Philip Lee - Attempted to save his wife and children from being sold to the Deep South (written by Ann Ulmschneider)

 

Philip Lee was born in the 1780s, possibly in 1785. He was the second child of Frank and Lucy Lee, who were enslaved at George Washington’s home, Mt. Vernon. He had at least two siblings, Mike and Patty, and possibly a third named Edmund, who most likely died young. He was a member of one of the largest multigenerational enslaved families on the estate.

Philip's father Frank was the butler at Mt. Vernon. His mother Lucy was the daughter of Doll, a longtime cook. His uncle William was body man to George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Both Frank and William Lee were described as “mulatto,” meaning that they were mixed race, almost certainly the children of an enslaved woman and a white man. It was common at Mount Vernon and other southern plantations for light-skinned enslaved people to receive work assignments in the house. More than six percent of Mount Vernon’s enslaved population were described as “mulatto,” about average for Virginia in this period.

The Lee family most likely lived in the south wing of the mansion cellar, where the Washingtons kept a second kitchen. Documents refer to Frank having a “room” in the cellar of the mansion. As butler, Frank Lee played an important role in the household—greeting visitors, serving food and monitoring storage of food and wine. Philip likely benefited from the social position of his family members, which allowed him access to people and places that were typically off-limits to enslaved individuals.

After George Washington died in 1799, Frank Lee was freed in 1801 by the terms of Washington’s will. Lucy and her children remained enslaved because they belonged to Martha Washington.

After Martha Washington’s death in 1802, Philip’s mother Lucy and siblings Mike and Patty were inherited by Martha’s granddaughter Eleanor (Nelly) Parke Custis Lee who lived at nearby Woodlawn plantation. Philip, then seventeen years old, was separated from his family and was bequeathed to Martha’s grandson George Washington Parke Custis at Arlington House. He served as valet and body servant to Custis for 32 years. Custis was the brother of Nelly and the step-grandson of George Washington. His daughter, Mary Anna Randolph Custis married Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee.

Philip married a woman named Nelly, who lived on another plantation. (Slave marriages were not legally recognized in Virginia.) They had 14 children together, the first seven of whom died in infancy. After Philip interceded, Nelly’s master consented to change her duties to ones more suited to her strength. After that she never lost a child. The oldest surviving child was born in 1818.

Custis seems to have considered Phillip a trusted servant, illustrated by an anecdote involving the visiting Frenchman, Marquis de Lafayette.  In 1825, Lafayette sought American wild turkeys and opossums to take back to Europe with him. Custis wrote a letter to a Baltimore newspaper, American Farmer: “I am happy to inform you that my servant Philip Lee, has procured for General Lafayette, two male and two female opossums, one of the latter with young, and that they are now on their way to Europe.” He said Lafayette had recognized Phillip because he resembled his uncle Billy, who had served Washington during the war. Custis noted that Lafayette shook Phillip’s hand, and “. . .the good Lafayette has not grasped the one of an honester (sic) man, or of one more respectable in his station in life, than of Philip Lee.^”  (1)

In 1829, Philip’s wife and seven children were to be sold to slave traders and transported to Georgia. Philip needed to raise $1000 (equivalent to $29,528 in 2024) to purchase his family members to keep them from being sold. Custis, managed to raise $500 of the total, but could not raise the full sum.

Presbyterian minister Samuel H. Cox, solicited funds for Phillip’s family by placing an article in the N.Y. Journal of Commerce on January 20, 1829. Cox wrote, “[Lee's] character is one of extraordinary excellence; of unqualified and universal praise. For a gifted and original mind, regularity and industry, an exemplary influence among those of his own class. . .” Cox noted that Custis had said, "Phil has lived with me twenty-eight years, and I can say that a more faithful and conscientious man never lived." (2)  It is unknown if Phillip was able to raise the amount to purchase his family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On February 17, 1832, Custis wrote from Arlington House that he was sending to New York some clothes and a tent that had been used by Washington for the upcoming celebration of Washington’s birthday, stating, "My old favorite body servant, Philip Lee, will accompany the reliques. Philip is the nephew of Washington's celebrated revolutionary follower, Will Lee. Philip is a highly intelligent, nay, talented man, of gentlemanly manner, and worthy of every con-fidence and consideration. He will not be my slave much longer. He has been my friend for two and thirty years."(3)

Seven months later, there had apparently been no progress on Custis' claim that Lee "would not be my slave much longer." In September 1832, Custis' wife Mary Lee (Molly) Fitzhugh Lee wrote him, "Philip is very unhappy...He wishes to hear from you, from family, and to know what are the wishes of his master. He evinces no disposition, that I can see to do wrong in any sense...I consider Philip the greatest sufferer...of his own responsibility and agency...All I want is that right should be done to all parties…If you can come to a decision about that, my dear husband, it ought not to be delayed." (4)

It is unknown whether Philip Lee was ever emancipated. His date and place of death are also unknown.

 

References

(1) Custis, George Washington Parke, “Opossum for GW Lafayette Obtained,” in The Evening Post, Newspapers.com. June 7, 1825. Retrieved 2024-11-07.

(2) Cox, Samuel H., "From the N.Y. Journal of Commerce". Hartford Courant. Vol. LXV, no. 3340. Hartford, Connecticut. January 27, 1829. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-11-07 – via Newspapers.com.

(3) Custis, George Washington Parke, Letter to SE Burrows, Alexandria Gazette, February 27, 1832. Retrieved 2024-11-07.

(4) Clark, Charles S., George Washington Parke Custis: A Rarefied Life in America's First Family. Afterword by Matthew Penrod. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 233.