When Washington died in 1799, he freed Lee in his will and citing "his faithful services during the Revolutionary War." Lee was the only one of Washington's 124 slaves to be freed outright in his will. The remaining slaves owned by Washington were to be freed upon the death of Martha Washington. (Another 153 slaves living at Mount Vernon were the property of Martha's first husband's estate and so could not be freed by Washington.) Lee was given a pension of thirty dollars a year for the rest of his life and the option to remain at Mount Vernon, which he chose and was buried there.