Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis
Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis (* April 22, 1788, † April 23, 1853 in Arlington ) was a lay leader of the Episcopal Church in Alexandria County, Arlington County, Virginia today. She was the daughter of William Fitzhugh (1741-1809), member of the Continental Congress, and Ann Bolling Randolph Fitzhugh. Mary Lee was probably born in Chatham, in Stafford County, Virginia.
On July 7, 1804 she married George Washington Parke Custis, a speaker, playwright, novelist and grandson of Martha Custis Washington from her first marriage to Daniel Parke Custis. " Molly " Custis was thus the " law - Stiefenkelin " by George Washington. Molly's father, William Fitzhugh and George Washington were lifelong friends, Washington mentioned the hospitality of Molly's mother, Ann Bolling Randolph Fitzhugh in his diaries; A visit to William Fitzhugh turned out to be the last time that Washington left Mount Vernon before his death.
The Custises lived in Arlington, a 1,100 acre ( 4.5 km ²) plantation in Alexandria County, Virginia. Of her four daughters, survived only Mary Anna Randolph Custis childhood, she married Robert E. Lee; Lee's father Henry Lee had kept the grave speech at the funeral of President Washington. Custis was a member of the family network in Northern Virginia, which had helped to revive the Episcopal Church of that country in the first half of the 19th century. She was particularly influenced by her cousin, Bishop William Meade. Custis promoted Sunday schools and supported the work of the American Colonization Society.
Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis died in Arlington on April 23, 1853, and was buried on the property. Her husband survived her by four years after their daughter, Mary Anna Randolph Custis inherited ( Mrs. Robert E. Lee) Arlington House.
Quellem
- Death notice and tribute. In Alexandria Gazette. May 16 1853 27
- Biography in: John T. Kneebone et al ( eds.): Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Part 3 Library of Virginia, Richmond, 2006, ISBN 0-88490-206-4, pp. 640-642.