumberland Co., VA, in vicinity of present COBB'S HALL or DITCHLEY. According to Fleet, the 1681 deed of Thomas Brewer, Sr., described his land as being south of Dividing Creek and adjacent Bishop's Neck. According to Bishop Meade, however, Bishop's Neck was a tract of land on the Potomac which Colonel Richard Lee willed o his Children, William, Hancock, Betsey, Anne, and Charles in 1663. It is possible that there may have been two tracts with this name, for Colonel Richard Lee was connected with early tracts in both Northumberland and Westmoreland counties.

Facts about this person:

Burial
Cobbs Hall Burying Ground, Northumberland Co., VA

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