Christie Ellingson Lee 1848-1907

LEE, ELLINGSON, RANDOLPH, AMUNDSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/3/2010 at 22:18:58

Mrs. Joseph N. Lee Dead
Death came to relieve Mrs. Joseph N. Lee Sunday [February 24, 1907] morning at 9:00 o’clock. Mrs. Lee had been suffering from cancer of the stomach the past year. Early last fall she was taken to Rochester, Minn. for examination and if possible to relieve her by an operation to have one performed, but the doctors there, after making a thorough examination, concluded that an operation would be useless, and she returned to her home in this city to wait the end. She suffered intensely and for the past couple of weeks was unable to take any nourishment.

Mrs. Lee was a pioneer of Emmet County, having come here with her husband, Joseph N. Lee in 1870 they settled on a farm near the Des Moines River, just east of where Wallingford is now located where they made their home till 1886, when Mr. Lee being elected County Recorder, they removed to Estherville. They made their home here till 1891 when the family removed to Des Moines where Mr. Lee died in May, 1896. Mrs. Lee returned to Estherville with her family in 1901 and made her home here till her death. She raised a family of six children all of whom are living except May, who died while the family lived in Des Moines, at the age 9 years. The children living are Mrs. T. J. Randolph of Terril, Mrs. Henry Amundson of Superior, Hon. N. J. Lee of this city, representative of this district, Robert M. Lee of the Chicago Tribune, and Miss Josephine Lee of this city.

The funeral was held from the Norwegian Lutheran church at 2:00 o’clock Tuesday afternoon and the remains taken to Des Moines for interment by the side of her husband.

Christie Ellingson was born in Norway Oct. 23, 1848, and was 58 years 4 months and one day old. She came to the United States in 1861 with her parents and settled in Columbia County, Wis. in 1868. She was married to Joseph N. Lee and removed to Emmet County in 1870. She was a Christian woman devoted to her home and family and her life was marked by many acts of kindness and charity for those about her. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, February 27, 1907)

Death of Mrs. J. N. Lee
Mrs. J. N. Lee died at her home on north Seventh street in this city at nine o’clock Sunday morning after an illness of several months of cancer of the stomach. She was fifty-eight years of age at the time of her death and had resided in Emmet county thirty-seven years, coming here with her husband, the late Joseph N. Lee, from Wisconsin in 1870. For over twenty years they resided on a farm in High Lake township, this county, before moving to Estherville. She was a noble, kindhearted woman and will be greatly missed by relatives and intimate friends. Five children, Hon. N. J. Lee, state representative, Robert M. Lee, assistant city editor of the Chicago Tribune, Mrs. T. J. Randolph, of Terril, Mrs. Henry Amundson, of Superior, and Miss Josie Lee, of this city, are left to mourn her death.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the family home and the remains taken this morning to Des Moines for burial. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, February 27, 1907)

Note: Buried in Woodland Cemetery, Des Moines, Polk County, IA