Biography of Isaiah Ernest Bee, M.D. - McDowell Co. VA The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 521-522 ISAIAH ERNEST BEE, M. D., for many years carried ex- ceptionally heavy burdens and obligations as a physician and surgeon, more particularly as a surgeon, at Princeton, where his professional work was in a measure a continua- tion and supplement to the career of his honored father, Dr. Isaiah Bee, whose record is also given in this publication. Dr. Isaiah E. Bee was finally compelled to give up the strenuous work of an active physician, though he is still a consultant, and has found various important interests to engage his time and attention. He was born at Princeton August 23, 1867, attended the common schools of his native city, also had private in- struction for five years, two years in the State Normal College at Athens and a year in Princeton Academy. He finished his literary education by two and a half years in West Virginia University, and in 1888 entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, where he was graduated in 1890. Doctor Bee at once returned to Prince- ton, took up practice with his father, and in 1892 Dr. John C. Hughes became associated with them, the firm being Bee, Bee & Hughes for ten years. After 1902 the Doctors Bee continued as partners for two years, when the elder mem- ber of the firm retired and for about four years Dr. Isaiah E. Bee lived in the West. On returning to West Virginia he became surgeon and physician for the Virginia Railway, and this official duty, together with general practice, was maintained for three years. Ill health then made it neces- sary for him to give up his active practice, and since then he has kept in touch with the profession largely as a con- sulting physician and surgeon. During Cleveland's second administration Doctor Bee was commissioner of the Pension Bureau at Washington, from 1893 to 1897. He also served seven years as county physician, from 1894 to 1900. He is a member of the Mercer County, West Virginia State and American Medical Associations and the American College of Surgeons. He was a delegate to the American Tuberculosis Congress that met at Pittsburgh in 1919. He is recognized by his brothers in the profession as one of the leaders in point of ability and influence. For many years Doctor Bee has devoted a great deal of time to the promotion of Sunday School interests in West Virginia, in association with the Missionary Baptist Church, of which he is a member. For seventeen years he has taught a large adult Bible class, and practically every week he responds to an invitation to visit and deliver ad- dresses before Sunday Schools and Sunday School organiza- tions. While his career has been in the nature of a public service, he has responded to special interests outside his main subject. In 1890 he organized a military company at Princeton and Bluefield, known as Company A., Second Regiment, West Virginia National Guard, and served as its captain from 1890 to 1895. Doctor Bee is a reader of the best literature and has long been a student of West Vir- ginia history and is well informed as to the sources of his- tory, particularly in his section of the state. December 23, 1900, Doctor Bee married Kathleen Pendle- ton Nelms, of Morristown, Tennessee, daughter of John H. and Letitia Virginia (Pendleton) Nelms, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Virginia. Mrs. Bee is an accomplished musician and a graduate of Sullins College of Bristol, Tennessee. Doctor and Mrs. Bee have an adopted boy, Zed B. Campbell, now seven years of age. Submitted by Valerie F. Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************