Rippon Lodge and Leesylvania

Rippon Lodge and Leesylvania. . Across from each other on Neabsco Creek stand two colonial estates that were once some of the largest farms in the region. To the south is Leesylvania, property of the Lee family from 1675 until 1825. The first Lee to live on the plantation, Henry Lee II, raised eight children here with his wife Lucy. One of Henry Lee's sons who grew up at Leesylvania was Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III father of General Robert E. Lee., Like most plantations, the prime source of income was tobacco worked by hundreds of enslaved Africans. The family sold the plantation to Henry and Elizabeth Fairfax in 1825. Henry managed the farm and the lucrative fishery until his death in 1847. His son John inherited the portion of the estate that is now Leesylvania State Park., At the outbreak of the American Civil War, John joined General Longstreet's staff and was with him throughout the war. In the 1870's John returned to his family home and passed away at Leesylvania in 1908. The ruins of his home are still visible today in Leesylvania State Park., On the north shore lies the house of the Blackburns. Richard Blackburn, a builder and a carpenter, constructed his home by the water that powered his mills. Eight of his enslaved men were trained in these skills, assisting their owner. Together they built churches, homes, and other structures across northern Virginia, including his own large home here on Neabsco Creek., His youngest son, Thomas, inherited the house. As a member of the House of Burgesses, militia officer, and volunteer in the Revolutionary War, Thomas proved a local leader. Upon his death in 1807, his family sold the estate to pay debts in 1811. Today, the house stands at the center of Rippon Lodge Historic Site.