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Lee, Francis Lightfoot

signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born Oct. 24, 1734, in Stratford, Va. In 1765 and 1766 he was elected to the house of burgesses, and was a strong advocate of equal rights. He was a delegate to the continental congress from 1775 to 1780; and signed the Declaration of Independence, and also the articles of confederation. He also served in the state legislature. He died April 3, 1797, in Richmond, Va. LEE, GEORGE WASHINGTON CUS- TIS, soldier, educator, college president, was born Sept. 16, 1832, in Fortress Monroe, Va. After receiving a liberal education he was given an appointment to the United States military academy of West Point, from which institution he graduated in 1854.

He was then assigned to the corps of engineers, United States army, with the rank of brevet second lieutenant; and in due course of time became first lieutenant. In 1861 he was appointed aide-de-camp to the president of the southern confederacy, with the rank of colonel; in 1863 was made brigadier-general; and in 1864 he was made major-general. In 1865 he was appointed to the chair of civil and military engineering at the Virginia military institute of Lexington, Va. He held that office until 1871, since which time he has filled the duties of president of the Washington and Lee university.