Francis Lightfoot Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Lightfoot Lee
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| Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia |
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| In office 1774–1779 |
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| Member of the Virginia Senate | |
| In office 1778–1782 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | October 14, 1734 Stratford Hall Plantation, Westmoreland County, Virginia Colony |
| Died | January 11, 1797 (aged 62) Menokin Plantation, Richmond County, Virginia |
| Resting place | Mount Airy, Tayloe Family Estate, Warsaw, Richmond County |
| Parents | Thomas Lee Hannah Harrison Ludwell |
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Francis Lightfoot Lee (born October 14, 1734, died January 11, 1797) was an important person in early American history. He is known as one of the Founding Fathers.
Lee was a member of the House of Burgesses in the Colony of Virginia. He spoke out against unfair laws like the Stamp Act of 1765. His actions helped Virginia move towards independence from Britain.
He was also a delegate to the Virginia Conventions and the Continental Congress. As a representative for Virginia, he signed both the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence. Besides his political work, Lee owned a large tobacco farm called a plantation. His family, the Lee family, was very powerful in Virginia.
Early Life and Family
Francis Lightfoot Lee was born on October 14, 1734. His birthplace was Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the fourth son of Thomas Lee and Hannah Harrison Ludwell. His middle name, "Lightfoot," came from a family friend.
He grew up at Stratford Hall, a large tobacco plantation. His father finished building the main house in 1738. Lee was taught at home by a tutor, Dr. Craig, where he studied classic subjects.
In 1772, Lee married his cousin, Rebecca Plater Tayloe. They did not have any children. Lee lived his whole life in the northern part of Virginia. This area is between the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay.
Lee came from a very important family in Virginia. His brothers were also famous. Senator Richard Henry Lee and diplomats William Lee and Dr. Arthur Lee were his siblings. Another brother, Thomas Ludwell Lee, helped Thomas Jefferson rewrite Virginia's laws.
Political Career
In 1774, Francis Lightfoot Lee was one of the people who asked for a general congress. He attended the first of the Virginia Conventions. He served in the Virginia State Senate from 1778 to 1782.
Lee was also a delegate to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He served there until 1779. As a representative for Virginia, he signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. In 1768, he was chosen to be a member of the American Philosophical Society.
Death and Legacy
Francis Lightfoot Lee died on January 11, 1797. He passed away at his home, called "Menokin," in Richmond County, Virginia. His death happened just four days after his wife's passing.
He is buried in the Tayloe family burial ground. This burial ground is at Mount Airy Plantation, near Warsaw, Virginia. During World War II, a Liberty Ship was named SS Francis L. Lee in his honor.
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