Hometown Histories:

Hiram Lee Blakey—A Legacy Rooted in Resilience

Born on June 24, 1940, Hiram Lee Blakey grew up in the close-knit community of Graves Mill, Virginia, during a time when life was shaped by hard work, family, and the realities of segregation. He was the sixth of nine children born to Lester Franklin Blakey and Frances Hill Blakey.

Lee, as family and friends call him, was introduced to land that held history and deep meaning for generations, with approximately 500 acres of farmland representing the survival, heritage, and determination of generations of Blakeys who refused to let their history be erased.

Lee’s paternal grandfather, Willie Mack “Boyd” Blakey, was among the first generation of newly freed Black landowners in the Graves Mill area. He instilled in his family the importance of land ownership, and many Blakeys settled in a section of Graves Mill that became known as Blakey Ridge.

Born and raised in Madison County, Lee attended Carver Regional High School.

After a successful career, Lee returned to the county in 1992.

Displacement and Determination

Their lives were forever changed during the creation of Shenandoah National Park, when federal condemnation forced families along the Blue Ridge to leave their homes, farms, and community. Some families were displaced entirely, while others were profoundly affected by the government’s acquisition of their land. Today, the Blakey name is etched into the monument at the Mountain Museum in Syria, honoring those whose lives were uprooted or impacted by the park’s creation.

In 1955, when Lee was 15 years old, his family left Graves Mill after his parents purchased property on Blakey-Frye Lane. Their move marked more than a change of address. It reflected the Blakey family’s determination to reclaim stability, rebuild their legacy, and restore a connection to the land after years of hardship and displacement. This resilience became a defining thread that ran through generations.

Lee’s childhood was shaped by responsibility and the steady rhythms of farm life. He helped raise beef cattle, milk cows, care for chickens and ducks, harvest corn, and manage the countless daily tasks that kept the family farm running. Through these experiences, he learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and accountability at an early age.

The land that Willie Mack Boyd Blakey’s generation had lost, and that Lester’s generation worked tirelessly to regain, became both the foundation of Lee’s upbringing and the source of the strong work ethic that would guide him throughout his life.

Education and Career

Lee attended Wolftown School, Madison Training School, Radiant School, and George Washington Carver Regional High School. Reflecting on that era, Lee shared, “Madison County High School was reserved for white students,” a reality that sharply limited educational opportunities for Black youth. Determined to continue his education, Lee left Virginia and completed his high school studies through LaSalle Extension University in Chicago, Illinois. He later pursued further studies at Federal City College and American University.

Lee built his life and career on discipline, reliability, and integrity. In 1967, Lee began his professional career with the MITRE Corporation, entering the field of background investigations for secret and top-secret security clearances. After 18½ years of service at MITRE, Lee and his wife founded their own successful security company, LB Detective Agency, Incorporated, which provided security services for diplomats and government contracts. His work placed him at the center of Washington, D.C.’s federal landscape, where reliability and discretion were essential. MITRE is also where Lee met his wife, Angilia Lane.

Homeplace and Heritage

In 1992, Lee returned to Madison County and built his home on Blakey-Frye Lane, surrounded by family and land shaped by three generations. He has been married to Angilia Lane Blakey for 36 years and is the proud father of five daughters: Gloria, Deborah, Lisa, Tina, and Nina, and one son, Lee Jacob. His return marked a continuation of the Blakey family’s long relationship with the land, restoring a sense of homeplace and heritage.

Lee’s story is one of strength across generations. From Boyd’s forced displacement by the Shenandoah National Park to Lester’s rebuilding of the family homeplace, to Lee’s journey from the fields of Graves Mill to a successful career and business ownership, the Blakey story is one of resilience. Lee’s life reflects the strength of a family whose experiences helped shape Madison County’s history and whose legacy endures through the generations.

Lee Blakey’s ancestors lived along Blakey Ridge. The Blakey name is listed on the monument in Syria honoring those families impacted by the development of Shenandoah National Park.