Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis was born 22 April 1788 to William Fitzhugh (1741-1809) and Ann Randolph Fitzhugh (1747-1805). She
married George Washington Parke Custis (1781-1857) in 1806, and they were the parents
of Mary Randolph Custis (1808-1873) who married Robert E. Lee (1807-1870). Mary Fitzhugh Custis died 23 April 1853 at Arlington
in Alexandria County, Virginia, and was buried there. George Washington Parke Custis
was the son of John Parke Custis (1755-1781), and the grandson of Daniel Parke Custis (1711-1757) and Martha Dandridge Custis
Washington (1731-1802).
Mary Randolph Custis Lee was born 1 October 1808 at Annedale, Clarke County, Virginia to George Washington Parke Custis (1781-1857),
the grandson of Martha Washington, and Mary Lee Fitzhugh (1788-1853). She
married Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) at Arlington House 30 June 1831, where they lived off and on for many years before the Civil
War began. Mary Custis Lee died 5 November 1873 in Lexington, Virginia. She was buried
in the Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University, Lexington. The Lees had seven children including George Washington Custis
Lee (1832-1913).
James Murray Mason was born 3 November 1798 in Georgetown, District of Columbia, to John Mason and Anna Maria Murray. Educated
at schools in Georgetown, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1818.
Mason studied law at the College of William and Mary, then moved to Winchester, Virginia, in 1820 to practice law. Mason served
in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1826 to 1831, except for 1827-1828. Elected
to Congress, he served from 1837 to 1839. The Virginia state senate sent Mason to the United States Senate in 1847, and he
became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and Finance Committees. When the Civil War
began, Mason left the Senate and offered his services to the Confederate States of America. He was appointed the Confederate
diplomatic commissioner to Great Britain. Taken from the British ship Trent, Mason spent
a brief time in U.S. custody before being released. He went to Great Britain to carry out his duties. After the Civil War,
Mason moved to Canada where he stayed before returning to Virginia in 1868. Mason died
near Alexandria, Virginia, 28 April 1871, and was buried at Christ Episcopal Church. He married Elizabeth Margaretta Chew
(1798-1874) 25 July 1822, and they had eight children.
Papers, 1756-1863, of the Custis, Lee, and Mason families of Virginia, consisting of correspondence to and from members of
these families. Collection is divided into three series: Series I: Custis Family
Papers, 1756-1844. Series II: Lee Family Correspondence, 1832-1863. Series III: Mason Family Papers, 1822-1846.
Custis family correspondence, 1756-1844, contain mainly correspondence to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis (1788-1853) of Alexandria
County, District of Columbia and Virginia. Letters deal mainly with social, family,
and personal news of her correspondents, who include her daughter Mary Custis Lee (1808-1873), Robert Randolph, Eleanor Parke
Custis Lewis, T. James, Anna Maria Fitzhugh, S. E. Goldsboro, M. Meade, Lucy Jane
Randolph, Rosalie Eugenia Stuart Webster, and William W. Meade. Many of the letters from Mary Custis Lee portray life as the
wife of a military officer in the United States army during the 19th century. Of particular interest
are: a) a letter, 27 May 1756, from Daniel Parke Custis of New Kent County, Virginia, to Robert Cary and Company, merchants
of London, England, concerning his tobacco crop; b) a letter, n.d., from Mary Fitzhugh
Lee Custis at Old Point Comfort, Virginia, to her husband George Washington Parke Custis, at Arlington, in Alexandria County,
District of Columbia, concerning the status of one of their slaves; and c) a letter,
n.d., from William W. Meade to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis concerning a contribution to the American Colonization Society.
Lee family correspondence, 1832-1863, containly mainly correspondence to Mary Randolph Custis Lee (1808-1873) of Alexandria
County, District of Columbia and Virginia, containing social, family, and personal
news of her correspondents, who include: A. T. Hale, Mary B. Carter, Henrietta Dimmock, Julia C. Stuart, M. F. Powell, Robert
E. Lee, Lloyd N. Rogers, Anna Maria Fitzhugh, S. E. Goldsboro, E. C. Huger, Mary C.
Goldsboro, and George Washington Parke Custis. There are three letters, one from Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis and two from Mary
Randolph Custis Lee, to George Washington Custis Lee while he was a cadet at the United
States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Letter, 12 July 1837, from Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) to his wife Mary Randolph
Custis Lee describes an exhibit on George Washington at a Baltimore museum, for which
her father George Washington Parke Custis had lent items. Also included letter, 1 March 1863, from T. G. B. to Mary describing
a family's life during the Civil War.
Mason family correspondence, 1822-1846, containing mainly correspondence to James Murray Mason (1798-1871) concerning the
estate of his father-in-law, Benjamin Chew (d. 1844), including the dispute surrounding ownership of the Chew home, "Cliveden,"
Germantown, Pennsylvania, and other legal matters involving the estate of Chew, for whom Mason was an administrator. Also
includes letters concerning Elizabeth Chew (1798-1874), Mason's future wife; one, 6 March [1819], possibly from Elizabeth's
sister Anne Chew regarding Elizabeth's health and her relationship with Mason; and one, 9 July 1822, from Elizabeth's father
Benjamin Chew to Mason regarding Mason's upcoming marriage to Elizabeth. Also includes the answer, n.d., of Benjamin Grayson,
John W. Grayson, and George M. Grayson to a bill in chancery in the Superior Court of Chancery, Winchester District, and addressed
to the honorable Henry St. George Tucker (1780-1848).
-
Letter,
27 May 1756,
from Daniel Parke Custis, New Kent County, Virginia, to Robert Cary and Company, London, England, regarding business and his
tobacco crop.
1 leaf.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis at Old Point Comfort, Virginia, to George Washington Parke Custis at Arlington, Alexandria County,
District of Columbia, concerning a slave named Philip and other personal
matters.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
5 March 1814,
from Robert Randolph, Fauquier County, Virginia, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, concerning his personal life
and religion.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
10 October 1823,
from Eleanor Parke (Nelly) Custis Lewis, Fairfax County, Virginia, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, discussing
her husband's health and other family news.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
4 November 1823,
from Eleanor Parke (Nelly) Custis Lewis, Fairfax County, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, containing family
and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
12 April 1832,
from M. Meade, White Post, Virginia, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, sending news of family and friends.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
1 September 1833,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis discussing family news, including the health of Mary Custis and
George W. P. Custis, and Mary Lee's family.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
16 May 1844,
from T. James [?], Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, relating society news from
Philadelphia, family and personal news, as well as discussing an attack on part
of the Episcopal Church.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
17 February, n.y.,
from Anna Maria Fitzhugh [Battaile?], Cambridge, Maryland, to Mary Fitzhugh Custis and Mary Randolph Custis [Lee], Alexandria
County, describing Cambridge and discussing society, family, and personal
news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
1 June n.y.,
from T. E. Goldsboro, Easton, Maryland, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, describing the visit of Mary Custis'
daughter Mary Randolph Custis [Lee] to the Goldsboros' home.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee to Mary Lee Fizthugh Custis, Alexandria County, discussing family and personal news and the
Lee family travels west, including to Cincinnati, Ohio.
4 pages, fragmented.
-
Letter,
18th June n.y.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Fort Hamilton, New York, New York, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, describing
life at Fort Hamilton and in New York City, including society, family, and
personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
12 August n.y.,
from L. J. Randolph to Mary Custis in Baltimore, Maryland, containing personal and family news.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
14 August n.y.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Washington, D.C., to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, containing family and personal
news
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee, St. Louis, Missouri, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, sending news of the Lee
family during its time in St. Louis while Robert E. Lee was stationed there.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Fort Monroe, Elizabeth City County, Virginia, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, discussing life
at Fort Monroe and describing the society life around the Lee family, including
information on some of the other military officers there.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Fort Hamilton, New York, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, sending society, family,
and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
28 September n.y.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis providing family and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
24 November n.y.,
from Rosalie Eugenia Stuart Webster, Easthampton, Massachusetts, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, describing
Easthampton and containing family and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Fort Hamilton, New York City, to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, providing news of
the Lee family and discussing an upcoming trip.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from William Meade to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, concerning a bequest that a relative left for them to leave
to a worthy cause. Meade suggests the American Colonization Society.
2 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee to Mary Lee Fitzhugh Randolph, Alexandria County, containing Lee family and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
15 October n.y.,
from Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, to Cadet George Washington Custis Lee, United States Military Academy, West
Point, New York, concerning some trouble he is in at West Point.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
7 December, n.y.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee, in Baltimore, Maryland, to George Washington Custis Lee, West Point, New York, regarding trouble
he is in at West Point.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Randolph Custis Lee to George Washington Custis Lee, West Point, asking him to remember her to family friends. Possibly
a not complete letter.
1 leaf.
-
Letter,
27 August 1832,
from A. T. Hale, Glastonbury, Connecticut, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, at Old Point Comfort, containing family and personal
news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
6 January 1833,
from unidentified person to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, sending society and family news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
22 February 1833,
from Mary B. Carter, Shirley, Charles City County, Virginia, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, discussing society,
family, and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
22 January 1835,
from A. T. Hale, Glastonbury, Connecticut, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, containing family and personal
news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
18 April 1835,
from Henrietta Dimmock, Old Point Comfort, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Washington, D.C., sending news of events and people
in Old Point Comfort, and family and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
15 May 1835,
from Julia C. Stuart to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, discussing society, family, and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
28 June 1835,
from Henrietta Dimmock, Fort Monroe, Elizabeth City County, Virginia, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Washington, D.C., containing
society, family, and personal news and events in Old Point Comfort.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
3 December 1835,
from M. F. Powell, Loudoun County, Virginia, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, discussing society, family, and
personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
14 May 1836,
from Henrietta Dimmock, Old Point Comfort, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Washington, D.C., providing society, family, and personal
news from Old Point Comfort.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
18 December 1836,
from Henrietta Dimmock, Washington D.C., to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, sending society, family, and personal
news.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
12 July 1837,
from Robert E. Lee, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, discussing an exhibit on George
Washington, including some items donated by George Washington Parke Custis, in
a Baltimore museum.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
30 July 1837,
from Lloyd N. Rogers, Baltimore, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, concerning the death of his daughter.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
18 September 1838,
from Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, St. Louis, Missouri, asking why she has not
heard from her daughter, and sending family news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
4 January n.y.,
from Anna Maria Fitzhugh, in Cambridge, Maryland, to Mary Randolph Custis [Lee], Alexandria County, thanking her for her letter
and sending society and family news from Cambridge.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
15 March n.y.,
from S. E. Goldsboro, Easton, Maryland, to Mary Randolph Custis [Lee], providing society, family, and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
1 July n.y.,
from E. C. Huger, at White Sulphur Springs, (West) Virginia, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, sending her news
of events at the springs and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
3 July n.y.,
S. E. Goldsboro, Easton, to Mary Randolph Custis [Lee], Alexandria County, regarding society, family, and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
4 September n.y.,
from Anna Maria Fitzhugh, Fairfax County, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, at Old Point Comfort, discussing society, family, and
personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
7 November n.y.,
from Anna Maria Fitzhugh, Fairfax County, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Old Point Comfort, regarding society, family, and personal
news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
10 November n.y.,
from Anna Maria Fitzhugh, at Arlington, Alexandria County, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Old Point Comfort, concerning society,
family, and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
28 November n.y.,
Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, St. Louis, Missouri, containing society, family,
and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary C. Goldsboro, Easton, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, sending society, family, and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from either S. E. or Mary C. Goldsboro, Easton, to Mary Randolph Custis [Lee], providing society, family, and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Anna Maria Fitzhugh, Fairfax County, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Old Point Comfort, sending society, family, and personal
news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from an unidentified correspondent to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, St. Louis, Missouri, sending family and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Eugenia [?] to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Alexandria County, asking Mary Lee to visit.
2 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis, Alexandria County, to Mary Randolph Custis Lee, Old Point Comfort, discussing family and personal
news. Contains a postscript by George Washington Parke Custis.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
1 March 1863,
from T. G. B. to Mary [?] describing how his/her family is coping with the events of the Civil War.
2 pages.
-
Letter,
6 March [1819],
from an unknown correspondent (possibly Anne Chew) to James Murray Mason, Williamsburg, Virginia, discussing Elizabeth Margaretta
Chew's (Mason's future wife) recent illness and her relationship with Mason.
2 pages.
-
Letter,
9 July 1822,
from Benjamin Chew, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to James Murray Mason, Winchester, Virginia, concerning the upcoming marriage
of Mason to Chew's daughter Elizabeth.
2 pages.
-
Letter,
24 July 1841,
from Benjamin Chew, Cliveden, Germantown, Pennsylvania, to James Murray Mason, Winchester, discussing family news and a possible
visit.
2 pages.
-
Letter,
1 May 1845,
from Daniel Agnew, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, to James Murray Mason, Winchester, concerning the estate of Benjamin Chew,
including lands in Beaver County.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
18 August 1845,
from William W. Chew, Philadelphia, to James Murray Mason concerning a dispute within the Chew family and a mayor's order
for Benjamin Chew to keep the peace toward his sister.
3 pages.
-
Letter,
19 October 1845,
from William W. Chew, Germantown, to Elizabeth Margaretta Chew, Winchester, containing family and personal news.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
25 October 1846,
from William C. Chew, Germantown, to James Murray Mason concerning the affairs of the estate of his father, Benjamin Chew.
4 pages.
-
Letter,
31 October 1846,
from William C. Chew, Philadelphia, to James Murray Mason, Winchester, concerning the affairs of his father's estate.
2 pages.
-
Letter,
n.d.,
from Elizabeth Margaretta Chew Mason to James Murray Mason, Winchester, containing family and personal news.
3 pages.
-
Answer,
n.d.,
of Benjamin Grayson, John W. Grayson, and George M. Grayson to Henry St. George Tucker of the Superior Court of Chancery,
Winchester District to answer complaint of William Richards and others.
4 pages.