Reference Inquiries

Reference questions from the general public about the Lee family and Stratford Hall are accepted if they can be answered without lengthy research on the part of the library staff. Before making inquiries, please check the information available on our web site to see if your topic has already been addressed. Reference questions will be answered by staff members as time allows.

Genealogical inquiries make up the bulk of our requests. If your reference question involves Lee family genealogy, be sure to give as much background information as possible, including names and dates. Our genealogical reference is Lee of Virginia 1642-1892 by Edmund Jennings Lee. First published in 1895, this book lists the descendants of Richard Lee I who settled in Virginia and had many descendants, including Civil War General Robert E. Lee. However, there were many worthy Lees, in Virginia, England and elsewhere, who were not related to this particular Lee family. Lee of Virginia is well-indexed, and large libraries may have copies of it or can make it available through inter-library loan. The book has been reprinted, so copies can sometimes be found on sites that sell used books.

Students needing information for school assignments or projects on Robert E. Lee or Stratford Hall will be referred to the appropriate references for finding the information they need. Refer to our web site information before making a request and allow plenty of time for information to get to you by mail. Please understand that staff members respond to your inquiries when time permits and cannot guarantee a response by a certain date.

To submit inquiries, please call Director of Research & Library Collections Judy Hynson at 804-493-8038, ext. 8572, or email at jshynson@stratfordhall.org with your topic in the subject line.