Robert
Lee
Born about in England
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of
Mary (Atwood) Lee
— married
1624 [location unknown]
Descendants 
Father of
Ann Lee and Mary (Lee) Howland
Died
at about age 59
in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony
Profile managers:
Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree 
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| Created 31 May 2009
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| Robert Lee migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 206) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm |
Contents |
Biography
Uncertain Origins
A previous version of this profile reported Robert's parents as Henry Lee and Elizabeth Fletcher of Buckinghamshire, England without adequate source citations or a method proving the relationship. Anderson reported his origins as "unknown".[1] These alleged parents have been disconnected until proof of relationship is provided.
Birth
Robert's birth is estimated at about 1604. Torrey estimated Lee's marriage to Mary Atwood as "by 1635"[2] which would normally generate a birth estimate of "about 1610" but his second daughter Mary was married 1651. If she was born by 1631 (assuming 20 at marriage) and first daughter Ann was born about 1629 that would move Robert's birth back to around 1604.
Marriage and Children
Robert Lee married Mary Atwood[3] at Plymouth, Massachusetts
Torrey said this about the union in "New England Marriages to 1700":
LEE, Robert (related to John ATWOOD who m Ann) & Mary [ATWOOD] (-1681); by 1635; Plymouth[2] In 1650, Robert and Mary are mentioned in his sister Ann Attwood's will.[4]
They had the following children who were mentioned in the will of Mary's brother, John Atwood:[5]
- Ann, born about 1628, named in her uncle John Atwood's will, written in 1643.
- Mary Lee, born about 1630, Plymouth; married 26 Oct 1651 to Lieutenant John Howland Jr. (b. 24 Feb 1626/7)[6].[7] They removed from Plymouth to Barnstable, Massachusetts and they had ten children.
Immigration
The immigration date and location of this family is not known, Anderson in the "Great Migration Directory" said only "by 1636":
Lee, Robert: Unknown; 1636; Plymouth [PCR 1:48, 12:29; MD 5:153-59, 11:32, 200-6; Emerson-Benson 338-39]. Key
Residency and Miscellany
- "At the General Court held 3 January 1636/7 ... Robte Lee (among others) were made free this Court, & sworne accordingly." [8] 7 March 1636/7 Robert Lee was included in the list of Freeman of Plymouth Colony.[8]
- On 2th day of March 1637/8 Robert Lee was one of the witnesses of a deed for "Mrs. Elinor Billington of New Plymouth, Widdow" mother of Francis Billington of the same who is the assignee. [9] The deed included several stipulations including her right of control during her natural life over "...one-thousand and a halfe of hills to sett wth Indian corne or sowe wth English graine..." [9]
- May 1643 In the Township of Plymouth Robert Lee is a witness in a deed for "...Francis Billington in consideration of the sum of L15 sterl to him in hand payd by Mr. John Atwood of Plymouth..." for three lots of upland containing thirty acres more or less with additional acreage also specified.[9]
- 2 June 1646 New Plymouth Colony General Court session: Robert Lee was included in the list of Freeman selected for a special panel called the "Grand Enquest" [8] formed for several purposes some of which included holding accountable the execution of an office-holder's duties or for hearing charges of suspected criminal conduct by persons in the Colony. [An analogous judicial body to this last charge would be the use of local justice of the peace courts in England.][10]
- 22 July 1648 Robert Lee is included in the list of townsmen who were sworn in by Governor Bradford selected to make an inquiry into the brutal death of the four year old child of Alice (Martin) Bishop Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishop. [8] On 1 August 1648 the selectmen returned their report with the details of their on-site inspection (of the crime scene).[8]
Research Notes
Estimated Marriage Date: According to Torrey Robert Lee married Mary Atwood by 1635 at Plymouth Colony. [2] Given their children's birth year this marriage date probably reflects their arrival year.
Sources
- ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Directory. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. p. 467.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 New England Marriages to 1700 entry for Robert Lee and Mary Atwood (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Vol 2. p. 936 $subscription
- ↑ Mistress Ann Atwood's Will. The Mayflower Descendant. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1909. Volume XI, p. 200. Available on GoogleBooks.com.
- ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-VSB4 : 5 March 2023), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 134 of 616; State Archives, Boston. Page 124
- ↑ Will of John Atwood, in The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 5 (1903), p. 153. See attached image
- ↑ Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700 entry for John Howland and Mary Lee. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011. Vol. 2, p. 804. Available on American Ancestors.
- ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1621-1850; Published by NEHGS, 2001-2016; (Online db: AmericanAncestors.org,; Barnstable Vital Records V1, p. 32. (John Howland (Jr.) (Plymouth) married Mary Lee, daughter of Robert Lee of Barnstable.)link for subscribers
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., M.D., ed. "Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England: Vol. I; 1633-1640" p.48, 53, 102, 132-3. Pub. Boston, Mass., USA: Press of William White, 1855; reprinted New York, N.Y.: AMS Press, 1968. Accessed 3 Jun 2021. https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo0102newp/page/n69/mode/1up?ref=ol&view=theater&q=Lee
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., ed.; Pulsifer, David, ed. "Records of Plymouth Colony: Deeds, Vol. I, 1620-1651" 'Book of Indian records for their Lands' p. 28-30, 93-5. Pub. Boston, Mass., USA: Press of W. White, 1855. Accessed 3 Jun 2021. https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo12newp/page/n4/mode/1up?q=New+Plymouth+Colony
- ↑ Fennell, Christopher "The Plymouth Colony Archive Project: Organization of the Government & Courts" pub. online, 1998. Accessed 3 Jun 2021. http://www.histarch.illinois.edu/plymouth/ccflaw.html#Id
See Also:
- Johnson, Lennart Eben, PhD.: "Barnstable Town Records"; Published 2007. Part 'A' of source transcribed 2003. available in the public domain
- Side Note on Barnstable Town Records: Vol. 1 by L. E. Johnson, PhD.: "The oldest extant copy of the Barnstable Town Records is a 1736 transcription in the custody of the Office of Town Clerk, Barnstable, Hyannis, Massachusetts, 02601." Dr. Johnson continues to explain: "...regarding 17th c. Barnstable, it transcribes the selected town records from 1643 through 1714..." He also explains that the 17th c. town records were "culled" by those requested to "bring forth" older records into new volumes.(See Johnson, pg. ii-iii.) Refer to the 'Forward' section for further explanation and discussion.
- Side Note on Barnstable Town Records: Vol. 1 by L. E. Johnson, PhD.: "The oldest extant copy of the Barnstable Town Records is a 1736 transcription in the custody of the Office of Town Clerk, Barnstable, Hyannis, Massachusetts, 02601." Dr. Johnson continues to explain: "...regarding 17th c. Barnstable, it transcribes the selected town records from 1643 through 1714..." He also explains that the 17th c. town records were "culled" by those requested to "bring forth" older records into new volumes.(See Johnson, pg. ii-iii.) Refer to the 'Forward' section for further explanation and discussion.
(2) Otis, Amos (1801-1875); "Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families"; https://archive.org/details/cu31924028819212/page/n595
Acknowledgements
- Contributions Leigh Anne (Johnson) Dear
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DNA
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No known carriers of Robert's DNA have taken a DNA test. Have you taken a test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Rejected matches › Thaddeus Lee Sr. (1847-1904) › › Larry Robert Lee › Leslie Robert Lee (abt.1894-) › Robert Emmett Lee › Robert E. Lee › Robert Edward Lee II › Robert Lee (abt.1866-) › Robert C. Lee › Robert Lee › › Robert Edward Lee › Robert Lee (bef.1420-) › Robert Lee (abt.1870-) › Robert Lee › Robert Lee › Robert E. Lee
Featured Asian and Pacific Islander connections: Robert is 20 degrees from 今上 天皇, 16 degrees from Adrienne Clarkson, 20 degrees from Dwight Heine, 20 degrees from Dwayne Johnson, 17 degrees from Tupua Tamasese Lealofioaana, 18 degrees from Stacey Milbern, 17 degrees from Sono Osato, 29 degrees from 乾隆 愛新覺羅, 20 degrees from Ravi Shankar, 22 degrees from Taika Waititi, 21 degrees from Penny Wong and 16 degrees from Chang Bunker on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
Categories: Puritan Great Migration
However, the wording of both wills suggests that it was Anne (__) Atwood who was the sister of either Robert Lee or Robert's wife Mary (__) Lee. This suggests two obvious possibilities. First, Anne (__) Atwood is Anne (Lee) Atwood, the sister of Robert Lee. Second, Anne (__) Atwood and Mary (__) Lee have the same unknown parents. It might also be that Anne and her sibling have only one parent in common. Or, they may be stepsiblings who grew up together and were close.
https://archive.org/details/emersonbensonsag00swig/page/338/mode/2up
Although, It's not clear to me whether this is just supposition based on the "brother and sister reference" or if there is additional support.
Can you give a link to the wills or a snippet of the wording which gives that assumption?
Regards, Ann
edited by Ann Browning
edited by S (Hill) Willson
P.S. It appears various family tree's are also using documentation from "The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal: Vol. XII" p.147, quoting source 'Paver's Marriage Licenses' https://archive.org/details/YAJ012/page/153/mode/1up?q=Lee to support this profile Robert Lee as being the son of Henry Waring Lee who (according to this source) is a real person but who's parentage is unknown. Henry Waring Lee's son (Robert Lee) was married to a Frances Lenthall and they never emigrated to New England.
edited by Leigh Anne (Johnson) Dear
After reviewing sources provided in GMD and Torrey's Marriages, I can find no reliable, published sources to support Robert's attached parents. Based on records of him from Barnstable, I can conceive of no method that could reasonably connect him to the alleged parents. The profile of the alleged father also lacks a source proving the relationship.
I wrote a short disputed parents section under Research Notes that cites GMD's entry showing his origins as unknown.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Gateway_Ancestors
Cheryl
[here]