LEE, William E.

LEE, FASSETT, TURNER, PEASLEY, SMITH, PERKINS, RAUCH, GATES, JUDD, CARTWRIGHT, BOLDMAN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/10/2014 at 18:25:34

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.

Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors

The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Pp. 347-48. Chicago. 1915.

WILLIAM E. LEE

Among, the well known residents of Davis City is William E. Lee, who is manager of the Davis City Elevator Company. He was born in Bureau county, Illinois, of the marriage of John and Mary (Fassett) Lee. The father, who was born in Belmont county Ohio, of American parentage, was a farmer by occupation and for a number of years cultivated land which he owned in Fayette township, Decatur county, where he arrived in 1868. Subsequently he sold that place and removed to New Buda township, buying a farm there upon which he lived for some time. During the last years of his life he resided on a farm in Burrell township, although his demise occurred at Lamoni, May 19, 1902. His wife was born in Bureau county, Illinois, where their marriage occurred. She is still living and resides at Perry. To their union were born six children: Edith, the deceased wife of Joseph Turner; Allie, the widow of W. W. Peasley and a resident of Indianola; William E.; Esther, who married Clarence Smith, now a resident of Lamoni; Maude, the wife of H. E. Perkins, of Perry; and a son who died in infancy.

William E. Lee remained at home until he was twenty years of age and attended the district school and the schools at Davis City. He assisted his father with the farm work until 1884, when he started out on his own account, going to Denver, Colorado, where for two years he drove a milk wagon. He was for some time a brakeman on the Rock Island & Pacific Railroad but in 1899 he returned to Decatur county and began farming on the ninety acre tract wliich he still owns in New Buda township. He has proved very successful as a general farmer and stock-raiser but since 1903 has given his entire time to his work as manager of the local elevator. The elevator was for years owned by the Iowa & Missouri Grain Company but in the fall of 1912 it was purchased by a stock company composed of local capitalists and its name was changed to the Davis City Elevator Company. The present officials are: C. R. Rauch, president; William E. Lee, vice president and manager; and J. M. Gates, secretary and treasurer, while the board of directors is composed of the officers and Oscar Judd and F. W. Rauch. The company buys and sells hay, corn, wheat and oats. The elevator has a capacity of ten thousand bushels and handles about eighty carloads of grain annually. His work as manager leaves Mr. Lee no time for other interests and he therefore rents his farm.

He was married in 1895 to Miss Carrie Cartwright, a daughter of W. T. and Matilda (Boldman) Cartwright. To this union has been born the following children: John, whose birth occurred December 6, 1895, and who died when three years old; Ruth, born April 6, 1900, who is attending the Davis City high school; Naomi, who was born October 5, 1909, and is attending the district schools; and Marguerite, born May 13, 1911.

Mr. Lee is a democrat and since 1902 has served as treasurer of the township schools of New Buda. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic blue lodge at Davis City, the Royal Arch chapter of Leon and the commandery of Leon, while his wife belongs to the Order of the Eastern Star at Davis City. In addition to his farm Mr. Lee owns some valuable city property in Denver, Colorado, and is one of the substantial residents of Davis City. His personal qualities are such that he has won the warm regard as well as the respect of those who have come in contact with him.

NOTE: William E. Lee was born in 1863, and died in 1943. Carrie V. (Cartwright) Lee was born in 1870, and died in 1955. They were interred at Davis City IA.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014