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The Lee’s Story __________________________________________________________________
L E E
FAMILY HISTORY
In Honor
of
Daniel James Lee
We are the descendants of African Slaves and Caucasian ancestors from Virginia. As many of you may know (and for those who didn’t know), it is very difficult for Black families to trace their family history because of slavery conditions that took place in this country. Whether you feel angry, proud, or something more, you should never forget the thousands of Slaves who shed their blood and gave up their lives to gain and secure freedom for all African-Americans today.
Early family information asserts that our Lee family is linked to a family member [still searching for name] of Robert E. Lee from Virginia. The family member lived in Culpeper County, Virginia and owned a Horse Farm. There are undoubtedly several branches of Lees in a number of states in this country, but General Robert E. Lee’s family was prominent in Virginia. In researching Lee, I found that one of his military campgrounds was Camp Culpeper and that he did have family members living in Culpeper. Although unable to verify this link at present, the link, in fact, may exist since I found that many of our family members were Mulattos. (Persons of mixed black and white ancestry.) With that said, here is a “brief” history on our branch of the Lee family.
The earliest record of our Lee family descendents is found in Culpeper County, Virginia. Helen Lee, Born: 1858 in Virginia, several years before the Civil War is believed to be my father’s great-grandmother. She lived on a farm located near the Manassas War Grounds. The farm supplied horses to the army and fed meals to the soldiers. No other information was found about Helen or her childhood.
On the 1880 U.S. Census for Culpeper County, Helen’s name is listed living with an Arthur Lee, Born: 1827 in Virginia, Farmer and Head of Household. Helen had two children:
Ella – Born: 1878, age 2 years
Martha – Born: 1879, age 2 months
Note: At present, no further family information has been found on Arthur.
In 1890, the United States did take an official Census count but it was destroyed by fire and no records survived.
The 1900 U.S. Census for Culpeper County showed no listing for Arthur Lee but Helen Lee was now listed as the Head of Household. She also has two more children:
Daniel Lee – Born: 1882
Georgia Lee – Born: 1886 (my Father’s Grandmother)
Both Daniel and Georgia’s birth information show Helen Lee as mother and Lee as father. It is not known what happened to her daughters, Ella and Martha. Their names did not appear on 1900 U.S. Census for Culpeper.
In 1910, the U.S. Census did not list Helen Lee’s name. It does, however, list her daughter, Georgia Lee (also called Georgie or Brigie) employed as a Cook and living on Thornton’s Gap Pike (now Sperryville Pike) in Culpeper County. She had three children:
John D. Lee – Born: 1902 (my Father’s Father)
George L. Lee – Born: 1906
Daniel E. Lee – Born: 1908
There was no listing in Culpeper for her brother, Daniel who would have been 28 years old at that time.
On 1920 U.S. Census, Georgia is still living in Culpeper County with two of her sons, George L. (14 yrs) and Daniel E. (10 yrs). She also has two daughters:
May Helen Lee – Born: 1914
Eliza Lee – Born: 1918
The eldest son, John D. (Jack) had moved to Pennsylvania and married Anna M. Thomas. They lived with Anna’s relatives, the Sordens. The 1920 U.S. Census for Oaks, Pennsylvania listed them as follows:
Robert Sorden (head of house) Born: 19___
Bessie Sorden (wife) Born: 19___
Jack Lee (brother-in-law) Born: 1902
Anna Lee (sister-in-law) Born: 1904
Some time after 1920, Georgia moved the family to Oaks, Pennsylvania (except for sons George and Daniel who had moved away from home). She lived with her son Jack, his wife, Anna and their family.
On the 1930 U.S. Census for Oaks, Pennsylvania it showed the family living on Montello Row as follows:
Jack Lee (head of house) Born: 1902
Georgie Lee (mother) Born: 1886
Daniel Lee (son) Born: 1920 (my Father)
Esther Lee (daughter) Born: 1922
Elmer Lee (son) Born: 1924
Frances Lee (daughter Born: 1925
Jack Lee, Jr. (son) Born: 1927
May Helen Lee (sister) Born: 1914
Eliza Lee (sister) Born: 1918
Robert Lee (brother) Born: 1922
Sadly, my Father’s mother, Anna Lee died of pneumonia before the 1930 U.S. Census was taken.
Without a doubt, there is a great deal more that can be discovered about our Lee family past but, as I mentioned earlier, this is a “brief” history on our branch of the Lees. To each and every one of you, my belief is that:
Family pride is a commendable trait and should be cultivated. All of us have just cause to be proud of our Lee family history, no matter how we are linked.
Many thanks for your helpful information Aunt Peggy Lee (Rochester, NY); Shirley Lee Miller (Atlanta, GA); Dorothy Fisher (Trappe, PA); Linda Lee Akpabio (Scottsdale, AZ); and especially Seatta Thomas Travis-Bey (Philadelphia, PA)
Frances Lee Stephens
The Robinson’s Story Augustus and Clara Robinson Augustus Robinson, a slave on a small plantation was given the right to be free after many dedicated and loyal years. His master gave him the privilege of choosing a wife on the plantation. With his certificate of manumission papers and the American Indian woman who he had chosen (later to be discovered as Lombi Indian) he set off to make a new life in Virginia. Of this marriage between Augustus and Clara, five children were born: Augustus Jr., Sylvester, James, Mattie and Mary. Mrs. Beatrice Robinson was the daughter of James Robinson.
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