Stratford Hall (plantation) facts for kids
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Stratford Hall
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Back side of Stratford in 2012
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Built | 1738 |
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| Architectural style | Georgian style |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000851 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 7, 1960 |
Stratford Hall is a famous historic house and museum located near Lerty in Westmoreland County, Virginia. It was the home for four generations of the important Lee family of Virginia. This grand estate is especially known as the childhood home of two Founding Fathers of the United States: Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee. Both of them signed the United States Declaration of Independence. Stratford Hall is also the birthplace of Robert E. Lee, who became a famous general during the American Civil War. In 1960, Stratford Hall was named a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important place in American history.
Contents
Building Stratford Hall
The story of Stratford Hall begins with Thomas Lee (1690–1750). He was an important person in Virginia and even served as the acting Governor of the colony. In 1717, Thomas Lee bought the land for Stratford Hall. He knew it was a great spot because it was right on the water, perfect for farming and trade.
Building the main house, called the Great House, started in the late 1730s. It was designed in the Georgian style, which was popular at the time. The house is made of brick and has two stories. It's shaped like an "H" and has four smaller buildings around it. All these buildings are still standing today.
By 1742, Stratford Hall was a very busy place. It was a large working plantation. One visitor even said it was "a towne in itself"! About 200 enslaved Africans and African Americans lived and worked at Stratford and other properties owned by Thomas Lee.
Life at the Plantation
Stratford Hall had its own wharf on the Potomac River. Many merchant ships came and went from here. There was also a grist mill to grind wheat and corn. Enslaved people and servants worked hard farming tobacco and other crops on thousands of acres.
Many skilled workers also lived and worked at Stratford. These included Blacksmiths, coopers (who made barrels), carpenters, tailors, gardeners, and weavers. Stratford Hall is in a historic area of Virginia called the Northern Neck.
Thomas Lee and his wife, Hannah Harrison Ludwell (1701–1749), raised eight children at Stratford Hall. Their six sons and two daughters all played important roles in early American history.
The Lee Children and Their Impact
- Philip Ludwell Lee Sr. (1727–1775) was the oldest son. He inherited Stratford Hall.
- Richard Henry Lee (1732–1794) and Francis Lightfoot Lee (1734–1797) were delegates from Virginia. They both signed the United States Declaration of Independence. Richard Henry later became the President of the Continental Congress.
- Thomas Ludwell Lee was active in local politics. He helped write the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
- William Lee (1739–1795) and Dr. Arthur Lee (1740–1792) served as diplomats. They helped America during the fight for independence.
- Hannah Lee was an early supporter of women's rights.
- Alice Lee married a well-known doctor from Philadelphia, William Shippen Jr..
Stratford Hall Changes Hands
Philip Ludwell Lee Sr. continued to expand the plantation after he inherited it. It grew to be almost 6,600 acres. Philip and his wife, Elizabeth Steptoe (1743–1789), had two daughters. Their oldest daughter was known as "the divine Matilda."
After Philip died in 1775, Elizabeth remarried Philip Richard Fendall I. They continued to live at Stratford Hall. Matilda married Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, who was a hero of the American Revolution. Matilda inherited Stratford Hall, but she sadly died after only eight years of marriage.
During this time, an enslaved man named Caesar was a chef at Stratford. He was famous for making hot chocolate for guests. Stratford Hall had one of the first chocolate grinding stones in Virginia! Caesar's son, Caesar Jr., was the plantation's postillion, meaning he rode the lead horse when guiding carriages.
Robert E. Lee's Birthplace
"Light Horse Harry" Lee later married Ann Hill Carter (1773–1827). Their fourth child, Robert Edward Lee (1807–1870), was born at Stratford Hall in 1807. Robert E. Lee only lived at Stratford Hall for his first four years. However, he always remembered it fondly. During the American Civil War, he even wrote to his wife about wanting to buy it back.
Due to financial difficulties, Light Horse Harry had to leave Stratford Hall. Ann Carter Lee and the children moved to Alexandria in 1810–11. Stratford Hall then went to Harry and Matilda's son, Major Henry Lee IV. But he also faced money problems and had to sell the plantation a few years later.
Stratford Hall After the Lee Family
For over a century, Stratford Hall remained in private hands. William C. Somerville bought the property in 1822. After his death, the plantation was sold again in 1828 to Henry D. Storke. His wife, Elizabeth "Besty" McCarty Storke, lived there until she died in 1879.
In 1929, a group of women formed the Robert E. Lee Memorial Association. They wanted to preserve the history of Robert E. Lee and his family. This group bought Stratford Hall from the Storke family. Today, the Association takes care of the site, and it is open for the public to visit.
Stratford Hall was even featured on a 4¢ United States postage stamp in 1936–1937. The stamp showed General Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, with Stratford Hall in the middle.
Burials at Stratford Hall
Some members of the Lee family are buried at Stratford Hall:
- Thomas Lee
- Hannah Harrison Ludwell
