William Lee (valet) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Lee
1780 portrait of Lee
Born	c. 1750
Died	1810 (1811) (aged 60)
Other names	Will Lee, Billy Lee
Occupation	Slave Manservant
Known for	Being George Washington's personal manservant.

William Lee (around 1750–1810) was an American man who was enslaved and worked as a personal assistant for George Washington. He was the only one of Washington's enslaved people who was set free right away in Washington's will. Because he was always with Washington during the American Revolutionary War, and sometimes appeared in paintings next to him, Lee became one of the most well-known African-Americans of his time.

Early Life and Role

This painting from 1780 shows a man holding a horse, who might be William Lee. The artist, John Trumbull, painted this from memory.

A French picture from around 1780 shows General Washington. The Black man with the horse is not named but could be William Lee.

William Lee was born around 1750. George Washington bought him on May 27, 1768, when William was a teenager. Washington paid a high price for William and his brother, Frank. This was because they were bought to be household servants, not field workers.

William kept the last name "Lee" from his previous owner. Frank became Washington's butler at Mount Vernon. William worked in many roles, including being Washington's personal assistant, also called a valet or manservant. As a valet, he helped Washington with daily tasks, like brushing his long hair and tying it back.

A Skilled Huntsman

George Washington loved to hunt foxes, and William Lee became his main huntsman. This important job meant he was in charge of the hunting dogs. He also had to be an expert horse rider and blow special calls on a hunting horn.

Washington's step-grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, wrote about William during a hunt. He said that William, also known as Billy, rode a strong horse named Chinkling. William was fearless on his horse, rushing through woods and bushes at top speed. He was so skilled that modern hunters would be amazed.

While many African and Creole huntsmen were forced to work for their owners, their skills were very important.

During the Revolutionary War

Before the Revolutionary War began, William Lee often traveled with Washington. He went to the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg, which was like a government meeting place. He also joined Washington on trips, like a land survey in 1770 and a meeting in Philadelphia in 1774.

William Lee stayed by Washington's side for all eight years of the Revolutionary War. This included the very cold winter at Valley Forge and the important siege of Yorktown. Historian Fritz Hirschfeld said that Lee "rode alongside Washington in the thick of battle." He was always ready to give the general a spare horse or his telescope if needed.

Later Life and Freedom

William Lee married Margaret Thomas Lee, a free African-American woman from Philadelphia. She had worked as a servant at Washington's headquarters during the war. In 1784, Washington tried to help Margaret move to Mount Vernon to live with William. It is not known if she ever came to Mount Vernon.

In 1785, William hurt his knee while on a trip for Washington. A few years later, in 1788, he fell and hurt his other knee. This made it very hard for him to walk. When Washington became president in 1789, William tried to go to New York City for Washington's first inauguration. But he had to stay in Philadelphia for medical care. Doctors helped him with a steel brace for his knee. This allowed him to join Washington's household later.

Even after Washington retired in 1797, William's injuries kept him from doing his old jobs. He spent his last years working as a shoemaker at Mount Vernon. Many veterans from the Revolutionary War would visit Mount Vernon. They often stopped to talk with William Lee and remember their time in the war.

When George Washington passed away in 1799, he set William Lee free in his will. Washington wrote that he did this because of William's "faithful services during the Revolutionary War." William Lee was the only one of Washington's 124 enslaved people to be freed right away. The rest of Washington's enslaved people were to be freed after his wife, Martha Washington, died. William was also given money each year for the rest of his life. He chose to stay at Mount Vernon and was buried there.

Legacy and Portrayals

Historian Fritz Hirschfeld wrote that if William Lee had been a white man, he would be very famous in American history. This is because he was so close to George Washington during important times. But because he was an enslaved Black servant, he has often been overlooked.

William Lee has been shown in several TV shows:

• Ron Canada played Lee in the 1984 CBS miniseries George Washington.
• Gentry White played Lee in the AMC series Turn: Washington's Spies (2014–2017). He was an important character in the episode "Valley Forge."
• Hainsley Lloyd Bennett played Lee in the 2020 miniseries Washington.

See also

• Philip Lee (valet), Will Lee's nephew
• List of enslaved people of Mount Vernon
• George Washington and slavery
• Samuel Osgood House – The first house where the president lived.
• Alexander Macomb House – The second house where the president lived.
• President's House (Philadelphia) – The third house where the president lived.
• List of slaves