Jonathan Lee

As printed in 1906

REV. JONATHAN LEE.

Rev. Jonathan Lee is well known in Henry county in connection with his farming interests and as a minister of the Baptist church and one who has labored long and effectively for the moral development of the community and the uplifting of his fellow men. He has wielded a wide influence and what he has accomplished has made his name an honored one wherever he is known. He was born in Vernon, Indian, on the 9th of November, 1839. His paternal grandfather, Mark Lee, was a native of Kentucky, and with his family removed from that state to Indiana in 1821. About two years later both he and his wife died of milk sickness and were buried in the same grave. Their son, Martin Lee, was born in Kentucky but w'as reared in Indiana, and having arrived at years of maturity, was married at Vernon, that state, to Miss Lydia A. Riley, whose birth occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her parents were Rev. Oliver and Elizabeth (Harrison) Riley. Her father was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church and served as chaplain in the war of 1812 with a Virginia regiment. She was a cousin of President Harrison. At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Martin Lee settled on a farm near Vernon, Indiana, where they remained for two years, and in 1840 they drove across the country with covered wagons to Tippecanoe township, Henry county, Iowa. It was then a largely undeveloped region but here and there a few settlements had been made to show that the work of improvement had been begun. Mr. Lee purchased eighty acres of uncultivated land on section 31, Tippecanoe township, and at once began to plow and plant the fields and in due course of time he gathered rich harvests. For a long period he was closely associated with farming interests here and he died in this county in April, 1899. His wife passed away in November, 1903. and thus the county lost two of its prominent, worthy and respected pioneer settlers.

Rev. Jonathan Lee is the eldest in a family of three sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and one daughter died in childhood, while the others reached mature years. He was less than a 3'ear old when brought from Indiana to Iowa and his education was acquired in the district schools of Tippecanoe township. He spent his boyhood days on the home farm with his parents, working in the fields through the months of summer and until crops were harvested in the late autumn. His times was thus occupied until he reached the age of twenty-one years, when he determined to engage in farming on his own account and bought forty acres of land in brush on section 31, Tippecanoe township. A log cabin had been built on the tract and he at once began to improve the land. At the same time he began preaching the gospel as a minister of the Baptist church, having studied for this holy calling under the direction of the Rev. M. Elliott, the first Baptist preacher ordained in Iowa. Rev. Jonathan Lee was ordained at Glasgow in 1857, and engaged in preaching in addition to carrying on the work of the farm. For many years he lived in a log cabin, his home being formed of that primitive character until 1883, when he built his present frame residence, comprising seven rooms in a two-story building with an addition containing kitchen and pantry. He has resided on this farm since he started out in life on his own account, and has extended its boundaries until it now comprises two hundred and twenty acres of arable and productive land on sections 29, 30 and 31. Tippecanoe township.

While Rev. Lee has succeeded in his farming operations and has become one of the substantial agriculturists of his community, he has also devoted considerable time to the work of the church and is now pastor of two different churches. He was also pastor of the Baptist church at Seymour, Wayne county, Iowa, for eight years; at Harrisburg, Van Buren county, Iowa, for fifteen years; and at West Point, Lee county, for a short time. He is now pastor of the Glasgow church at Jefferson county, Iowa, and an outstation of Tippecanoe township. His first ministerial work, however, was done at Rome, Iowa, where he engaged in preaching in the railroad depot and he built a meeting house there. He also preached for twelve years in the village of Salem and for two years in Bonaparte and he has acted as supply pastor at Mount Pleasant and other places. He is now moderator of the Keokuk Baptist Church Association, which position he has filled since 1900, and he has been a member of the board of the Iowa Baptist State Convention since 1898. Thus his labors have been most untiring, earnest and effective in promoting the interests of his church and in advancing moral development and in the various localities with which he has been connected. He has also been president of the Old Settlers' Association of Salem since 1895, and in this connection is widely known, and has been vice-president of the Savings Bank of Rome since its organization.

On the 19th of May, 1858, Rev. Lee was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Mary Harter, who was born in Indiana February 12, 1839, a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Harter) Harter, both natives of Indiana. Mrs. Lee passed away January 16, 1869, ii6 leaving three children: Amanda, who was born March 23, 1859, and is the wife of Henry Wood, of Fairbury, Nebraska; Curtis, who was born September 16, 1861, married Annie Cline November i, 1882, and is living in Jefferson county, Iowa; and Edwin, who was lion November 12, 1866, married Nellie Cook October 17, 1887, and resides in Salem township, this county.

On the 3d of November, 1869, Rev. Lee was united in marriage to Miss Alice Boyd, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, June 22, 1850, and acquired her education in Earlham College, in Richmond, that state. Her parents were Dr. J. B. and Nancy (Fender) Boyd, natives of South Carolina. Her mother died when Mrs. Lee was but a babe and she was reared by her grandparents, James and Nancy (Ruby) Boyd, natives of Kentucky. On the 2nd of March, 1869, she came to Van Buren county, Iowa, her grandparents having died, and lived with an uncle, Jacob Fender, until her marriage. A Fort Worth (Texas) daily paper, under the heading, "After Forty Years," gives the following reference to the arrival of Mrs. Jonathan Lee, of Tippecanoe township, Henry county, in Fort Worth:

"One of the most pathetic scenes which has taken place at the Union depot for a long while occurred this morning immediately after the arrival of the Rock Island passenger train from the north. Dr. J. B. Boyd, ex-county treasurer, was at the depot to meet his daughter, whom he had not seen since she was four years of age — forty years ago. The Doctor told Officer Fulford that he was expecting his daughter, Mrs. Alice Lee, but did not know how she looked nor did she know him. Officer Fulford found her after the arrival of the train and took her to her aged father. When she saw the Doctor she said, Ts this Pa?' and both almost broke down and wept with joy over the reunion. As stated, her mother died when she was a little child and her father left her with his mother when she was but four years old and came to Texas with the intention of going on to Mexico. He was here only a few days when the war broke out and he was taken into the Confederate army as surgeon. After the war he established himself in Fort Worth and married. Following his mother's death his daughter was taken care of by an uncle and Doctor Boyd lost track of her until about ten years ago. They have been corresponding since but could not manage to see one another until this morning, when she came in from Henry county, Iowa."

Dr. Boyd died in the spring of 1899. He had served for sixteen years as county treasurer of Fort Worth county, Texas, and was an influential citizen there.

Lnto Rev. Lee and his second wife were born five children: Oliver B., born January 4, 1872, married Ella Wilson August 3. 1889, has charge of the business of the Standard Oil Company at Ottumwa, Iowa. Lydia, born March 31, 1876, died on the 3d of August, of that year. Roe F., born September 26, 1877. died October 31, 1893. Milo D., born September 3, 1882, died September 21, 1883. Raymond J., born August 20, 1886, wedded Mary A. Bausmn and resides on the home farm.

During" his pastorate Rev. Lee has married over seven hundred and eighteen couples and there has been one minister in Iowa who has surpassed this record. His political support is given to the Republican party but he has been without aspiration for office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs and to his church work and in both he has achieved a measure of success which is certainly gratifying and commendable. His life has in many respects been a source of inspiration to others and his influence in behalf of religious progress is immeasurable.

As printed in Biographical review of Henry County, Iowa, containing biographical and genealogical sketches of many of the prominent citizens of to-day and also of the past .. (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.