Charles Lee (Attorney General)
Encyclopedia
Charles Lee was an American
lawyer from Virginia. He served as United States Attorney General
from 1795 until 1801.
Charles was born to Henry
(1729–1787) and Lucy (Grymes) Lee on his father's plantation of Leesylvania in Prince William County, Virginia
. He was the third of eleven children and a younger brother of General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee. Another brother was Congressman Richard Bland Lee
. A third cousin was Zachary Taylor
. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University
) in 1775, and then read law with Jared Ingersoll
in Philadelphia
before returning to Virginia.
Charles married Anne Lee (1 December 1770-9 September 1804), a cousin and the daughter of Richard Henry Lee
(his first cousin once removed) in 1789. Before her death in 1804 the couple had six children; Anne Lucinda Lee (1790–1845), Infant Son Lee (1791-1791), Richard Henry Lee (Feb 1793-Mar 1793), Charles Henry Lee (b. Oct 1794), William Arthur Lee (b. Sept 1796), Alfred Lee (1799–1865). He married a second time in 1809, to Margaret Scott (1783–1843), and had three more children in this union; Robert Eden Lee (1810–1843), Elizabeth Gordon Lee (1813-1813), Alexander Lee (1815-1815).
President Washington appointed Lee the Attorney General after William Bradford
died in office. After Senate approval he took office on December 10, 1795 and served through the rest of the administration. He was continued in office by John Adams
and served through the entire Adams administration until February 19, 1801.
During his term in office Lee lived in Alexandria
, which was then part of the capital district. He was an early advocate for the return of the southern part of the District of Columbia to Virginia
which finally happened in 1847. After his time as Attorney General, he became the port officer for the District of the Potomac
and among the most prominent trial lawyers in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Lee represented William Marbury
and other appointees of John Adams
in Marbury v. Madison
, the landmark case against the Jefferson administration for unfulfilled political appointments. Simultaneously, he defended Hugh Stuart in Stuart v. Laird
.
He declined Thomas Jefferson
's offer to appoint him a justice of the Supreme Court
.
Lee died in 1815 in Fauquier County, Virginia
, aged 56 or 57, and is buried in the Warrenton Cemetery in Warrenton
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer from Virginia. He served as United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
from 1795 until 1801.
Charles was born to Henry
Henry Lee II
Henry Lee II of “Leesylvania”, Prince William County, Virginia was the father of Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee III and grandfather of Robert E. Lee....
(1729–1787) and Lucy (Grymes) Lee on his father's plantation of Leesylvania in Prince William County, Virginia
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
. He was the third of eleven children and a younger brother of General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee. Another brother was Congressman Richard Bland Lee
Richard Bland Lee
Richard Bland Lee was a planter, jurist, and politician from Fairfax County, Virginia. He was the son of Henry Lee II of “Leesylvania” and Lucy Grymes , as well as a younger brother of both Maj. Gen...
. A third cousin was Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
. He graduated from the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
) in 1775, and then read law with Jared Ingersoll
Jared Ingersoll
Jared Ingersoll was an early American lawyer and statesman from Philadelphia.He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and signed the U.S. Constitution for Pennsylvania...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
before returning to Virginia.
Charles married Anne Lee (1 December 1770-9 September 1804), a cousin and the daughter of Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee was an American statesman from Virginia best known for the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies' independence from Great Britain. He was a signatory to the Articles of Confederation and his famous resolution of June 1776 led to the United States...
(his first cousin once removed) in 1789. Before her death in 1804 the couple had six children; Anne Lucinda Lee (1790–1845), Infant Son Lee (1791-1791), Richard Henry Lee (Feb 1793-Mar 1793), Charles Henry Lee (b. Oct 1794), William Arthur Lee (b. Sept 1796), Alfred Lee (1799–1865). He married a second time in 1809, to Margaret Scott (1783–1843), and had three more children in this union; Robert Eden Lee (1810–1843), Elizabeth Gordon Lee (1813-1813), Alexander Lee (1815-1815).
President Washington appointed Lee the Attorney General after William Bradford
William Bradford (1755-1795)
William Bradford was a lawyer and judge from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the second United States Attorney General in 1794-1795.He was the son of the printer William Bradford and was born in Philadelphia...
died in office. After Senate approval he took office on December 10, 1795 and served through the rest of the administration. He was continued in office by John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
and served through the entire Adams administration until February 19, 1801.
During his term in office Lee lived in Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, which was then part of the capital district. He was an early advocate for the return of the southern part of the District of Columbia to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
which finally happened in 1847. After his time as Attorney General, he became the port officer for the District of the Potomac
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
and among the most prominent trial lawyers in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Lee represented William Marbury
William Marbury
William Marbury was one of the famous "Midnight Judges". Due to President John Adams's work in the night before he was to leave office, Marbury was to be appointed a Justice of the Peace in the District of Columbia. He was appointed there to give the Federalists a stronghold in the judicial...
and other appointees of John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
in Marbury v. Madison
Marbury v. Madison
Marbury v. Madison, is a landmark case in United States law and in the history of law worldwide. It formed the basis for the exercise of judicial review in the United States under Article III of the Constitution. It was also the first time in Western history a court invalidated a law by declaring...
, the landmark case against the Jefferson administration for unfulfilled political appointments. Simultaneously, he defended Hugh Stuart in Stuart v. Laird
Stuart v. Laird
Stuart v. Laird, 5 U.S. 299 , was a case decided by the John Marshall-led U.S. Supreme Court, notably a week after the famous Marbury v. Madison....
.
He declined Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
's offer to appoint him a justice of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
.
Lee died in 1815 in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, aged 56 or 57, and is buried in the Warrenton Cemetery in Warrenton
Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
.