Shelby  County,  Indiana
Biographical  Sketches

David  Lee

          When the fact is considered that he was born and reared on the farm on which he is now spending his declining years in peace and contentment, it is no wonder that  David A. Lee  is pointed out to strangers as one of the best known men in Washington township, Shelby county.  His birth occurred on June 23, 1844, his parents being  James N.  and  Mary (Hughbanks) Lee.  The former was born in Kentucky April 2, 1802, and the mother in the same state in 1803.  The former passed away January 23, 1879, and the latter February 17, 1873.  The marriage of this couple occurred in Mason county, Kentucky April 16, 1823, and a little more than a year later they removed to Indiana, taking up their abode in Shelby county.  The greater portion of that section 38, of the state was practically an unknown wilderness at that time, but, nothing daunted by the many obstacles that confronted him, James N. Lee went to work with vigor and soon cleared a strip of land upon which a portion of the city of Shelbyville now stands.  Later he leased considerable land east of where the town is now situated, but eventually removed to Washington township, where he entered one hundred sixty acres of then thickly timbered land.  Under his skillful hands it was soon converted into very prolific farm land. This land is now described as the northwest corner of section 7, township 11 north, range 7 east.
          The patent of this land is now in the hands of  David Lee, of this review.  It bears the date of October 22, 1834, and the signature if President Andrew Jackson.  Here James N. Lee spent the closing years of his life.  In the family there were ten children, five sons and equally as many daughters.  Of these David A. and a sister, Mrs. Martha Wood, survive.  The latter resides in Hendricks county.
          David A. Lee resided with his parents until he was married, working on the farm when he was not attending school. He acquired what was considered a fair education in those early days.  He was married twice, the first time December 27, 1866, to  Martha E. Young.  She died July 2, 1898, having given birth to six children, as follows:  Mary A., born November 10, 1867;  William N., born July 7, 1872;  Maggie, born October 12, 1874;  David McClelland, born January 15, 1877;  Gertrude E., September 24, 1891;  Nora M., born March 23, 1883.  Of these Mary, Maggie, Gertrude and Nora are dead.
          The second wife of  Mr. Lee was  Sarah E. Conover, widow of  Frank Conover. Her maiden name was Cochran, being the daughter of  William M. and  Eliza (Drake) Cochran.  She was born September 24, 1850.  Her father was a native of Ohio, and came to Shelby county with his father when but two years of age.  As a result of her first marriage Mrs. Lee had two children, Wilber Conover  and an infant girl.
          In national campaigns Mr. Lee nearly always casts his lot with the Democratic party, but in local politics he is an independent voter, and looks to the qualifications of the candidates.  He has been an active agriculturist ever since he was able to perform the labor required on a farm, and he has also made a specialty of hog raising, his porkers being of the corn-fed variety.  He has always taken great pride in maintaining his land, of which he has in all one hundred and forty four acres, up to a high standard of cultivation.
          Early in youth Mr. Lee showed a decided fondness for the study of music, and he is possessed of no little talent as a musician.  He takes a great interest in the welfare of the community in which he has resided so many years, and he is regarded as a very public-spirited citizen by his neighbors.
History of Shelby County, Indiana,  Chadwick, 1909, pages 593-594
Contributed by Barb Huff

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