Lee Robert E Lee's Home

[JD Mayo]

Came out in 2009 but still a good video

 

[Lubliner]

Robert Lee's days spent on the Arlington Estate were sparsely numbered due to fulfilment of Duty to the U. S. and Honor to his State, Virginia.
Lubliner.

 

[Fairfield]

Perhaps many people do not know that General Lee never owned Arlington. It was owned by his father-in-law, George Washington Custis. When GW Custis died in 1857, he willed Arlington to his grandson (the General's son)--with a life tenure to his daughter (the General's wife).

One of the saddest passages that I've ever read was a description of the last visit of Mrs. Lee to her old home in 1873, shortly before her death.

 

[jcaesar]

There is a push to remove his name and history from the home. Ironically yes he never owned it, but he had to manage it for his dead father in law and his own son. Symbolically it always has made a pretty powerful memorial standing on one side of the Potomac with the Lincoln memorial on the other side.

 

[Fairfield]

but he had to manage it for his dead father in law and his own son.

In 1857 a lot was said about the condition of the estate and how it had deteriorated under GWP Custis; he simply wasn't interested and left the running up to his overseers. But he was resident. Lee was away in the army--first in NY, then California and then Mexico; for all intents and purposes, he was a visitor when he went home. I don't think that he ever managed it for his son who was owner for only a nominal period after Lee's death.

But it surly was Mary Lee's. She grew up there and she was the owner from her father's death until it was seized. By terms of her father's will, her ownership was only a lifetime tenure. IMO there is little doubt that she loved the home and, as I said, the description of her last visit was heart-breaking.

 

[Georgia]

There is a push to remove his name and history from the home. Ironically yes he never owned it, but he had to manage it for his dead father in law and his own son. Symbolically it always has made a pretty powerful memorial standing on one side of the Potomac with the Lincoln memorial on the other side.

Arlington? Surely not, now folks are really going a bit crazy. They didn't even live there all that long.
Whatever became of the home he was supposed to have gotten through his Mother? The White House?
Aw, here's a write up. It's where George and Martha Washington married and it was burned during the Civil War.

White House (plantation) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Georgia]

In 1857 a lot was said about the condition of the estate and how it had deteriorated under GWP Custis; he simply wasn't interested and left the running up to his overseers. But he was resident. Lee was away in the army--first in NY, then California and then Mexico; for all intents and purposes, he was a visitor when he went home. I don't think that he ever managed it for his son who was owner for only a nominal period after Lee's death.

But it surly was Mary Lee's. She grew up there and she was the owner from her father's death until it was seized. By terms of her father's will, her ownership was only a lifetime tenure. IMO there is little doubt that she loved the home and, as I said, the description of her last visit was heart-breaking.

Right- the will stated it was hers until her death or she chose to leave it and then was to be passed to a grandson, correct?

 

[Georgia]

Perhaps many people do not know that General Lee never owned Arlington. It was owned by his father-in-law, George Washington Custis. When GW Custis died in 1857, he willed Arlington to his grandson (the General's son)--with a life tenure to his daughter (the General's wife).

One of the saddest passages that I've ever read was a description of the last visit of Mrs. Lee to her old home in 1873, shortly before her death.

It had to have been heart wrenching. She had born her second child there and all her childhood memories as well- I had not remembered she had rheumatoid arthritis and was in a wheelchair during the Civil War. When visiting Washington and Lee, their home there was comfortable but I don't recall seeing ramps. I'm hoping this means her health improved...I'm scared to google and see.

Well, I needed a good purging cry.

Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee - Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

 

[Fairfield]

Arlington? Surely not, now folks are really going a bit crazy. They didn't even live there all that long.
Whatever became of the home he was supposed to have gotten through his Mother? The White House?
Aw, here's a write up. It's where George and Martha Washington married and it was burned during the Civil War.

White House (plantation) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I believe that Lee's father, Light Horse Harry Lee, lost just about everything and then abandoned his family. Ann Hill Carter Lee (the General's mother) was a wonder to bring up her family, leaning on the Lees and her own family for support.

The White House came from the Custis family and did, indeed, pass to Lee's son.

 

[Georgia]

Came out in 2009 but still a good video

What a great video! Have you had the opportunity to visit his home in Annapolis and Stratford as well?

 

[Fairfield]

Right- the will stated it was hers until her death or she chose to leave it and then was to be passed to a grandson, correct?

It was hers while she lived. On her death it was to pass to her son George Wasington Custis Lee. The 2nd son (William Fitzhugh) received The White House while the 3rd son (Robert jr.) received Romancock.

 

[Fairfield]

It had to have been heart wrenching. She had born her second child there and all her childhood memories as well- I had not remembered she had rheumatoid arthritis and was in a wheelchair during the Civil War. When visiting Washington and Lee, their home there was comfortable but I don't recall seeing ramps. I'm hoping this means her health improved...I'm scared to google and see.

Well, I needed a good purging cry.

Mary Anna Randolph Custis Lee - Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

The poor woman had many problems all exacerbated by the arthritis. I don't think that it ever improved--but she never let it get her down. IMO Mary Lee was one of the truly underappreciated people in history. Overshadowed in the light by her husband, it is important to remember that--had it not been for her (and Winfield Scott)--he'd just have been another army engineer.

 

[Georgia]

It was hers while she lived. On her death it was to pass to her son George Wasington Custis Lee. The 2nd son (William Fitzhugh) received The White House while the 3rd son (Robert jr.) received Romancock.

Thank you for the clarification. I had read the will a couple of days ago and I knew there were three homes divided among the family members but I didn't remember who was given each location.

 

[Georgia]

The poor woman had many problems all exacerbated by the arthritis. I don't think that it ever improved--but she never let it get her down.

Stresses are not good for auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. And, to have had seven children would have also been a large physical toll and could have further compromised her condition.