Scope and Content Note
The papers of the Lee-Palfrey families span the years 1780-1932, with the bulk of the material from 1800 to 1860. The collection consists of correspondence, diaries, journals, clippings, maps, photographs, and other papers of William Lee (1772-1840) of Boston, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and France and members of his family. Of particular interest are Lee's diaries and letters detailing his experiences as a commercial agent and secretary to the United States Legation in France.
Included in the collection are papers of Lee's wife, Susan Palfrey Lee (1767-1822), relating to family matters and social life in France and Washington, D.C.; papers of his daughters, Susan Palfrey Lee (1795-1853) and Mary Elizabeth Lee, Baroness de Maltitz (1799-1852), and his son William Barlow Lee (1805-1895). A journal of William Barlow Lee's son, William Lee, a Washington, D.C., physician and teacher (1841-1893) relates to a topographical mission to Utah in 1857-1858 in which he served as an assistant to J. H. Simpson in surveying a wagon route from Camp Floyd to Salt Lake City. Included are photographs from the mission.