Lee, William (fl. 1768–1804), slave, was probably born in the mid-eighteenth century in Virginia, the son of African slaves. He first appears in the historical record in 1768 when he was sold to George Washington by Mary Lee, a friend and neighbour of the Washingtons. William, who kept the surname Lee of his former master, became the personal body servant and butler of Washington.

Washington, like many American, British, and French officers, took his body servant with him on campaigns. In the case of slave-owning officers, this servant was usually a slave—William in Washington's case. Throughout the nine-year war, William tended to the personal needs of Washington and his guests. He was forever at Washington's side, enduring the hardships of the continental army as it struggled against the better trained and supplied British forces. He became a fixture of camp life. Washington's letters after the war to former comrades mention William, referring to him as 'your old acquaintance Will'. When painting Washington's portrait from memory while living in London in 1780, John Trumbull, a student of Benjamin West, included William in the background. After the war William continued at Washington's side, serving as butler and messenger. In the Washington family portrait of 1796 William is the only person outside the family to be included. The appearance of slaves in family portraits at the time was not unusual, but the selection of William from the many slaves owned by Washington indicates William's continued importance and prominence in the Mount Vernon household.

This biography of Willaim Lee is taken from the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford DNB). Take a look at the Oxford DNB website to discover more about the people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond.

Image credit: 'George Washington' by John Trumbull, public domain via Wikipedia.

William Lee (fl. 1768–1804), slave

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