Mary Anna Custis Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Anna Custis Lee
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| Born |
Mary Anna Randolph Custis
October 1, 1807 |
| Died | November 5, 1873 (aged 66) Lexington, Virginia, U.S.
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| Resting place | University Chapel Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia, U.S. |
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Notable work
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Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington, by his Adopted Son George Washington Parke Custis, with a Memoir of this Author by his Daughter (1859) |
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| Relatives | Martha Washington (great-grandmother) |
Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee (born October 1, 1807 – died November 5, 1873) was the wife of Robert E. Lee. He was a famous general for the Southern states during the American Civil War. Mary was also the last private owner of Arlington Estate.
Mary was the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis. He was the grandson of Martha Washington, who was married to George Washington.
Mary married Robert E. Lee in 1831. He was an officer in the U.S. Army at the time. Their wedding was at her parents' home, Arlington House in Virginia. She sometimes lived with Robert when he was working in other places. But she mostly preferred to stay at Arlington House with her parents. Robert Lee did not own a permanent home of his own.
When the American Civil War started, Robert Lee was offered a big job. He could have led the U.S. Army. But he chose to serve his home state of Virginia instead. He became a general for the Southern states. He lived through the war. After the war, he became the president of Washington College. He died in 1870, three years before Mary died in 1873.
Mary and Robert had seven children together. They had three boys and four girls.
Contents
Early Life and Family
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Mary Anna Randolph Lee came from important families in the Southern colonies. Her family included the Custis, Fitzhugh, and Randolph families. Through her grandmother, she was related to Charles II of England.
Mary Anna Custis Lee was the only child who lived to adulthood. Her parents were George Washington Parke Custis and Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis. Mary was born in 1807 at a place called Annefield in Clarke County, Virginia. This happened when her mother's coach stopped there during a trip.
She received a very good education. She learned both Latin and Greek. She enjoyed talking about politics with her father. Later, she would discuss politics with her husband. She also liked to read new books. After her father passed away, she helped publish his writings in 1859. The book was called Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington.
Life at Arlington House
Mary Custis was small and full of life. She had known Robert E. Lee since they were children. They were third cousins. Robert Lee's father, "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, was a hero of the American Revolutionary War. He gave a speech at George Washington's funeral.
Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee inherited Arlington House from her father when he died in 1857. This estate had been her home during her husband's time in the military. She was a kind host and often had visitors.
Mary was also a painter, just like her father. She painted many landscapes. Some of her paintings can still be seen at Arlington House today. She loved roses and grew many different types of trees and flowers in the gardens.
Mary was a very religious person. She attended Episcopal church services whenever one was near the army post. When she was at Arlington, she and Robert went to Christ Church in Alexandria. They had both attended this church since they were children.
Mary Lee taught her female slaves to read and write. She believed that slavery should eventually end. However, she did not free her slaves during her lifetime. She suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that made her joints hurt and stiff. It got worse as she got older. By 1861, she needed a wheelchair to move around.
During and After the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, Mary Custis Lee stayed at Arlington House for a while. She finally left on May 15, 1861.
Mary and her daughters first moved between different family plantations. In May 1862, she was at her son Rooney's plantation, White House. This area was behind the Union army lines. The Union commander, George B. McClellan, allowed her to pass through his lines. She then moved to Richmond, which was the capital of the Southern states.
Mary and her daughters lived in Richmond for some time. After that, the family moved to the Cocke family's plantation at Bremo Bluff. They stayed there until the war ended in November 1865.
After the war, the Lees lived in Powhatan County for a short time. Then they moved to Lexington. Robert E. Lee became the president of Washington College. This college was later renamed Washington and Lee University.
Mary Anna Custis Lee visited her beloved Arlington House one last time in 1873. This was just a few months before she died. She could not leave her horse carriage because of her arthritis. She hardly recognized the estate, except for some old oak trees and a few trees that she and Robert had planted.
Mary Anna Custis Lee died at the age of 66. She passed away three years after her famous husband. She is buried next to him in the Lee family crypt. This crypt is at University Chapel on the campus of Washington and Lee University.
Marriage and Children
Mary and Robert were married at her parents' home, Arlington House, on June 30, 1831. They had three sons and four daughters together:
- George Washington Custis "Custis"
- William H. Fitzhugh "Rooney"
- Robert Edward Jr.
- Mary
- Eleanor Agnes (called Agnes)
- Anne
- Mildred Lee
None of their daughters ever married.
Images for kids
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Mary Anna Custis Lee and her son, Robert E. Lee, Jr., around 1845
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Rooney Lee, about 8 years old, with his father Robert E. Lee, 1845
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Major General George Washington Custis Lee (1832–1913)
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Major General William Henry Fitzhugh Lee (1837–1891)
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Anne Carter Lee (1839–1862)
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Captain Robert E. Lee Jr. (1843–1914)
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