Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-09-23
JOHN. B. LEE DIES
AGED FATHER OF A. w. LEE
PASSES AWAY AT IOWA CIT,
-, HOSPITAL.
Death Occurred Wednesday Night
After Short Illness-came to Iowa
in 1a5a-Was Pioneer-FuneraI
at Muscatine.
From Fridays Daily.

EIOlH FIludy Ddlly. (
John B. Lee, father Of A. W. Lee
father of A w. Lee, publisher of the
Courier, died Wednesday night at IL
o'clock in Iowa City hospital, to which
place he was taken early yesterday
morning. Mr.. Lee had been i'll but a
short time, although his health has
been poorly for some time past. He was
taken seriously i'll, however, in the
afternoon OF Tuesday, and his removal
to the hospital yesterday was thought
necessary. The remains will be taken
to Muscatine Saturday morning. and
the funeral services will be held in the
Musser Memorial chapel at the ceme-
terry there in the afternoon.
Born in Maryland.
John B. Lee was born in Hartford
county, Md, in 1920. and comes of pa
triotic and fighting stock His grand
father, Parker, Hall Lee. was captain
of a cavalry company in the Revolution
airy war and his father, William D. Lee,
was captain of cavalry company in
the war of 1872. /
In 1887 John B. Lee, STRIPPING
youth OF seventeen, was attending
school at the boarding academy at the
country town Of Belair, Md One SAT-
urday evening he went to his home
six miles distant and there met two
young merchants from the Ohio river
In talking with these visitors at his
Maryland home, the youthful Lee
caught the western fever and in less
than week started for the then from.
tier settlem ents of the Ohio river
Came to Iowa In 1850.
N fnl
he moved from Ohio to Philadelphia
and in 1853 they decided to again take
up their home on the frontier by emf
grating to Iowa. They arrived in Mus.
catine on Sunday, June %, 1858.
Was In Government Service.
Mr.. Lee belonged to the southern
branch of the Lee family and his faith.
er was a slave holder, owning twenty
slaves at the time Of his death in 1925
but it is notable fact that these
slaves were all given their freedoms
by the will left by the deceased.
Thought he had numerous relatives in
the confederate army, Mr. Lee was q
strong union man and an abolitionist.
At the breaking out of the war he went
to Iowa City to the recruiting office to
enlist, but was rejected on account OF
physical disability. Being determined
to serve his country during that trying
period, he>went to Cincinnati, Ohio,
and entered the government transport
service on the steamboats, plying the
Ohio, Wabash, Cum berland and Ten.
nessee rivers. He passed through
some dangerous and exciting expert
ences in this service and was absent
from home about three years. Mr..
Lee removed to Iowa City from farm
close by, having been elected to the
office Of recorder in 1855. He after.
wards went into business. Then he
removed to Muscatine where he lived
until the death Of Mrs. Lee, which oc.
Cured July Is. 1904.
Since that time Mr.. Lee has been
making his home with his children.
Three sons, Joseph j. Lee and Isaac
B Lee, Of Iowa City, and A. W. Lee
of this city, and two daughters, Mrs:
John Mahin, of evanston, ILL.,, and Mrs
L. J. Loomis, of Chillicothe, Mo-, SUR
vive.
Mrs. Mahin arrived in Iowa City last
evening shortly after the death Of her
father. Mr.. Lee, who has been visit.
ing in various parts Of Canada, will
arrive in Iowa City tomorrow. Mrs.
Loomis is in Anaconda, Mont, and ID
Is thought will not be able to attend
the funeral.
The loss Of John B. Lee will ba
keenly felt by his many friends in this
city. His was the HE of true Chris
tian man, quick to give sympathy
where necessary, a kind man ito his
friends and neighborly with his every
acquaintance. He had been a consistl
emit member for many years Of the
Methodist Episcopal church.