The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-10-08
COL. Lee PASSES Is
WeiI-knoWn Railroad Man D.
New Crleans-Brief Sketch
OF His Life.

Col. John n. Lee, general agent of
the Southern Pacific, died at his home
in New Orleans Saturday and the re.
mains were taken TO Monroe, his old
home, for interment in the private car
of Superintendent W. NJ. Hobbs
Col. Lee was, 50 years old and was
native OF Union parish. His father
was John Martin Lee who was sheriff
of Union parish for years. Col Lees
mother was daughter of Judge Tay-
lor, the first district judge of Union
! parish. His first Appearance in public
life was when. still young M he,
became clerk of the state S q {e
Soon afterward he was mad land
agent of the Vicks5urg, Shrevegort &.
Pacific and moved to Monroe. where
he lived many years. The tea home.
| overlooking the Ouachita river, lust
| above West Monroe. still stands and
is one of the prettiest homestead sites
in that part of the country.
Thirty-seven years ago Co. Lee mar
ried Miss Vada Burch, daughter of
DR.. and Mrs. Richard c. Burch Of
West Point, Ga. Col. Lee leaves a
wife, son and two daughters. The
son is W. Burch Lee of Minden, also
a railroad man. The daughters are
Mrs. J. E. Wooten and Mrs. H. K.
Speed, both Of Monroe. Capt T. Wood
Lee, who served in the Spanish-Amer-
ican war and died soon after return.
ing home, was son of Col. Lee. w.
Burch Lee was formerly private Sec
retary to Representative Robert F.
Broussard. A brother, Major J. G..
Lee, lives in Biloxi.
Col. Lee had been sick for more
than three years, but there was moth
ing alarming in his condition until
soon after 3 o'clock Saturday morn
ing. The night before Col Lee had
talked of plans for the future with
members of his family During the
night he suffered an attack of heart
trouble and soon afterward breathed
his last.
Col. Lee was a remarkable man
IN many respects. He had a faculty
OF making friends and On this account,
owing to his executive ability. he was
known throughout the railroad world
of the South and West Col. Lee
was noted for mis- tact as man
among men in all walks of life, and
for twenty-five years looked after the
interests of the Southern Pacific in
Baton Rouge during the sessions of
the legislature. 1t is said of him that
the people with whom he dealt had
implicit confidence in his Judgment
and Col. Lees word with them was
as good as his bond
Col. Lees last active work in the
interest OF the company was in secur-
ing right of way for the Southern Pa.
cific from Baton Rouge to Lafayette,
one of the greatest achievements to
his honor. 1t is said of Col Lee that
he secured clear title to the right
Of way from Port Allen to Lafayette
one appropriation suit being
fled. He handled the affair in such
q way that the various individuals
who transferred their property to the
satisfied in every way
and confident that the railroad was
doing the square thing by them.
Col. Lee was injured by a street
car in Buffalo during the Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition and was confined to a
hospital several days. It seems that
the trouble which resulted in his
death was brought about by this ac-
cident, eight years ago. The first evil
1ence of complications was in the
and Col. Lee underwent sew
eral operations, none of which seemed
to give relief. Col Lee suffered in
tensely and his nerve and manner of
bearing up under the strain had at
.racted attention throughout his large
acquaintance among the people of
New Orleans
Col. Lee was well known in Lafay-
cite and possessed number of warm
friends here who will learn of his
ieath with great regret.