Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-04-22
VIM. F.. Lees Life a Remarkable Storv
of Pluck, Optimistic Persever-
ance and Hard Work.
HANDS kN0TTD BY TOLL IN WOODS
Insists Best Job Was Raise Three Sons and Teach Them
to Work-Gets Education in School of Hard
Knocks - Always Interested in
Good Government

the finished product; to get the most
possible from an acre; to sell his farm
not by the bushel but by the acre. I
would see Minnesota farmed scientifi-
cally.
II would enforce the law. would
bring the state government to the high
plane of the morality of her people.
would drive the brewer and the special
privilege seeker from the council cham.
bers OF the state. would be on hand,
looking after the peoples business "a
l do my own.''
William E. Lees life is a story of
hard work, plus pluck, with tinge of
romance here and there, but more of
plodding and perseverance than Of IA
voring fortune and good luck. Born
in the little river town of Alton, ILL.,,
in January, 1852, at the embryo can
didate came to Minnesota with his
father and mother, four brothers and
an equal number of sisters. The faith
er, a millwright, settled near Little
Falls, and it was there the candidate
for Minnesota's highest honor-the
governors chair-attended the village
school, and received what book educa.
ton he has save that secured at night
between the long days of toll.
Between 13 and IA years of age, the
Lee lad embarked his first ship of
financial venture, and the craft was a
little old-fashioned fat-bottomed ferry
boat, it's stream the swift-fowing Mis-
sissippl, near the mouth of what was
then the Swan river. An older BROTH
er, Sam, was the partner in the enter
prise, and the boat, with capacity but
for two teams, was built by the bcys.
Its motive power was the current OF
the river, a plan often employed in the
old pioneer days, when a cable across
the stream did not interfere with navi-
cation. twenty-five cents per team
and 10 cents for each foot passenger
was charged. The business netted an
average of $40 monthly.
A Bit Of Romance.
Not content with one enterprise, the
Lee lad, a year later, took contract
from the government, and carried the
mail afoot to Long Prairie, distance
of thirty miles. Once week the round
trip was made, and from eleven to
twelve hours were used each way in
the task. 1t is not unlikely the jour-
ney could have been completed in less
time, but midway on the road, tucked
away on the banks of little stream,
stood roughly hewed log schoolhouse:
Old-fashioned hollyhocks grew in the
schoo1yard and morning glories
climbed over it's door. In the school,
attended by half score of children,
who for the most part trudged a mile
or more through the woods to be
| taught the three old-fashioned RS,
| there presided rosy-cheeked, bright.
eyed little schoolma am-Eya Gibson
| by name.
Here it was the youthful mail car
| rier usually happened" along
| about noon time While the children
ate their lunches and romped away
the hours, he chatted with the little
teacher, tagging until school took up"
again. Often he passed, and as often
| he paused "just to see if there was
=.
| And that was a long time ago, and It
might be as we'll at this time as any
other, to say Mrs. Eva Gibson Lee
lives now in Long Prairie, Mimi, and
her husband, also at this time, is
candidate for governor.
In between other tasks, young Lee
now man almost grown, worked
with his father and learned the mill
wright trade and something about car
pentering. The elder Lee built many
of the early-day sawmills of that Sec
ton, assisted by his boys. The North
ern Pacific station now in Brainerd is
Of Lee family construction, and son
"Will' one of its builders.
Then came the desire to get out and
| see something of the world; so the
young man journeyed up to the Elk
! river lumber country, and got job
as camp cook. The foreman of the
camp was Lyman w. Aver, man of
learning" Quick to take advantage
of this, when the supper's tin dishes
were washed and slowed away, the
youthful cook would get out a we'll
| thumbed geometry, and under the tute-
lage of the foreman learn something
of mathematics.
About forty.three years later, or a
week ago, to be exact, Lyman w. Aver,
Continued on reverse paae.)