Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-04-29
BENJAMIN /. LEI DEAD.

Benjamin F. Lee, of Trenton. died
at Haddon Hall, Atlantic City, last
Sunday whittier he had gone for his
health, aged 81 years, of pneumonia.
Benz. F. Lee was one of the most
distinguished men South Jersey has
produced. He was born June 80,
1928, at the Lee Mansion, in Port Eli
zabeth. in the County of Cumberland.
He was the son of Thomas and Rhoda
Lee. Both his business talents and
love of politics he probably inherited
from his father. Thomas Lee was a
big man and successful one, and was
regarded as a living contradiction OF
the timeworn adage that business and
politics would not mix. He was a
success in both
Almost before he had vote Benja-
min Lee was a power in the local Dem
ocratic politics. He served as
Democratic Presidential elector and
as a member of the Democratic State
Committee in 1856 In 1859 and 1851
he was nominated for the House of
Assembly, but in both instances was
defeated by a meager majority.
In 1870 Mr.. Lee was nominated for
Congress from the First District. The
district usually gave 3.700 majority,
and that wear about 1900 colored vot-
ers were added, making nearly 5000
to overcome, yet the Democratic can
didate was defeated by only 1900
votes. Mr. Lees splendid campaign
for the Congressional post marked
the first inroad made into the Repub-
lican majority in the First District.
In the Gubernatorial convention of
1871, the lis delegates from this dis
trict supported him for the nomination
though against his wishes, as he fav-
ored Joel Parker. After the first bal
lot his delegates voted for Parker.
giving him the nomination.
Governor Parker later appointed
Mr.. Lee clerk to the Supreme Court.
and the Senate unanimously confirm
ed the appointment. He was sunse-
quently reappointed by Governor Lud-
lew in 1882, again by Governor Green
in 1887, and finally by Governor Alb
! hett in 1892.
While in the latter portion of his
/ official relations with the Office of the
Supreme Court cIerkship he person
ally directed the collating, arrange
ment and indexing of all the docu-
ments relating to criminal and civil
I SdoCo. Ills CO1l pl lSCQ CdSCS ltO4n
t 1855 to 1916, previous to which latter
date there was no index
\ Mr.. Lees business activity dates
from 1850 when he was identified with
the development of railroad interests
in the southern section, of the state.
Early in the SOS he wrote extensive
4 ly on the subject particularly in the
! Trenton, Camden and Bridgeton news
papers with the purpose of identity
1 ing the Camden and Amboy railroad
with the development of the southern
portion of New Jersey. In 1853 he
became one of the incorporators of
/ the West Jersey Railroad Company,
and in 1859 was one of the incorporate
ors of the West Jersey Central Rail-
road Company. On the 9th of March,
!. 1868, he was named by the act of the
! Legislature as director of theCape May
and Millville Company. Elected as
treasurer of the company, he retained
| the position until 1872. He was also
active in the building of the Stockton
Hotel at Cape May In 1866 he was
an incorporation of the Bridgeton and
Port Norris Railroad and was iden-
titled with its construction, and re-
manned interested until its transfer
anu CilduSC Vi udUlt W Lie OuUlUGI-
land and Maurice River Railroad.
/ At the time of his death Mr.. Lee
was president of the Trenton Tile Com
pany, ID Trenton, an enterprise which
owes its success and prestige princi-
pally to the able mind and firm hand
at the helm. He was also president
of the Universal Paper Bag Company,
and director in each of the Trenton
Banking Company, Standard Fire In
surance Company, Union Mills Paper
Manufacturing Company, at New Hope
Pa, and the West Jersey and Seashore
Railroad.
On July 16, 1862, Mr.. Lee married
| Annabella Wilson Townsend, seven
! years his junior Mrs. Lee is the dau-
ghter of the late William Smith Town
send and is descended directly from
Richard Townsend, who first appeared
/ in Jamaica, Long Island, in 1866.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lee
are Francis Bailey Lee, the historian;
Miss Anna Townsend Lee and Mrs.
Marguerite Alexander Uee) Dixon,
all of whom survive, and were at his
bedside in his last hours.
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