My Genealogy Hound

Jasper N. Lee, as one of Grant County’s most wealthy land owners, deserves prominent mention. He came upon the stage of action on September 2, 1854, in Jefferson County, Ark., being the son of Thomas J. and Toppie Ann (Marsh) Lee, natives respectively of South Carolina and Tennessee. The father, when a young man, locating in Jefferson County. It was his original intention to go to Texas, but while passing through Jefferson County, this State, he saw land suitable for a home, and remained here till his death. As soon as settling, he went into the mill business, and made a greater portion of the lumber used in the construction of Pine Bluff, and all used in building Sulphur Springs. He was eminently successful as a mill man. His death occurred on August 12, 1865, when he was in his fifty-eighth year. He moved from Jefferson to Saline County in 1858, and built a mill on Saline River, situated in what is now Calvert Township, in Grant County. He was a Union Democrat, and served Jefferson County as judge, supervising the building of the court house at Pine Bluff. He also held the office of justice of the peace. During the Mexican War, he was a soldier, but not in active service. He was twice married; the first time before coming to Arkansas, meeting and marrying our subject’s mother, in this State. She had removed with her parents to Jefferson County, dying in 1858, when quite a young woman. Thomas Lee was the father of twenty-five children. By his second wife, there were four children; Jasper N. being the only one living. At the age of thirteen, he started out for himself, and in company with friends and neighbors, first went to Northwestern Texas, where he worked in the stock business, for other people— herding sheep, cattle and horses. While there he attended the Commerce Academy, obtaining the rudiments of an English education. His favorite studies were grammar, composition and rhetoric. In 1877 he was an assistant in a common school at Lebanon. When leaving home, he could barely read print, but by diligent pursuit, of his studies, he has given himself a good education. After returning to Grant County, in 1878, he turned his attention to farming and school-teaching; cultivating the soil in summer and the minds of the young in winter. This he continued until recently, June, 1889, when he connected himself with the Kingsland Stave and Rafting Company. Since then, he has been buying timber for the company in Grant County. In 1878 he was married to Elizabeth Wilkinson, daughter of Dr. H. M. Wilkinson, of Grant County. The fruits of this marriage were five children. Robert E. is the only one living. Those dead are Hugh, B. W., Thomas L. and Mary F. A., all of whom died when young. Mr. Lee and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He is the owner of between six and seven hundred acres of land, most of which is in the Saline River bottom; he has also tax title claim to over 1,200 acres additional. Mr. Lee started in life without means and without education, and his great success is due solely to his individual efforts. While in Texas, he studied law under James Matthews, of Greenville, but has never applied for admission to the bar.