The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-10-08
STRANGE DEVELOPMENT.

Discovery of the Wife of Captain AIS
A. Lee. of Alba---After Fifteen Years
DesertiOn Her Husbands Property
is Restored 10 Her--yaiue of IA News
paper Paragraph
From the Cambridge tlll.) chronicle, sep
tember -.
| Our readers will remember that We
published on the lIlh of July last,
the notice OF Josiah Dow, public
administrator upon the estate of Aza
A. Lee, deceased, and accompanied
it with an editorial paragraph stating
the facts of Captain Lees death In
battle, during the siege OF Knoxville;
his long residence and respectable
position in this county; the mystic
rious reserve that he had always
maintained here with reference to
his former life and connections and
the dilemma respecting the disposi-
ton OF his real property. under the
laws OF Illinois, consequent upon the
absence OF any known heirs to the
estate.
The consequences resulting from
the publication OF that paragraph
were more important than we had
anticipated, and strikingly iliustra
tive of what far-reaching Importance
a newspaper may be, even through
the medium of a local journal in the
interior of e different state.
Among the papers that we send to
the east is one to the father of Mr..
Patten of this village, who lives at
Canada, New Hampshire. He saw
the paragraph and, happening to a
man whose sisters husband, named
Lee, had mysteriovsly disappeared
many years previously, he called the
attention of the gentleman TO it
The man corresponded exactly. In
vestigation followed Mr.. Dow, the
administrator, was written to, and
from what they thus learned, the
parties at the east were satisfied that
the deceased Captain Lee was the
long-lost husband. Mrs. Lees
brother, whose name is Nathaniel
L. Hall, then came to this county,
and put in claim ON behalf of his
sister as heir to the estate. He eX-
hibited daguerrotype OF Captain
Lee, which Judge Hinman readily
recognized, though evidently taken
when he was several years younger
than he appeared here. Among the
other proofs offered, was evidence of
the facts Os the marriage of Aza A.
Lee and Miss Hall, i'll the State OF
Maine, their subsequent removal to
the State of New York, and his
of his wife and disappear
ance from there, on account OF busi-
ness embarrassments-siEce which
not the slightest clue to Is wherea-
bouts had ever been gained by his
family, who mourne him as dead,
the general supposition having been
that he had drowned himself. His
there was in 1886, and
he must have made his way directly
TO Illinois, as he appeared here at
about that time. He lived in Ana
wan and Alba townships, in this
county, both of which he represented
On the board OF supervisors, receiv
ing several reflections. He acquired
some property, and was esteemed,
we are told, for intelligence and
probity-always somewhat qualified,
by the mystery hanging
over his former life. When the One
Hundred and Twelfth regiment of
Illinois volunteers was organized, he
went with it as first lieutenant in
Captain Dow's company, A, and, on
the promotion of Captain Dow to
major, Lieutenant Lee rose to the
rank of captain, and was killed, as
related, during the siege of Knoxville.
The deserted wife, left without
means, had made her way back to
New England, where she has latterly
herself by working in tie
cotton mills. Now, how
ever, by our fortunate publication of
the facts in relation to his life here,
she finds herself suddenly restored
to property that she ought, of right,
TO have shared through I'll these
years-the county courts here having
accepted the proofs OF identity as
satisfactory. The estate, after ad
ninistration, consists of forty acres
Of land in Alba, and $500 to S400 of
property. Beside, there is
due her from the government, in back
pay and pensions, over 81 800, and
.he pension due captains widow,
during her wiC;owhood.