Thomas Lee (Virginia colonist)
| Thomas Lee | |
|---|---|
Governor
Burgess Governor's Councillor |
|
| House of Burgesses | |
|
In office 1723–1733 |
|
| Council of State of Virginia | |
|
In office 1733–1750 |
|
| Governor of Virginia | |
|
In office 1749–1750 |
|
| Preceded by | William Gooch |
| Succeeded by | Robert Dinwiddie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1690 Mount Pleasant at Machodoc River, in Westmoreland County, Virginia |
| Died | November 14, 1750 (aged about 60) Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County, Virginia |
| Spouse(s) | Hannah Harrison Ludwell |
| Children | Philip Ludwell Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Ludwell Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, William and Arthur Lee |
| Residence | Machodoc River, later Stratford Hall Plantation |
| Alma mater | The College of William and Mary |
Col. Thomas Lee (c. 1690–November 14, 1750) was a leading political figure of colonial Virginia. He was a member of the Lee family, a political dynasty which included many figures from the pre-American Revolutionary War era until the late 20th century. Lee became involved in politics in 1710 and he became the resident manager of the Northern Neck Proprietary for Lady Catherine Fairfax. After his father died, he inherited land in Northumberland and Charles County. Lee later acquired vast holdings in what are now Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, and Loudoun Counties. These properties were developed as tobacco plantations.
When Lee married Hannah Harrison Ludwell in 1722, he benefited by the connections of the already established Harrison family. A year later he would become a member of the House of Burgesses. After Lee's home was burnt down by criminals, he lost almost all of his possessions and a fair sum of money. With donations received from Caroline of Ansbach and English Commissioners, he built his new home on the Potomac River, naming it Stratford Hall. Four years later in 1733, he was appointed to the Governor's Council, upper house of the General Assembly. In 1747, he founded the Ohio Company of Virginia with fellow Virginian colonists who wished to expand Virginia's territory into the Ohio River Valley. For a period of less than a year, in 1749, he became the de facto Governor of Virginia in place of the absent William Gooch. Lee was favored for an appointment as governor by George II but the colonist died in 1750.
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