Lee danced and toured with George Washington Smith. She retired in 1847 at age 24 for health reasons. She married William Vanhook, a Philadelphia merchant. The couple had three children. She made a few returns to the stage, and taught dance in later life. She died in Philadelphia in 1899, and is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery. Critics and ballet lovers alike were unanimous in their praise of Lee. If she had pursued her career rather than retirement, she would likely have become a star of international renown.