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Richard Henry Lee
- Born January 20, 1732, at Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County, Virginia
- Parents: Thomas and Hannah Ludwell Lee
- Tutored by private tutors at home as boy
- Sent to England to complete studies at Wakefield Academy
- Returned to Virginia to study law
- Became a Virginia planter
- Held public office:
- Justice of the Peace, Westmoreland County, 1757
- Delegate, Virginia House of Burgesses, 1758 – 1775
- Delegate, Continental Congress, 1775 – 1779
- Signer, Declaration of Independence,1776
- Member, Virginia House of Delegates, 1777, 1780, 1785
- Delegate, Virginia Constitutional Ratification Convention, 1788
- United States Senator, 1789 – 1792
- Resided in Chantilly, Virginia
- Ann Aglett – first wife
- Anne Pinnckard – second wife
- Died June 19, 1794, in Chantilly, Virginia
Aligned with Patrick Henry
Richard Henry Lee was a staunch defender of colonial rights and was aligned with Patrick Henry as a strong opponent of the Stamp Act.
In late 1765, Lee reportedly led a "mob of gentlemen" to confront an official stamp collector and force him to promise never again to perform his duty as a stamp collector. Later, in February 1766, Lee gathered the citizens of his own county together into an "association" to agree to stop importing British goods until the Stamp Act was repealed.
Organizer and supporter of "Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer"
Lee, along with Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and a few other burgesses, wrote the 1774 resolution to make June 1, the day when the port of Boston was closed, a day of "Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer" in support of the citizens of Boston. As a result of this resolution, Lord Dunmore dissolved the assembly, and a number of the burgesses met at the Raleigh Tavern to continue their discussions.
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Multimedia and related links
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Smallpox and the Covenant
America's smallpox eradication has its roots in 18th-century Boston. July 13, 2009
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In Their Own Words
Old sources give fresh voice to slavery's story. Manager of African American programs Tricia Brooks explains how we know what we know. May 18, 2009
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Swordmaking in the 18th Century
Colonial tradesmen learned the swordmaking craft as Virginia armed itself for war. Journeyman brass founder Suzie Dye describes the process. March 2, 2009
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African American Programs at 30
African American programming adapts through the decades. Harvey Bakari outlines the goals of interpreting Williamsburg's enslaved population. February 2, 2009
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The Native Tongue
Native tribes and colonizers began a dialogue without a word in common. Buck Woodard describes the early exchanges. January 19, 2009
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The Chiefdom of Powhatan
Stratified social organization, strategic alliance, and lineage leadership were hallmarks of Powhatan's rule over southeastern tribes. Buck Woodard describes the society that existed before first contact. January 12, 2009
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