Lee, William (fl. 1768–1810) – Encyclopedia Virginia
SUMMARY William Lee was the enslaved valet of George Washington for nearly two decades. Purchased by Washington in 1768, when he was at least sixteen years old, Lee was assigned to household work at Mount Vernon and accompanied Washington when he traveled, including during the American Revolution (1775–1783). The war made Lee, who often rode alongside Washington, well-known to both American and British soldiers. Although Lee was initially taken to New York at the start of Washington’s first presidential term in 1789, old injuries to his knees limited his mobility. Lee appears to have marr...
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