Existing comment:
Leesylvania Plantation became a part of the Lee family legacy upon the marriage of Laethin Corbin to Richard Lee II in 1675. The name "Leesylvania," meaning "Lee's Woods," was appropriately given to the heavily wooded peninsula by Henry Lee II and his wife Lucy Grymes. In about 1750, Henry chose a site high on this ridge overlooking the Potomac to build his home. Though very little remains of the original structure, it is thought to have been similar to Rippon Lodge, a neighboring home built around the same time. Although Henry had many political obligations, his primary duty was to the plantation. Here he oversaw farm and fishery operations until his death in 1787. The home burned not long after, around 1790.
The location of the Plantation along the Potomac, and the difficulty of lengthy travel made for greater interaction between neighboring plantation owners. Among these neighbors was a certain George Washington of Mt. Vernon, about fourteen miles upriver. His diary records numerous visits to Leesylvania Plantation, beginning on October 19, 1768:
"Set off on my Journey to Williamsburg and reached Colo. Henry Lees to Dinner."
Again on October 30, 1769, with his wife Martha and daughter Patsy:
"Set out on my Journey to Williamsburg and reached Henry Lees to a Late Dinner."
Finally, on the 27th of November, 1772: "Set off from Fredericksburg and reached Colo. Henry Lees where we lodged."
Leesylvania Plantation remained in the Lee family until 1825, when it was sold by Alfred Lee to Henry Fairfax. The legacy of the Plantation continues. In addition to the name, a few of Lucy's flowers, including daffodils and daylilies, still bloom in the surrounding woodlands. |