In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1797, Franklin County
From Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biog (1888)
JOHN LEE, deceased, a worthy pioneer of Henry County Iowa, of 1836, was born in Franklin County, Ohio, Dec. 26, 1797, was a farmer by occupation, and removed to Bond County, Ill., in an early day, where he was united in marriage to Miss Charity Smith, daughter of Zedek Smith, Esq., who was born in Tennessee, in November, 1800. Mr. Lee emigrated with his family to Henry County, Iowa, in November, 1836, and located in what is now New London Township, on unsurveyed land. The exact date of his arrival at the site of his future home was Nov. 14, 1836. He made his claim on what is now section 11 of New London Township, where he made his home till late in life, when he removed to New London Village. His death occurred April 22, 1879, in his eighty-second year. His wife, an estimable Christian lady, who had reared a family of twelve children, four sons and eight daughters, died Oct. 11, 1 865. The children all lived to be men and women, and are all living at this date (1887) except three, They were born in the following order: Eliza, Jan. 21, 1821; Jane, Oct. 12, 1823; Sarah, Oct. 20, 1824; Almira, April 10, 1826; Samuel, Nov. 4, 1827; John, March 25, 1829; Julia Ann, Jan. 2, 1831; Willmm, Dec. 23, 1832; Thomas B., June 29, 1835; Polly Ann, Oct. 7, 1837; Charity, July 26, 1839, and Louisa, Sept. 26, 1841. The nine elder children were born in Bond County, Ill., and the three younger in Henry County, Iowa.
In early life Mr. Lee was a Whig, and a Republican after the organization of that party. Both he.and his wife were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church from early life. He was an upright, honorable, industrious citizen, and deserves creditable mention in the annals of the pioneer days of Henry County. That this sketch is not more complete is not the fault of the writer, but owing to the indifference of certain members of the family, who could, but would not, take the trouble to supply the necessary information.
As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biog (1888). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1888. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.