USA > New Jersey > Genealogical and memorial history of the state of New Jersey, Volume I > Part 47
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attends the Protestant Episcopal church. March 29, 1866, Mr. Reeve married Charlotte, second child and daughter of James Camp and Phebe ( Kitchell) Ogden, born February 10, 1845 (see Ogden). Children: I. Florence Louise, born March 29, 1867; married (first) Wilbur Melton Everden, (second) Frank C. Richardson. 2. Herbert Ogden, referred to below.
(VIII) Herbert Ogden, younger child and only son of William Alexander and Charlotte (Ogden) Reeve, was born in Newark, New Jersey, February 25, 1873, and is now living in that city. For his early education he was sent to the Newark Academy, in 1888. He entered the employ of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company. June 1, 1893, Mr. Reeve married, in Newark, Florence A., born Decem- ber 2, 1874, daughter of Thomas F. and Mary
Luff, whose sisters are Miriam, who is living unmarried, and Ida who married Melvin M. Rutan, and has one child Ethelyn. Children of Herbert Ogden and Florence A. (Luff) Reeve: Herbert Ogden, Jr., born July 19, 1895; Will- iam Homer, April 25, 1897.
Francis Lee, original emigrant and LEE founder of the Port Elizabeth and Trenton branch of the family, was born in 1749. His birthplace was in the "coun- ty of the town of Carrickfergus," an Antrim seaport, ten miles from Belfast. Carrickfergus is memorable in history as an ancient capital of Ireland, and the landing place of William III, 1690.
Owing to the destruction of family papers there is no record of Francis Lee's ancestors, although tradition says that they were non-con- formists of Midland English stock. Nothing is known of Francis Lee until November 21, 1770, when he married Jane Alexander, a school girl of good family. With her, it is said, he eloped to America.
It is supposed that Francis Lee landed in Philadelphia. He soon began to acquire prop- erty. In 1774 he paid a £4 tax in the Chestnut ward of Philadelphia, and is named among warrantees for thirty acres of land in North- umberland county, Pennsylvania, and two lots in Sunbury, the then recently settled capital of that county. During the revolutionary war Francis Lee prospered, and toward its close he dealt actively in real estate. In 1780 he pur- chased in Philadelphia the attainted Front street land of George Knapper, and in 1782 acquired large tracts in the Northern Liberties, on the Wissahickon road and in Blockley town- ship on the Haverford road. These and other transactions involved many thousands of pounds, currency. From 1778 to 1787 he paid state and federal supply tax as a "non-resident" of Northumberland county. Francis Lee ap- pears as "innkeeper" as early as 1774. Sharf and Westcott are authority for the following statement :
"A movement was begun which might have led to trouble if the city had not changed hands so soon." (This refers to the British occupa- tion). "It originated in a meeting at the Indian Queen (kept by Francis Lee) and the object was to insist on exemption from military duty for such as had furnished substitutes."
Previous to this, however, the journals of the Continental congress show that Francis Lee had furnished the Whigs with expresses, meals for soldiers, a stage coach for the use of
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Generals Prescott and McDonald, and later had entertained John Paul Jones. In the Philadel- phia directory for 1785 is to be found this reference :
"Francis Lee, innkeeper and every day stage to and from New York, Corner of 4th and Market street."
The stage started every morning at 4 o'clock from the "Indian Queen." The "Indian Queen" had been kept by Francis Lee until about this period. Upon March 8, 1783, Jacob Berry, a surveyor, conveyed to Francis Lee a tract of land in Haverford township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. In 1786 or 1787 Francis Lee removed from Philadelphia, presumably to this purchase. Upon relinquishing the "Indian Queen," he surrendered an inn property that was one of the finest in Philadelphia. Some idea of the house may be gathered from the journals and correspondence of Manasseh Cutter, agent of the Ohio Land Company, who in July visited Philadelphia, during the session of the Federal constitutional convention of 1787. Of the "Indian Queen" Cutter says :
"It is situated on 4th street between Market and Chestnut street and is not far from the center of the city. It is kept in an elegant style and consists of a large pile of buildings with many spacious halls and numerous small apart- ments appropriate for lodging rooms. As soon as I had inquired of the bar keeper if I could be furnished with lodgings, a livery servant was ordered immediately to attend me, who received my baggage from the hostler and con- ducted me to the apartments assigned me by the bar keeper, which was a rather small but a very handsome chamber (No. 9), furnished with a rich field bed, bureau, table with drawers, a large looking glass, neat chairs and other furniture. Its front was east and being in the 3rd floor afforded a fine prospect toward the river and the Jersey shore.
"The servant that attended me was a young, sprightly, well built black fellow, neatly dressed -blue coat, sleeves, and cape red, and buff waist-coat and breeches, the bosom of his shirt ruffled and his hair powdered. After he had brought up my baggage and properly deposited it in the chamber, he brought two of the latest London magazines and laid on the table. I ordered him to call a barber, furnish me with a bowl of water for washing and to have tea on the table by the time I was dressed."
Among the famous visitors who were to be found during this period in the "Indian Queen" were General Washington, Cornplanter and other notable Tammany chiefs, members of congress,
and distinguished military characters of the revolution. It was to the "Indian Queen" that President Washington retired in 1797 after bidding farewell to public life. The hotel, as stated by Sharf and Westcott, was an ancient inn. Among proprietors, other than Francis Lee, were John Francis, Samuel Richardet, Robert Smith, Margaret Thompson, James Coyle and Thomas Heiskell, who were in charge of the house from 1785 to 1825. A famous sign by Woodhouse was a characteristic of the place. The inn was removed to make way for business structures.
Francis Lee appears as a private of the rev- olutionary war, being upon the roll of Captain Tench Francis' company, First Battalion Penn- sylvania militia in August, 1781. (See Vol I, page 787, "Philadelphia Associators and Mili- tia ;" vol. 13, page 128, 2nd series, Pennsyl- vania Archives ; vol. 5, pages 533, 547, 558, 3rd series, Pennsylvania Archives.) During the year 1781, Captain Francis' company brought to Philadelphia from Boston the French gold designed for the use of the Whigs. Convey- ing the fourteen wagons and fifty-six oxen, Francis Lee, on account of his ability in matters of transportation was engaged in that service, according to often repeated statements made by his son, Thomas Lee. The gold reach- ed Philadelphia early in November, 1781.
Francis Lee removed from Haverford town- ship during the closing years of the century. On July 11, 1796, John Kennedy, of East Whiteland, Chester county, Pennsylvania, con- veyed a plantation to Francis Lee. On the 20th of May, 1800, Francis Lee was appointed justice for Tredyffryn, Charlestown, East Whiteland and West Whiteland, Chester coun- ty, the commission being signed by Governor Thomas Mckean.
Until his death, which occurred fifteen years after his selection as justice, Francis Lee added to his landed interests and as a breeder of run- ning horses became a prominent figure in Ches- ter Valley. He was a member of the Great Valley Presbyterian Church, under the pas- torate of the Rev. William Latta, who was Francis Lee's executor. Owing to the de- struction of the church records previous to 1830, no record of Francis Lee's official con- nection with the congregation is extant. He died April 30th, 1815, and is buried in the churchyard of the Great Valley Church.
It is certain that Francis Lee was three times married, and probably there was a fourth union. In the direct line of the New Jersey branch of the family, his first wife was
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Jane Alexander, the exact date of her birth and death being unknown. Conjecturally she was born about 1750, and died about 1785. The last child of this union was born 1784. (According to vol. ix., 2nd series Pennsyl- vania Archives, a Francis Lee, on December 16, 1792, married Elizabeth Bache, in the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia). In a real estate transaction involving property in Blockley township, March 25, 1791, "Eliza- beth" is given as the name of the wife of Francis Lee, innholder.
On November 18, 1793, Francis Lee married Margaretta Cloyd, she having been born Au- gust 18, 1771, dying July 4, 1805. The chil- dren of this marriage were: David Cloyd Lee, born July 15, 1795; Anne Boyd Lee, born April 8, 1797 ; died April 22, 1797; Mary Lee, born March 19, 1798; Alfred Gemmil Lee, born July 20, 1800; died May 10, 1838; Fran- cis Lee, born April 13, 1803.
His last wife was Elizabeth Cloyd, whose will was dated 1818. In this document Eliza- beth Cloyd Lee mentions her sister, Jane Mc- Kee, and Mary, wife of her brother David Cloyd, Eleanor Brick, Alfred Lee and Fran- cis Lee. This union was childless.
By the marriage of Francis Lee and Jane Alexander there were the following children : I. James Alexander, born September 4, 1771, baptized September 22, 1771, died July 18, 1820. 2. William, born May 30, 1773, died September 27, 1773. 3. Francis, born Octo- ber 26, 1774, died of yellow fever, 1803. 4. William J., born September 27, 1776, died January 7, 1778. 5. George, born September 21, 1778, died of yellow fever, 1798. 6. John, born November 28, 1779, died February 27, 1780. 7. Thomas, born November 28, 1780, died November 2, 1856. 8. Jane, born Novem- ber 30, 1781, deceased. 9. Margaret, born October 10, 1782, died May 17, 1783. 10. Hannah, born September 10, 1783, died Sep- tember 28, 1783. 11. Eleanor, born Septem- ber 15, 1784, died March 25, 1820.
Of these children, James Alexander married. August 2, 1792, Deborah West, born May 24. 1772, died June 1, 1833. Of this marriage there were eleven children.
James Alexander Lee was a man of broad views and great business energy. He spent a portion of his young manhood in mercantile life in Philadelphia, but being attracted by the advantages of Port Elizabeth, Cumberland county, New Jersey, which was established by the Federal congress as a port of delivery in 1789, he removed from Philadelphia about
1796 and settled in the new town. From 1802 until 1810 he was postmaster of the village, served in the house of assembly, from Cumber- land county, 1805-06 and as a judge of the court of common pleas, 1801-'06-'II-'16, and a member of the board of chosen freeholders, 1800, 1801-'06-'07. While in Port Elizabeth, about 1799, James Lee erected glass factories, selling a three-fourths interest therein to James Josiah, Samuel Parrish and Joseph L. Lewis & Company. This was the Eagle Glass Works, now abandoned after an eventful career. James Lee lived in one of the finest mansions in the Maurice river valley, overlooking the meadow of the Manumuskin creek. The ap- proach to his residence was through two rows of Lombardy poplars, among the first to be imported into this country. The house is now obliterated. According to "Brief Notices of Old Residents of Cumberland County," by the late Judge L. Q. C. Elmer, printed in the "Bridgeton Chronicle" in 1875, James Lee, in 1813, disposed of his interest in the glass works, and joined others in the purchase of the Union mill property and in erecting a blast furnace for iron at Millville, which was soon disposed of to Smith & Wood, of Philadelphia, and which David C. Wood conducted many years. In 1814 Lee removed to Bridgeton and in company with Ebenezer Seeley purchased the property adjoining the east side of the stream of the Cohansey from North street to Cornel's branch. Lee & Seeley, with Smith Bowen who owned the property on the west side, made the dam and thus created the water power, with the object of establishing a manu- factory of some kind; but not having sufficient capital to do this, Seeley and Lee reconveyed their side to Abraham Sayre of whom they originally purchased it. Smith Bowen sold his side and half the water power to Benjamin and David Reeves, who commenced the manufac- ture of nails. This dam and water power is now the race way and part of the public park system of the city of Bridgeton. About 1817 Mr. Lee removed with his family to Cincinnati, where he established his iron works at a point a few miles north of the city. Leaving the works in charge of his son Charles, he re- moved to Maysville, Kentucky, and subse- quently engaged in levee construction on the Mississippi river, dying of yellow fever in New Orleans.
Attracted to Port Elizabeth by the presence of his elder brother, Thomas Lee, about 1798, came to Cumberland county from his father's Chester county home. For a time he resided in
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Leesburg. On the 22nd of May, 1805, Thomas Lee married Rhoda Murphy, who was born in Whig Lane, Salem county, October 22nd, 1789. Thomas Murphy, father of Rhoda Murphy Lee, died early in the year 1802, his wife, Jane Marshall Murphy, having died about 1793. Thomas Murphy was the son of John Murphy, weaver, a resident of the township of Piles- grove, county of Salem, New Jersey. John Murphy purchased land in that section in 1759, the deed from the grantor stating that John Murphy was a resident of the township of Martex, county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. John Murphy's birthdate and the maiden name of his wife are unknown. From his will it is learned that he died late in 1776 or early in 1777, leaving a large plantation and a good library.
Thomas Lee and his sixteen-year-old-bride resided for a time with her sister, Catharine Fisler, the wife of Benjamin Fisler, who in his day was equally distinguished for his ability as a minister of the Methodist Episcopal faith, and as a physician. Shortly after his marriage Thomas Lee built a home in Port Elizabeth. now standing, and conducted a mercantile and lumber business, his interests extending over the counties of Cape May, old Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. With his partner, Joshua Brick, who later became his bitter polit- ical antagonist, he was a government contractor during the second war with England. The political quarrel between Thomas Lee and Joshua Brick was of the bitterest character, and not until a short time before the death of Mr. Brick were the antagonists reconciled. Subsequently, from his large tracts of timber- land, he obtained supplies of wood used for fuel in Philadelphia before the commercial in- troduction of antharcite coal. Thomas Lee, with his sons Francis and Benjamin Fisler, in partnership, was a staunch promoter of local enterprises. In 1837 Thomas Lee was one of the incorporators of the Port Elizabeth Manu- facturing Company.
During Thomas Lee's association with the village of his adoption-Port Elizabeth-a period of half a century, he was constantly in public life, being as was his father, a staunch anti-Federalist, and later a Jacksonian Democrat. His career was inaugurated by his appointment to the position of judge and justice of the court of common pleas ( November 3, 1813-Febru- ary 17, 1815). During this period he was an active member of the 39th general assembly of New Jersey, acting in 1814-15 as a member of committees to revise the small courts act, the
vice and immorality act, and introducer of legislation upon questions of arbitration and execution. From October 31, 1818, to January 2, 1833, Mr. Lee served as postmaster of Port Elizabeth, being succeeded by his eldest son, Francis. He was again appointed postmaster on January 20, 1846, which position he occu- pied until June 11, 1849.
From 1833 to 1837 Thomas Lee was a mem- ber of the twenty-third and twenty-fourth congresses, serving in the house of representa- tives. His principal activity in Washington was chairman of the committee on accounts, David Crockett also being a member of this committee. It was during this period that Mr. Lee was the personal representative of Presi- dent Jackson in the southern section of the state. In this struggle for political supremacy Mr. Lee was assisted by James Ward, an Irish- man of courtly manners and great ability, who built the Roman Catholic chapel at Port Eliza- beth, and was frequently elected superintend- ent of public schools.
In matters of public education and philan- thropy, Thomas Lee was one of the founders of the Port Elizabeth library. He was also one of the founders of the Port Elizabeth Academy in its time, about 1815, one of the leading schools south of Trenton. He, with his wife, Rhoda, gave liberally to all religious denominations, but particularly to the Meth- odist Episcopal church of Port Elizabeth. Thomas Lee died November 2, 1856, and is buried in the Methodist Episcopal churchyard in the village of Port Elizabeth, as is also his wife, who died April 6, 1858.
The children of Thomas and Rhoda Lee were: I. Francis, born March 31, 1808, died May 13, 1888. 2. Thomas, born November 20, 1809, died September 4, 1838. 3. Ellen Brick, born September 4, 1811, died 1836 (Bowen). 4. Elizabeth Cloyd, born May 14, 1813, died 1887 (Osterhout). 5. Clement Jones, born March 24, 1815, deceased. 6. Lorenzo Fisler, born November 23, 1816, died July 17, 1848. 7. Benjamin Fisler, born June 30, 1828, living.
Benjamin Fisler Lee was born in the Lee Mansion, Port Elizabeth, and died in Atlantic City, in April, 1909. He received his early education in the public schools and academy of the village. He subsequently attended John Gummere's School in Burlington, New Jersey. Returning to Port Elizabeth in 1845, Mr. Lee joined his father in business as a partner, remaining in this connection until the outbreak of the civil war.
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Mr. Lee's active political career began in 1850, when he supported Nathan T. Stratton for congress. Mr. Lee in 1856 served as a Democratic presidential elector and a member of the Democratic state committee. In 1859 and in 1861 he was nominated for the New Jersey house of assembly, but was in both instances defeated by a small Republican majority. In 1870 he was nominated for con- gress and succeeded in greatly reducing the large Republican majority of the old First Congressional District. Appearing in the Dem- ocratic gubernatorial convention of 1871 with the entire voting strength of his district, Mr. Lee retired in favor of the late Governor Joel Parker. During the following legislative ses- sion, Governor Parker sent Mr. Lee's name to the state senate for confirmation as clerk of the New Jersey supreme court, he entering upon the duties of this office upon November 2nd, 1872. He retained the position until No- vember 2, 1897, when, owing to the transfer of power to the Republican party, the office passed from Democratic control.
From 1886 to 1895 Mr. Lee acted as treas- urer of the Democratic state committee, while in the latter portion of his official relations to huis office as clerk, he personally directed the collation, arrangement and indexing of all the documents in his custody relating to criminal and civil causes. This comprised cases from 1685 to 1846, previous to which latter date there was no index.
Since 1850 Mr. Lee was identified with the development of railroad interests of the south -. ern portion of New Jersey. Early in the '50s he wrote extensively upon the subject, partic- ularly in the Trenton, Camden and Bridgeton newspapers, with the purpose of identifying the Camden and Amboy railroad with the de- velopment of the southern section of the state. In 1853 he became one of the incorporators of the West Jersey Railroad Company, and in 1859 was one of the incorporators of the West Jersey Central railroad. Upon the 9th of March, 1863, he was named by act of the legis- lature as director of the Cape May and Millville railroad. Elected as treasurer of the company, he retained the position until 1872. He was also active in the building of the Stockton Hotel at Cape May. In 1866 he was an incorporator of the Bridgeton and Port Norris railroad, was identified with its construction, and re- mained interested until its transfer and change of name to the Cumberland and Maurice River railroad. After associating himself with the directorate of the West Jersey railroad and the
West Jersey and Sea Shore railroad, Mr. Lee was instrumental in the construction of the Maurice River and Newfield-Atlantic City branches.
In other business relations Mr. Lee was president of the Trent Tile Company, of Tren- ton, a director of the Trenton Banking Com- pany, director of the Standard Fire Insurance Company, of Trenton, president of the Uni- versal Paper Bag Company, and director of the Union Mills Paper Manufacturing Com- pany, of New Hope, Pennsylvania.
In 1888 Mr. Lee was named as manager of the State Home for Feeble Minded Women at Vineland, and since the death of Alexander G/ Cattell has been president of the board. He was also president of the New Jersey State Conference of Charities and Corrections, and for many years was vestryman of Trinity Prot- estant Episcopal Church, of Trenton. He was a member of the New Jersey State Historical Society, the American Academy of Political and Social Science of Philadelphia, the Mer- cantile Library of Philadelphia, the Lotus Club and the Country Club of Trenton.
On July 16, 1862, Mr. Lee married Anna- bella Willson Townsend, born September 21, 1835, who is now living. Mrs. Lee, daughter of the late William Smith Townsend, of Den- nisville, New Jersey, is descended directly from Richard Townsend, who first appeared at Ja- maica, Long Island, 1656. He died near Oyster Bay about 1671, leaving among other children John, who married Phebe Williams, daughter of John Williams. John Townsend was one of the earliest settlers of Cape May county, gave his name to Townsend's Inlet, and was a jus- tice and one of His Majesty's high sheriffs. John died in 1721. Among his children was Richard, probably the first white child born in Cape May county, born 1681, died 1737, married Millicent Somers, of Somerset Plantation, now Somer's Point. Her father, John, was the ancestor of Commodore Richard Somers. Of the children of Richard and Millicent Town- send there were: Isaac, who married Sarah, daughter of John Willetts. Of this union was Isaac (II), born 1738, died 1780, who married Keturah Albertson, daughter of Josiah Albert- son and Anne Austin. Anne was the daughter of Francis Austin, of the Vale of Evesham, Burlington county. Isaac Townsend (II) had a son Isaac Townsend (III) who in 1800 mar- ried Hannah Ogden, direct in descent from David Ogden, who in 1682 came with William Penn to Pennsylvania in the "Welcome." A son of Isaac Townsend (III) was William
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Francis Bree
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Smith Townsend, merchant of Dennisville, Cape May county, actively identified with ship- building interests and the construction of the Cape May and Millville railroad. Born in 18II, he died in 1881. In 1833 he married Hannah Smith Ludlam, daughter of Henry Ludlam and Mary Lawrence. Hannah Lud- lamı's descent is traced to Anthony Ludlam, settler in Southampton, Long Island, 1640. His son Joseph was among the first settlers of Cape May county. Of the direct line was Lieutenant Henry Ludlam, of the Cape May militia in the revolution, with descent from John May, the founder of May's Landing, the county seat of Atlantic county.
The children of Benjamin Fisler Lee and Annabella Willson Townsend Lee are: Francis Bazley Lee, born January 3, 1869. Anna Townsend Lee, born September 16, 1870, died July 23, 1871. Marguerite Alexander Lee (Dixon), born December 25, 1875. Marguerite Alexander Lee was married to Huston Dixon. Esq., of Trenton, April 14, 1904. Of this marriage there are two children. Annabel Lee Dixon, born April 7, 1905, and Marion Ross Dixon, born July 14, 1906.
Francis Bazley Lee, the author of this work, was born in the Merchants' Hotel, Philadel- phia, on January 3, 1869. He received his pre- paratory education in the Trenton Seminary, Lawrenceville School, during the last year of Dr. Samuel M. Hamill's principalship and the first year of the John C. Green foundation, and graduated from the State Model School in 1888. While at the Model School he founded. in 1885 The Signal, the school paper, and was secretary and president of the Thencanic Lit- erary Society. Entering the junior class at the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Lee com- pleted in 1890 a special course in American history, political economy and constitutional law in the Wharton School. At college he was active in the reorganization of Iota Chapter Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, subsequently becom- ing archon of the district, was an associate editor of The Pennsylvania, and made special investigations for the matriculate catalogue committee. Upon graduation he was ivy orator. The summer of 1890 Mr. Lee spent in Europe. where he made the first translation from French of the Belgian constitution, and espe- cially studied the health problems of munici- palities. During the following autumn and winter he took a special course in English litera- ture in the University of Pennsylvania.
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