Mary Custis Lee was born on September 29, 1835, in Virginia. She was the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted grandson of George Washington. Mary married Robert E. Lee, a prominent Confederate general, in 1831, and they had seven children together. Throughout her life, Mary Custis Lee managed the family estate, Arlington House, which became a significant site during the American Civil War. After the war, she faced challenges in maintaining the estate, which was seized by the federal government. Mary Custis Lee passed away on November 22, 1918, leaving a legacy tied to both her family and American history.