Charles H. Lee

Charles Henry Lee was born in Virginia, likely on October 20, 1874.¹ Several newspaper articles published later in his life claimed that “Lee was the son of Charles Lee, Sr., of Virginia, a slave who was personal servant to General Robert E. Lee.”² However, no known genealogical records support this claim. 

It is unclear exactly how Lee got his job at the White House, as sources offer several differing narratives. Some newspaper articles claimed Lee served in the Tenth Cavalry during the Spanish-American War and met Theodore Roosevelt during that conflict; the future president, who also fought in the war, was allegedly impressed with Lee’s horsemanship and later hired him to work in the White House stables.³ Other articles said that prior to his White House tenure, Lee worked as the coachman for General Fitzhugh Lee and “left the service of that General to go with Colonel Roosevelt when the latter was in the White House.”⁴ Still another narrative says Lee “had come to the White House with” Roosevelt, indicating he worked for Roosevelt prior to his tenure as president, perhaps when Roosevelt was governor of New York.⁵ The 1900 Census identifies Lee as a coachman living in Washington, D.C., though it does not specify his employer.⁶ 

During his time at White House, Lee worked as a coachman under President Roosevelt. He drove the president and first family in carriages and helped care for the horses in the White House stables. When driving the first family, he wore a livery or uniform consisting of a dark blue coat with silver buttons, white pants, and a high black hat adorned with a red, white, and blue cockade or ribbon.⁷ Lee also transported President Roosevelt’s horses to and from the White House and Sagamore Hill, the Roosevelt family home in New York where they spent their summers.⁸ 

When Roosevelt’s tenure as president ended in 1909, Lee stayed in his employ and moved with him to Sagamore Hill. He and his wife Clara lived in a cottage on the Roosevelt property.⁹ Lee became close with Roosevelt and his family. When Roosevelt died in 1919, Lee is quoted to have said: “I have lost the best friend I have ever had, and the best friend any man ever had.’”¹⁰ Lee continued working for the Roosevelt family until 1934 when he retired, after which he continued to live at Sagamore Hill and received a pension from Edith Roosevelt, Theodore’s widow.¹¹ 

Charles Lee passed away on March 4, 1936, and was buried in Cold Spring Harbor, New York.¹² Three of Theodore Roosevelt’s children (Archie, Kermit and Ethel) attended his funeral.¹³