BIO: John LEE, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 592 & 593.
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  JOHN LEE, a well known and respected citizen of Burnside township, was born on 
the Lee homestead in this township, Nocember 5, 1836, a son of Isaac and Hannah 
(Fulton) Lee.  His paternal grandfather was Jacob Lee, a resident of Center 
county, who fought for American independence in the Revolutionary war.  The 
early progenitors of the Lee family came to this country from Ireland.  Jacob 
Lee because of his Revolutionary services received a land grant in Clearfield 
county, where he settled at an early day, at the locality called Lee Hollow, 
where he cleared land and carried on farming to the best of his ability, he 
being a cripple.  He died in 1847 at the age of 60 years.  His wife's given name 
was Margaret.
  Isaac Lee was born in Center county and accompanied his parents to Clearfield 
county when young.  He was engaged in farming and lumbering during his 
industrial period.  He was twice married, first to Hannah Fulton, a daughter of 
David and Mary Fulton, and of this marriage there were ten children, of which 
there are but two now living - John, the subject of this sketch; and Jacob, who 
resides at Glenn Campbell, Pa.  Mrs. Mary Lee died in 1845 and Isaac Lee 
subsequently married Margaret (Young) Westover, widow of Abner Westover, who 
bore him three sons; Isaac, who resides at Lee Hollow; James, living on the 
homestead, and Henry, a farmer.  Isaac Lee died in 1880, at the age of 86 years.  
He was a member of the Methodist Protestant church.
  John Lee, with whom we are more directly concerned, as a boy helped his father 
on the farm and in clearing off the timber, attending school not more than about 
three months each winter.  Until his marriage he lived with his parents on a 
part of the home farm.  The house was destroyed by fire, and his father then 
gave him 50 acres of land to erect the present residence.  He subsequently 
purchased the home farm, including the present productive coal field.  He 
commenced digging coal in 1870 at Lee Hollow, the coal at that time being free 
to any one who would take the trouble to dig for it.  The first mine in the 
vicinity was opened by Henry Rose and David Plattner.  Our subject operated his 
coal field until 1890, when he sold his interests to the company now operating 
it, and has since confined his activities to the lumber industry.  He has had a 
successful business career and is now one of the substantial citizens of 
Burnside township.
  Mr. Lee married Elizabeth White, who was born in Huntingdon county, November 
22, 1831, a daughter of William and Catherine (Holman) White.  Her father, a 
wagon maker by trade, resided during his latter years with our subject.  This 
marriage, which took place in 1860, resulted in the following offspring:  Isaac 
Newton, a farmer residing in Burnside township, married Anna Bonsell, and has 
five children (and one grandchild through the marriage of a daughter to John 
Kelly); John W., unmarried, residing at Bethlehem, Pa.; Ash Bennett (twin of 
John), who married a Miss Hutton and has children; William Wallace, residing at 
home; James Hamilton, who married Emma Lee, and has five children; Edwin Hutton, 
a farmer, who married Anna Stevens and has seven children; Jesse Hull, living at 
home; Samuel White, who married Elsie Pennington, and resides at Bethlehem, Pa.; 
and Eva Jane, wife of D. Johnson, a farmer, who has eight children.  The last 
mentioned, Eva J., is a twin sister of Samuel.  Mrs. Elizabeth Lee, the mother 
of the above mentioned family, died August 28, 1899.  Mr. Lee is a Democrat 
politically and at one time performed much active service for his party.  He is 
a member of the Methodist Protestant church.