Edward had settled in York County, Virginia in the second half of the 17th century; the family moved to Maryland in the 18th.

Elizabeth died early in Lee's life, and Ignatius Digges remarried to Mary Carroll.

In response to a written request for aid from George Washington to her husband, Mary Lee entered the public sphere.

[1][5] She encouraged women in the state to donate goods and time, including 260 shirts in response to a request from the Maryland Regiment Extraordinary.

"[1][6] Lee may also have been involved in the publication of an anonymous letter in the Maryland Gazette that encouraged women to aid the Continental Army.