My Genealogy Hound

John Lee, farmer and blacksmith, of Hardy Township, is a native of Indiana, and a son of Jonathan and Deborah (Britian) Lee. Jonathan Lee was born in Mercer County, Ky., in 1793, in which State he lived until after his marriage, learning the trade of blacksmithing. Soon after his marriage he removed to Washington County, Ind., and when the principal of this sketch was about one year old, went to Jackson County, where he died on July 16, 1862. He was a son of William Lee, of Irish descent, and a cooper and farmer by occupation. He was a native of Mercer County, Ky., and died in Washington County, Ind. Mrs. Lee came originally from West Virginia and died in Jackson County, Ind., in 1867, at the age of seventy-four. She was a member of the Baptist Church, as was also her husband, being a daughter of Samuel Britain, a native of Virginia, who died in Washington County, Ind., at the age of ninety-seven. John Lee was the youngest son in a family of eight children, four of whom are still living, the eldest son, Samuel, two daughters, and our subject. The latter was born in Washington County, Ind., in 1832. He was married in 1851, to Ludia Chilcott, who was born in Jackson County, Ind., in 1825. Her parents were John and Rachel (Robertson) Chilcott, the former a native of Virginia, removed to Jackson County, Ind., where he was married and made his home the rest of his life, dying in 1848. He was a son of Eli Chilcott, of Pennsylvania, who removed to Virginia after his marriage, and died in Hardy County, that State. Mrs. Chilcott was also of Virginia birth, and died in 1835. She was a daughter of Blaze and Hannah (Hutchinson) Robertson. Mr. Robertson was born in England, the son of an English nobleman. He left home at the age of seventeen and came to America against his parents’ wishes, and, having no money, though possessed of a good education, he contracted the wages which he would receive for his duties as a teacher, his chosen calling, for seven years, to pay his passage to the United States; after four years’ service he was released from his contract. He then settled in Virginia, where he made his home the balance of his life. His wife, after the death of her husband, moved to Indiana, where she died. They were the parents of a large family of children, who were among the pioneer families of Jackson County, Ind. One of the daughters married a Mr. Hamilton, the first representative from that county, in the State legislature. Mr. and Mrs. Lee had five children, two sons and three daughters, all of whom survive: Jonathan R. (a resident of Phillips County), Hannah E. (wife of S. B. Eaks), Lydia A. (wife of W. B. Jones), Sarah M. (wife of C. T. Payne) and William Samuel. Mr. Lee enlisted in January, 1865, in Company C of the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the close of the war. He lived in Jackson County, Ind., until 1870, when he came to Arkansas and settled in what is now Lee County. Two years later he settled on his present farm, consisting of half a section of land, of which sixty-five acres are under a high state of cultivation, and all made since coming to this State. He is a prominent Democrat and takes an interest in the political affairs of the day. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church.