Tollef L. Lee

LEE

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 10/10/2006 at 22:14:31

Tollef L. Lee has resided on section 33, five years. He was born in Norway, Oct. 14, 1837. He came to America in 1855, landing at Quebec and from there went to Wisconsin. He lived in Rock county until 1878. He then removed to Worth Co., Bristol township ; settled on section 33, where he now lives. He has 160 acres of good land, well improved. He was married to Julia Olson, July 16, 1861. She was born in Norway, Jan. 16, 1844. There are six living children—Maggie, Levi, Lomey, Gillman, Newell and Lave. Mr. Lee and family are connected with the Norwegian Lutheran Church. Politically, he is a republican. Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1883, page 719.

Tollef L. Lee is a representative resident farmer of Bristol township, whose home is on section 33. Moreover, he is one of the pioneer settlers of Worth county and is further entitled to representation in this volume as a veteran of the Civil war. He was born in Norway on the 18th of October, 1839, and is therefore in the seventy-ninth year of his age. His parents were Levi and Maggie Lee, who came to the United States during the early childhood of their son Tollef. They settled in Rock county, Wisconsin, where they resided until 1871, when they removed to Worth county, Iowa, taking up their abode in Bristol township, where they continued to reside until called to their final rest. The father passed away about 1881, while the mother died several years later.
Tollef L. Lee was reared to manhood in Rock county, Wisconsin, and pursued his education in its public schools. There he early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops and he continued to aid his father in the work of the home farm up to the time pf his marriage.
It was in 1862 that Tollef L. Lee was joined in wedlock to Miss Julia Lee and soon after his marriage he enlisted for active service in the Civil war, becoming one of the boys in blue of Company E of the Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, participating in a number of hotly contested engagements, including the battles of Tupelo, Guntown, the siege of Vicksburg and the battles of Alexandria and Jackson, together with a number of minor engagements. At length he returned home with a most creditable military record, having loyally aided in the defense of his adopted land. When the was over he took up the occupation of farming in Rock county, Wisconsin, where he resided until 1871 and then came to Worth county, Iowa, settling in Bristol township. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of his present home farm and has resided thereon continuously for forty-seven years. Three years after his arrival he bought a twenty-acre tract of land adjoining the first purchase on the west, so that he now has a valuable farm of one hundred and eighty acres, which he has most carefully cultivated and developed. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have become the parents of twelve children, eight of whom survive, namely: Levi, who operates the home farm; Margaret, at home; Gillman, an agriculturist residing in Bristol township, Worth county; Gilbert, at home; Laura, who is the wife of Lewis Skuttle, of Joice, Worth county, Iowa; Galene, who gave her hand in marriage to K. H. Trustem, of Bristol township, Worth county; Theline, who is the wife of Thorn Trustem, of Bristol township, Worth county; and Clara,, who is the wife of Jacob Hanchu and lives in Cerro Gordo county.
In politics Mr. Lee has always been a stalwart republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise and for fifteen years he served as justice of the peace and for an equal time as township trustee. He has likewise filled other local offices and has made a most creditable record, being as true and loyal to his country in days of peace as in times of war.Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, Pages 505 & 506.