Jacob Lee
Jacob Lee was born in Ripley Township, Holmes Co., Ohio, in February, 1820, fourth in the family of James and Margaret (Wells) Lee, natives of Pennsylvania, former born October 27, 1787, and latter March 12, 1799. They were married in Pennsylvania, and, about 1815, came with their two children to Ohio, where they located on what is called Hickory Flats, in Wayne County, but two years later removed to Ripley Township, Holmes Co., and bought 160 acres of Government land, forty acres of which he afterward entered. At the time of Mr. Lee's settlement in Ohio the country was a wilderness, bears and wolves being numerous, and the most of the land was heavily timbered. Mr. Lee cleared and improved his land, and became one of the most successful men in the county, owning at one time 640 acres of land. He died May 7, 1849, aged sixty-one years, six months and elevn days. His family consisted of thirteen children, six of whom--four sons and two daughters- are living: Josiah, John, Rachel, Jacob, Wesley, and Margaret.
Born when the country was in its infancy the youth of Jacob Lee, our subject, was spent on a frontier farm, and his education was limited to the log-cabin subscription schools. He was married in 1845 to Eliza, a daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Young) Smith, former of whom, a tailor by trade, came to Ohio at an early day. To Mr. and Mrs. Lee have been born seven children, five of whom are living: Solomon, Shaffer, Louisa (now Mrs. Dietrich), Herman and Ellen. Mr. Lee is a member of the Disciples Church; he is a Republican, and has served his township as school director.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889