Lee, Flavius Quincy

LEE, RULEY, HUGHES

Posted By: Janelle Martin (email)
Date: 5/19/2009 at 17:59:04

History of Hamilton County Iowa, Vol. II, p. 48

FLAVIUS QUINCY LEE

Flavius Quincy Lee was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, in 1845. He was a son of Daniel and Mariah (Ruley) Lee. He spent his boyhood days on his father's farm. His education was received at the public schools of Tuscarawas County, supplemented by a course at an academy. When a young man, he taught school for a while, then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1869. In 1866 he was married to Alice E. Hughes, the daughter of Elza and Mary Hughes of Tuscarawas County, and to Quincy and Alice Lee were born seven children, Jesse W., Ira Arthur, Albert Enos, John Quincy, Nora, Laura and Daniel.

F. Q. Lee moved to Iowa in 1872. He first settled in Clarion, Wright county, when he commenced the practice of law, but in 1873, moved to Webster City and formed a partnership with Judge N. B. Hyatt. The firm of Hyatt & Lee dissolved in 1876,after which he was associated in business with George Patton, later with James A. Snodgrass and later still with J. M. Blake. In 1882 he purchased the Webster City Advertiser and edited the paper for about eighteen months, when he sold it to George W. Shaeffer. In 1886 he bought the Webster City Graphic of Captain George W. Bell and abandoned his law practice and gave his entire time to editorial work in which he took keen delight. While editing the Graphic, he wrote a history of Hamilton county, which was published in serial form in his paper. In 1890, his health began to fail and in 1892 he sold the Graphic and a year later moved to Hammond, Louisiana, in hope of regaining his health. While living there he founded the Hammond Graphic, which he conducted until the time of his death. He died in April, 1894, at the age of forty-nine years. At the time of his death. J. D. Hunter in the Webster City Freeman, paid him the following tribute :

"Brother F. Q. Lee has gone the way of all the earth. He was a man of generous impulses and sincere convictions. He worked when other men, with such bodily afflictions, would have quit in despair. He loved contention for the truth's sake as he measured it, and never skulked when duty called. The Freeman had many a bout with him on political questions; always found him able, argumentative and sincere, manly, outspoken and courteous. He was zealous in enhancing the interests of his town and the promotion of the public weal. He wanted to do right in all things, and his daily work and conversation was that of a good man. To those who are left to mourn the death of husband and father, his memory will be a perpetual benediction, and in their hour of affliction and sorrow they will have the deep sympathy of the entire community in which he lived so long, and in which every man was a brother and friend. 'Good friend, kind heart, hail and farewell.' "