Joseph F. Lee Attaining to the patriarchal age of ninety-four years and eight days, the late Joseph F. Lee was one of the sterling and honored pioneers of Minnesota and for more than half a century he maintained his home in Minneapolis, where his death occured on the 3d of March, 1910. He did well his part in connection with the development of the fine city that was his home for so many years and through his judicious investments in local realty he became possessed of a fortune of about one-half million dollars. Mr. Lee was born in Detford, England, on the 23d February, 1816, and was reared and educated in his native land, where he learned the trade of boot and shoe maker and where, in 1843, was solemnized his marriage to Miss Sarah Ann Parslow, who survives him and who is venerable in years. In 1857 Mr. Lee left his native land and came to America and he became sufficiently impressed with its advantages to return to England for his wife and children, who soon afterward accompanied him on his second voyage to America. He resided for a time on Long Island, New York, and about the year 1859 he came with his family to Minnesota and numbered himself among the pioneers of Minneapolis. He settled at St. Anthony before that section of the present North side of Minneapolis had been in the least developed, and during the long intervening period of more than half a century he continued to reside in Minneapolis. For a long time he conducted a boot and shoe shop on Bridge Square, and he found ample demand upon his expert services in the manufacturing of boots and shoes for all classes of citizens. He gained special reputation in making the old-time copper-toed and red-topped boots that were the pride of the boys of the time. An interesting diary which he kept in the early days gives information concerning the leading Minneapolis citizens of fifty years ago and also mentions many youngsters whom he knew in the early days and who attained to positions of prominence in the community. At an early period of his residence in Minneapolis Mr. Lee began to make well ordered investments in local real estate, especially land adjacent to the railway lines. This property, much of which eventually became demanded for railroad purposes, greatly increased in value with the passing years, and through the medium of such investments Mr. Lee realized a substantial competency. With his cherished and devoted wife he passed the closing period of his life in the modest but attractive house which was their place of abode for more than a Minneapolis of a century, this homestead, in which they reared their children, having been situated at 227 Seventh avenue north. Mr. Lee was a Democrat in politics and was a consistent communicant of the Church of England, as is also his venerable widow, the latter being held in affectionate regard by all who have come within the sphere of her gentle influence. Mrs. Lee is ninety-one years of age at the time of this writing, in 1914. Of the eight children two died before attaining adult age, and concerning the others brief record is consistently given in the following paragraph: Annie E. is the wife of Edwin E. Nourse, of Minneapolis, who is here actively identified with the lumber business, and they have four children,— Edwin E., Jr., Viola May, Maude E., and Leon F. Hannah P. is the wife of Peter Schuck, a representative business man of Minneapolis, and their children are: Lillian, Carrie, Myrtle, Viola and Lee, and the eldest daughter, Lillian, being now the wife of Harry Johnson. Georgia P. is the wife of Charles Kleopfert, of Minneapolis, and they have four children,— Carrie, Ruth and Grace Esther. Albert Lee, the next in order of birth, became a successful and popular business man of Minneapolis, where he engaged in the retail cigar and tobacco trade at the time of his death, which occured on the 23d of August, 1912, the date of his birth having been November 17, 1871. On the 10th of November, 1910, Albert Lee wedded Miss Della Schmidt, of Winona, this state, and she survives him, no children having been born of this union. Sarah became the wife of Charles M. Hazelton and her death occured September 28, 1905, her children being Jennie, Chester A. and Earl E. Frank J. Lee died in 1907 and is survived by one daughter, Myrtle.

Excerpt from: Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota (1914) Author: Holcombe, R. I. (Return Ira), 1845-1916 ; Bingham, William H Publisher: Chicago : H. Taylor & Co. Possible copyright status: NOT IN COPYRIGHT