John T. Lee Biography


	This biography appears on pages 837-838 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN T. LEE, who is incumbent of the important office of 
treasurer of Minnehaha county, was born in the city of Christiania. 
Norway, on the 11th of February, 1855 being a son of Thorsten and Anne 
(Okre) Lee, who emigrated from the far Norseland to America in 1867, at 
which time the subject of this review was a lad of twelve years, his 
preliminary educational training having been secured in his native 
land, while after his parents' location in Iowa on their arrival in the 
new world, he attended the public schools somewhat less than a year, 
his future education being that supplied in the great school of 
practical experience and personal application. In the autumn of 1869 he 
came to the territory of Dakota and located a year later on a farm in 
Minnehaha county, where his father had taken up a claim of government 
land, the same being entirely unreclaimed. There the subject continued 
to be successfully engaged in farming and stock growing until the year 
1891, having in the meanwhile become the owner of one hundred and sixty 
acres of land. In. the year mentioned he located in the village of 
Brandon, where he assumed the management of the grain business of the 
Farmers' Association. In 1898 Mr. Lee disposed of his interest in this 
concern and since that time has been agent for the American Grain 
Company, at Brandon, having the general supervision of its extensive 
business and having shown marked executive ability in the connection. 
From the time of attaining his legal majority he has been deeply 
interested in the success of the Republican party and has taken an 
active part in the promotion of its cause in the state, while he has 
been called upon to serve in various offices of local trust and 
responsibility. In 1891 he was elected a member of the board of county 
commissioners of Minnehaha county, and it may be consistently said that 
he has acted in some official capacity for his party ever since 
attaining years of sufficient maturity. In the autumn of 1902 Mr. Lee 
was chosen to the responsible office of county treasurer, and his 
administration of the fiscal affairs of this populous and important 
county has been distinguished by marked discrimination, fidelity and 
administrative ability, so that his retention in the office can not but 
prove a wise provision on the part of the electors. He has been a 
delegate to several state conventions of his party and to county 
conventions, and his influence has been potent in public affairs of a 
local order. He holds thirty-second-degree membership in the Masonic 
fraternity and its social adjunct, the Ancient Arabic Order of the 
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and is also identified with the Benevolent 
and Protective Order of Elks, while his religious faith is that of the 
Lutheran church.  

	In the summer of 1876 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Lee to 
Miss Christina Nelson, of Brandon this state and she died on the 3d of 
January, 1894, having been a devoted wife and mother and having held 
the affectionate regard of all who knew her. Of the children of this 
union we give the following brief record: Edward is manager of the Lee-
Egge Lumber Company, at Brandon; Anthon T. is a partner in the Edward 
Lee Hardware Company, of Brandon, as is also his brother Albert, and 
Hannah, the only daughter, remains in the pleasant home in Sioux Falls, 
where the family is held in the highest esteem. On December 31, 1903, 
Mr. Lee married Mary Holm, of Sioux Falls.