Richard Lee, the immigrant, patented land in the lower Northern Neck in 1651. His grandson Thomas Lee, born in Westmoreland in 1690 built Stratford circa 1738. It is one of the finest and best maintained original house museums in America.
Richard Henry, one of the Thomas Lee’s six sons, was born in 1732 about one month before George Washington was born at nearby Popes Creek Plantation. Richard Henry Built his own manor home “Chantilly” on the Potomac near Stratford. It remained his home until his death in 1794. As a life-long Westmoreland native, Richard Henry became along with Patrick Henry, one of Virginia’s most inspired orators who championed the Colonies’ independence from Great Britain. Richard Henry also wrote the Leedstown Resolves, considered the forerunner of the Declaration of Independence. This document was signed at Leedstown in 1766 by 115 local patriots. The original document is held in Richmond by the Virginia Historical Society.
Richard Henry served his county in the Virginia House of Burgesses and was a colonel in the county militia.
He and his brother Frances Lightfoot Lee were the only brothers to sign the Declaration of Independence.
He served as a member and president od the Continental Congress. He also served as a member of Congress and a member of the U.S. Senate from the State of Virginia.
Oliver Perry Chitwood, author of the only definitive biography of Lee, adds a footnote to the story of the Declaration.
Oliver Perry Chitwood writes,
The Resolution as finally adopted on June 2 was the one originally offered by Richard Henry Lee. Furthermore, the part of Jefferson’s noted document (July 4th) that declares the Independence of the colonies is in the exact words of Lee’s motion. So, many consider Lee to be the real author of the Declaration of Independence.
Richard Henry’s son married George Washington’s niece and two of his daughters married George’s nephews. The last Washington owner of Mt. Vernon was a great grandson of Richard Henry Lee.