Henry Lee I

Capt. Henry Lee I (1691–1747) was a prominent Virginia colonist, planter, soldier, and politician, brother of Governor Thomas Lee, grandfather of Revolutionary War hero Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee III, and great-grandfather of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

He was the son of Col. Richard Lee II, Esq., "the Scholar" (1647-1715) and Laetitia Corbin (ca. 1657-1706). Born at Machodoc in Westmoreland County, Lee resided at Lee Hall near Hague, in the Parish of Cople, Westmoreland County. All traces of the house have long since disappeared. The land surrounding Lee Hall was part of the 2,600 acres (11 km²) of Machodoc land patented in 1650 by his grandfather, Col. Richard Lee I, Esq., “the Immigrant” (1618-1664). Henry died between June 13–25, 1747.

He was a co-leaseholder with his brother Thomas of the family plantation on the Machodoc River, and he owned or leased the area of Lee Hall. When the family plantation was burned down in January 1729, Henry Lee took in his brother's family at Lee Hall while the plantation was rebuilt.

Lee married Mary Bland (1704-1764), the daughter of Hon. Richard Bland, Sr. (1665-1720) and Elizabeth Randolph (1685-1719). They had the following children:

1.  ? Lee (ca. 1723).
2. John Lee (1724-1767), who married Mary (Smith) Ball (1725).
3. Richard "Squire" Lee (1726-1795), who married Sarah "Sally" Bland Poythress (1768-1828), daughter of Peter Poythress (1715-1785) of "Branchester", and Elizabeth Bland (1733-1792). Sally was the mother of Willoughby Newton, with her second husband of the same name.
4.  ? Lee (ca. 1727).
5. Col. Henry Lee II (1730-1787) of "Leesylvania", who married Lucy Grymes (1734-1792) the "Lowland Beauty", daughter of Hon. Charles Grymes (1693-1743) and Frances Jennings.
6. Laetitia Lee (1730-1788), who married William Ball (ca. 1730).
7. Anne Lee (1732), who married William Fitzhugh, Sr. (1730).

(According to some sources, Lee had four children with Mary Bland: John, Richard, Lettice/Letitia, and Henry.)