Mildred Childe Lee

Mildred Childe Lee was born on February 10, 1846, at Arlington Plantation in Virginia, the daughter of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. She was the youngest child in her family and the last member of the Lee family to be born at Arlington. Her paternal ancestors included Henry Lee III and Anne Hill Carter Lee, who served as governor and first lady of Virginia, respectively. On her mother's side, she descended from colonial Virginia families, including the Randolphs and the Calvert family, through Eleanor Calvert, connecting her to Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, and by extension, to Charles II of England. Her maternal grandfather, George Washington Parke Custis, was a step-grandson and adopted heir of George Washington and founded Arlington House.

Lee’s early childhood was spent on Arlington Plantation, where she was raised among the planter aristocracy. She was known for her close relationship with her father, who affectionately called her "Precious Life." The family’s moves included periods in Baltimore and West Point, where her father was stationed during her childhood.

In terms of education, Lee was initially tutored privately at home before attending institutions such as Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Powell’s Female Seminary in Winchester, Virginia, where she studied Latin, French, music, and drawing. She later attended Saint Mary's School, an Episcopal boarding school for girls in Raleigh, North Carolina, where her studies included Biblical history, music, art, astronomy, Latin, and French.

During the American Civil War, Lee’s family experienced disruptions. Her mother expressed concern about the war and its uncertainties. Lee was involved in supporting the Confederate cause by knitting socks and gloves for soldiers and working as a nurse in Confederate hospitals. During the war, her family was placed under house arrest when Union soldiers arrived at their home. In June 1862, her father managed to secure her transfer across Confederate lines to join him in Richmond.

Following the Civil War, with Arlington seized by the U.S. government, Lee’s family moved to Derwent, a residence on the James River. Later, they relocated to Lexington, Virginia, where her father served as the president of Washington College (later Washington and Lee University). Throughout her life, Lee remained unmarried and devoted herself to caring for her family, particularly after her parents’ deaths.

She served as a hostess for her brother, George Washington Custis Lee, while he was president of Washington College. In her later years, she traveled abroad to Europe and Africa, attending Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and climbing the Great Pyramid of Giza. Her travels also included visits to Venice and France. She participated in the dedication ceremonies of Robert E. Lee monuments in Richmond and New Orleans.

Mildred Childe Lee died from a stroke on March 27, 1905, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her body was transported by train to Lexington, Virginia, where she was interred in the family crypt at University Chapel. Her death was marked with mourning, and flags flew at half-mast throughout the Southern United States.