Captain ABNER A. LEE, Co. I, 86th Illinois

Abner A. Lee was born on __________ __, 1830 at ___________, New York, the son of ____________ Lee and __________ (__________) Lee.
There is a record of a Abner A. Lee being married to a Mary A. Hill on August 8, 1857 in Peoria County, Illinois. Mary was born on August 2, 1838 in ___________, Maine, the daughter of __________ Hill and __________ (__________) Hill. In the 1880 census, her parents are listed as having been born in Massachusetts.
The children of Abner A. Lee and Mary A. (Hill) Lee include;
1. Rosella "Rosa" Lee, born c. 1858/59 in Illinois; married to _____________ Shryhock on ___________ __, 18__.

2. Harriet Lee, born c. 1860 in Illinois.

3. Hannah Lee, born c. 1861/62 in Illinois.

4. Annetta Lee, born c. 1867/68 in Illinois.

5. Horace Lee, born c. 1869/70 in Illinois; A Horace A Lee, who was born in 1871 and who died in 1928 is buried in the Harper Cemetery in Harper, Harper County, Kansas.

6. Charles H. Lee, born c. 1872/73 in Illinois.

At the time of the 1860 census, Abner Lee and his family are found in Timber Township in Peoria County, Illinois;
2610 Lee Abner 35 M cooper 200 100 PA
2610 Lee Rosella 22 F ME
2610 Lee Rosella 1 F IL

On August 1, 1862, Abner A. Lee volunteered at Lancaster, Illinois in Peoria County to serve in a company which was being raised in the Lancaster, Illinois/Timber-Hollis Township area of Peoria County by a well known business man and Lancaster area merchant, Allen L. Fahnestock.

ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES
Illinois Civil War Detail Report

Name LEE, ABNER A Rank 1LT
Company I Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL
Age 32 Height 6' 2 Hair SANDY
Eyes HAZEL Complexion LIGHT
Marital Status MARRIED Occupation COOPER
Nativity OSWEGO, OSWEGO CO, NY

Service Record
Joined When AUG 1, 1862
Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK
Period 3 YRS Muster In AUG 27, 1862
Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom
Muster Out
Muster Out Where
Muster Out By Whom
Remarks PROMOTED CAPTAIN

ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES
Illinois Civil War Detail Report

Name LEE, ABNER A Rank CPT
Company I Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence ______ Age 33 Height _____
Hair _____ Eyes _____ Complexion _____
Marital Status _____
Occupation _____ Nativity _____

Service Record
Joined When MAR 1, 1864
Joined Where ROSSVILLE, GA
Joined By Whom GOV YATES
Period 3 YRS Muster In MAR 9, 1864
Muster In Where ROSSVILLE, GA
Muster In By Whom _____ Muster Out JUN 6, 1865
Muster Out Where WASHINGTON, DC
Muster Out By Whom LT SCROGGS
Remarks _____

Of the Battle of Chickamauga, many years after the war, in January or February of 1906, Col. Allen L. Fahnestock, who was the Captain commanding Co. I of the 86th Illinois at the time, was interviewed and the exerpts of this interview appeared in many newspapers, including the PLYMOUTH TRIBUNE newspaper, of Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana edition of February 8, 1906, under the column "Memories of the War." The column stated, "'There is no question in my mind,' said Colonel A. L. Fahnestock, 'as to who opened the fight at Chickamauga. Our regiment (the Eight-sixth Illinois) went out with Colonel McCook's brigade on the evening of Sept. 18, 1863 to destroy Reed's bridge across the Chickamauga. Companies I and B of the Eighty-sixth were on picket on the right of the Lafayette road, company B, under Captain Worrell, on my left, and twenty men of the Fifty-second Ohio on my right, the much talked of spring lying to the left of Captain Worrell's company.
Lieutenant Groninger, of the Eight-sixth, and myself took charge of our post that night, as I was short of men. I told Private Jacob Petty, of my company, that evening that there would be a fight the next morning, and said to him that he shot a Johnny, I would buy him a plug of tobacco. The next morning, a Confederate cavalryman rode to our front. Petty saw him and asked Lieutenant A. A. Lee if he should shoot. Lee said yes. Petty fired and brought down his man, and that shot opened the battle of Chickamauga.
Soon after Petty's shot, firing began on the left of Company B, at the spring................." Fahnestock concluded the interview by saying, "I claim that our brigade should have the credit of opening the battle of Chickamauga, and I contend that we closed it on the night of the 20th at Cloud Springs, to my mind the key to the Union position. Petty, who fired the first shot on the morning of the 19th, claimed his reward that evening. Lieutenant Lee notified me that Petty had got his man and wanted his plug of tobacco. Tobacco was scarce at the time, but I found a plug, paid $1 for it, and sent it to Petty. The United States is indebted to me for that amount, plus the interest for forty-two years."

At the time of the 1870 census, the Lees are found in ____________ County, Illinois;
Aaron A Lee M 39y New York
Mary Lee F 32y Maine
Rosellee Lee F 12y Illinois
Harriet Lee F 10y Illinois
Hannah Lee F 8y Illinois
Annet Lee F 3y Illinois
Horace Lee M 10m Illinois
Mary Hughs F 70y New York
Joseph Hughs M 32y New York

At the time of the 1880 census, the Lees are found in Harper, Harper County, Kansas;
Self Abner A. Lee M 44 New York
Wife Mary A. Lee F 40 Maine
Daughter Rosa Shryhock F 21 Illinois
Daughter Hannah Lee F 18 Illinois
Daughter Annetta Lee F 12 Illinois
Son Horace Lee M 10 Illinois
Son Charles H. Lee M 7 Illinois

In 1887, some of the surviving members of the 86th Illinois organized and held a reunion for the 86th Illinois in Peoria, Illinois on the 25th Anniversary of the mustering in of the regiment, August 27, 1887. Capt. Lee was unable to attend this reunion, which was attended by over 100 surviving members of the 86th. In the reunion booklet that was published for the event, Captain Abner A. Lee's mailing address is listed as Springfield, Kansas.

At the time of the 1900 census, Abner and Mary are found in Banner Township, in the City of Harper, Harper County, Kansas. Abner is listed as having been born in November of 1831 and has been married 43 years, which would place the year of marriage about 1857.
Head Abner A Lee M 69 New York
Wife Mary A Lee F 62 Maine

Captain Abner A. Lee passed away on March 12, 1906 in Harper, Harper County, Kansas. The Friday, March 16, 1906 edition of THE ANTHONY BULLETIN newspaper, of Anthony, Kansas, carried three notices pertaining to the death and funeral of Captain Lee. They include;
"Chas. Lee, of St. Louis, attended his father's funeral."

"Captain A. A. Lee, who has resided in Harper county for the past 28 years, died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. L. L. Galliway at 5 o'clock Monday morning after an illness, at the age of 75 years. The deceased was captain of company I, 86th regiment Illinois Volunteers. He leaves six grown up children, four girls and two boys. Mrs. having died nearly two years ago."

"Capt. A. A. Lee died Monday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs.L. L. Galloway, at Harper, and was buried Tuesday afternoon beside his wife in the I. O. O. F. cemetery at Harper. The deceased was 75 years old, was the captain of Company I, 86th Illinois volunteer infantry during the Civil War and was held in high esteem by his associates. He came to Harper county 28 years ago, and with his faithful wife, four daughters and two sons, made many friends. One daughter, Mrs. Difield, lives seven miles out of Wichita. He has always identified himself with the interests of this section of the state. His children survive him and have the sympathy of all."