Robert Edward Lee (1807–70) commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War and then became the president of Washington College, which later became Washington and Lee University. Lee was born at Stratford Hall plantation house, built by Thomas Lee in the late 1730s. It is from the beautiful Stratford Hall grounds that American Heritage Trees worked with staff members to collect seeds from Southern Magnolia, Beech, Shellbark Hickory, White Oak, and Chestnut Oak trees.