Slaves of Henry Lee 1787, Virginia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Prince William, Virginia, United States
Surnames/tags: Lee Slavery Black_Heritage

Contents 1 Background 1.1 Slaves 1.1.1 Named in Will 1.1.2 Probate Inventory 2 Sources

Background

Henry Lee (1730-1787) lived in Prince William County, Virginia. This page is to record the enslaved he owned during his lifetime. They were likely held at Leesylvania, the family's plantation on the Potomac.^[1]

Slaves

Named in Will

The following enslaved persons were named in the 1787 will of Henry Lee:^[2] [Note: The will is very faint, these names may be incorrectly transcribed.]

Enslaved people willed to Henry Lee's "beloved wife" Lucy (Grymes) Lee (1734-1792):

• Alice
• Beck
• Rachel
• Dick (the house servant)
• Kate, daughter of Beck
• carpenter Dick
• Nanney
• Jesse
• all Nanney's children (see profile for Nanney)
• Daniel
• Tom
• Old Harry (abt.1700-)

Son, Henry Lee III (1756-1818) The will stipulated Henry is to "have no part of my slaves now in my possession or in the possession of my sons Charles and Richard" except the following enslaved, who were given to son Henry prior to the will being written.

• Bill
• Bett
• and her [Bett's] child

Some authors speculate the exclusion of Henry from large gifts in the will may have been due to Henry's poor prior financial choices.^[1]

Eldest daughter Mary (Lee) Fendall (abt.1764-1827)

• Philis
• Sol
• Dinah
• Bally, daughter of Franky

Daughter Lucy Lee (1774-1837)

• Charlotte
• Nancy, daughter of Moll

Daughter Nancy Anne (Lee) Page (1776-1857)

• Alice, daughter of Margery
• Milly, daughter of Jenny
• Darby, daughter of Dinah

Probate Inventory

The following enslaved persons were named and valued in the probate inventory of 19 December 1787:^[3]
Note: the writing is faint, and the transcriptions below may be inaccurate. Many of the names from the will appear to be found in the probate list below. They have been linked. Future research may distinguish between same-name people.
The list has two columns with names of the enslaved with a value in £ next to each with a total in the third column.

Solomon or see Soll below £70	Granby £60	130
Ben £70	Stephen £70	140
Jenny or see Jenny below £27	Maskill £90	117
Amoy £15	Anny £12.10	27.10
Ted £35	Moses £40	75
Aaron £35	Phillis £45	80
Harriet £33	Robin £10	43
Adey £12.10	Milly & child £55	37
Moll £30	Nancy £15	45
Black Moll could be Moll £70	Jenny £60	25
Nanney £7.10	Mary £50	57.10
Sam £65	Able £40	105
Tom Davis £40	Tom (or could be Tom Davis, previous entry) £40	80
____ £60	Vick £45	105
Nell £35	Defoe £70	105
__ & child £55	Rachel & child £45	100
__nny & child £40	Sarah £30	70
Bill £20	Betsey £15	35
Beck £25	Rachel (could also be Rachel & child above) £20	45
Lukey £18	Frank £15	33
Alice or could be Alice £20	Fanny £25	45
Old Frank £10	Judy £35	45
Dick (the house servant) or carpenter Dick £40	Solomon £25	65
Daphen £30	Phil £30	60
Charlotte £30	Daniel £25	55
Sarah		40
Felies & Cato		0

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Wikipedia, "Leesylvania," (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leesylvania_(plantation) : accessed 10 July 2023).
2. ↑ General index to wills, 1734-1951; wills, inventories & accounts, 1734- 1872: "General index to wills, 1734-1951; wills, inventories & accounts, 1734- 1872"
   Catalog: General index to wills, 1734-1951; wills, inventories & accounts, 1734- 1872 Wills, inventories & accounts, Vol. C 1734-1744 Wills, inventories & accounts, Vol. G 1778- 1791
   Film number: 007645737 > image 499 of 584
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9PX-FQ84 (accessed 13 June 2023)
   • Will Bk Vol G p.373
3. ↑ General index to wills, 1734-1951; wills, inventories & accounts, 1734- 1872: "General index to wills, 1734-1951; wills, inventories & accounts, 1734- 1872"
   Catalog: General index to wills, 1734-1951; wills, inventories & accounts, 1734- 1872 Wills, inventories & accounts, Vol. C 1734-1744 Wills, inventories & accounts, Vol. G 1778- 1791
   Film number: 007645737 > image 508 of 584
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9PX-FQZ9 (accessed 13 June 2023)
   • Will Bk G p. 391