Descendants of Joseph Daniel Lee 1869-1944

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Last Child of William Lee, Chesterfield, South Carolina

Joseph Daniel Lee Biography

Joseph “Joe” Daniel Lee was born on August 26, 1869 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.  He was the only child of William Lee and Hannah Thomas.  He grew up in the Westfield Creek Community of Chesterfield County  on Old Sneedsboro Road (Wright’s Folly) which is now know as Hinson Hill.  William Lee’s first wife Elizabeth Martha Thomas died sometime between 1860 and 1869.  The second wife, Hannah Thomas was Elizabeth Martha’s sister.  Hannah was  around 40 when she and William were married.  In 1860, she was living in Marlboro County with two of her brothers and her mother and other extended family.[1]

[1] Year: 1860; Census Place: Marlboro, South Carolina; Roll: M653_1223; Page: 150; Family History Library Film: 805223

Joe Lee’s brothers and sisters were grown when he was born and did not live with him in his childhood.

  • James Crawford Lee was 32 years old, married and living on his own.
  • John Thomas Lee was 31 years old, married and living on his own.
  • Samuel William Lee was 29 and living on his own.
  • Hannah Elizabeth Lee Parker was 26 years old, married and living with her husband.
  • Henry Alexander Lee was 24 years old, married and living on his own. 
  • Mary Lee Parker was 23 years old and was a Civil War Widow with two children.  Mary died in 1869.
  • Ann Lee Wilkerson was 22 years old.  Ann married in 1869.
  • Sarah Jane Brock was 21 years old.  Sara married in 1870.  
  • Eliza Lee was 20 years old.  She left home and had two out of wedlock sons.  The first was born in 1874.
  • Lottie Charlotte Lee White was 18 years.  Lottie married in 1871.

There is no evidence that Joseph’s mother Hannah had any other children except him. 

William Lee, Joseph Daniel’s father died on April 25, 1892.  By the time he died, he had sold all his land.  All that was left in his estate was two mules, two wagons, blacksmith tools and some other items.[1]   

[1] Chesterfield County, South Carolina Estate Records, Ca. 1865-1927; Author: South Carolina. Probate Court (Chesterfield County); Probate Place: Chesterfield, South Carolina.

  • On April 22, 1890, he sold 93 7/8 acres to John Wallace Odom for $234[2]
  • On April 15, 1891, he sold 11 ½ acres to John Wallace Odom for $28.75[3]
  • On October 28, 1891, he sold 136 acres to Joseph Daniel Lee for $420 (proven by Levander Atkinson and recorded December 31, 1892)[4]
  • On April 1, 1892, he sold 125 acres to Joseph Daniel Lee for $625.00 (proven by W.T. Brock on May 14, 1892 and recorded May 17, 1892)[5]

[1] Chesterfield County, South Carolina Estate Records, Ca. 1865-1927; Author: South Carolina. Probate Court (Chesterfield County); Probate Place: Chesterfield, South Carolina.

[2] Chesterfield County South Carolina Register of Deeds Book 10, page 382.

[3] Chesterfield County South Carolina Register of Deeds Book 46, page 396.

[4] Chesterfield County South Carolina Register of Deeds Book 11, Page 689.

[5] Chesterfield County South Carolina Register of Deeds Book 11, page 441. 

Joseph Daniel Lee had the following land transactions

  • On May 16, 1892, assigned 125 acres of land to Bank of Cheraw, mortgage defaulted on and land sold to WL Stricklin for $270 at public auction on January 10th, 1894 by H W Finlayson, Power of Attorney for Joseph Daniel Lee.[1]
  • On November 1, 1892, Joseph Daniel Lee sold 136 acres to B C Lee (wife) for $800 (Proven by W J Hannah and Recorded on November 7, 1892.[2]
  • On December 22, 1892, Joseph Daniel Lee and wife BC Lee sold 136 acres to John Wallace Odom (Proven by John H Long and TC Gaddy recorded on Janiary 1, 1918).[3]

[1] Chesterfield County South Carolina Register of Deeds Book 12, page 426.

[2] Chesterfield County South Carolina Register of Deeds Book 11, Page 549.

[3] Chesterfield County Register of Deeds, Book 46, Page 394.

When William Lee died, he did not leave a will (intestate). He was survived by the following children:

  • James Crawford Lee who lived in the Diggs area of Rockingham, North Carolina. He died
    there in 1907.
  • John Thomas Lee who lived in the Hinson Hill area. He died there in 1916.
  • Samuel William Lee who lived in Blount, Alabama. He died there in 1915.
  • Hannah Elizabeth Lee Parker who lived in the Hinson Hill area. She died there in 1901.
  • Henry Alexander Lee who lived in the Hinson Hill area. He died there in 1917.
  • Joseph Daniel Lee who lived in the Hinson Hill area. He moved to Arkansas and died in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1944.

He was predeceased by:

  • Mary Lee Parker, widow of Badgerwood Boggan Parker who died during the Civil War.  She died in 1869 in Chesterfield. 
  • Ann “Annie” Lee Wilkerson who lived in Marlboro/Dillon County.  She died before 1900. (after 1889)
  • Eliza Lee Butler who lived in the Laurinburg, North Carolina area.  She died there in 1898.
  • Lottie Charlotte Lee White who lived in Cheraw.  She died in 1891. 

William Lee was also survived by his second wife, Hannah Thomas Lee and the mother of Joseph Daniel Lee.   She died in 1893.

After the death of William Lee, Son John Thomas Lee filed for and was appointed to be the administrator of the estate in both Anson County, North Carolina and Chesterfield County, South Carolina  As such he filed suit against John Wallace Odom on May 23, 1893 who held the chattell mortgage of William Lee’s prized mules: Sam and Mollie. William Lee’s youngest son, Joseph Daniel Lee had mortgaged the mules and left town.  It was John Thomas Lee’s contention that John Wallace Odom (who had come into possession of the mules)  should have known that the mules did not belong to Joseph Daniel Lee but were to be part of William Lee’s estate. 

North Carolina

Anson County

In Superior Court

May Term 1893

John T Lee administrator of William Lee decsd Ptff

Vs John W Odom deft[1]

[1] North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PR4-WF2?cc=1911121&wc=Q6WR-ND5%3A183204401%2C183334401%2C187831501 at Family Search accessed August 25, 2024. This link was provided by Charles Purvis to Martha Rogers. 

The plaintiff complaining alleges:

  1. That on Jany 1893, he was dully appointed said qualified administrator of William Lee by the Superior Court of Anson County, which was before the commencement of this action.
  2. That at the time of the death of his ______ ______ William Lee Senior _____  _____ was the owner of the following personal property:  One dark bay horse mule and one bright bay mare mule, one set of black smith tools used one corn thresher, and was in possession of these items.
  3. That the plaintiff at the commencement of this action was the owner and entitled to the receipt and possession of appraised personal property.
  4. That before the commencement of this action the defendant unlawfully and wrongfully took and converted said personal property to his own use.
  5. That plaintiff by said  taking and conversion was damaged to the sum one hundred and fifteen dollars as he is____ and _____.
  6. That plaintiff before the commencement of this action demanded of the defendant the possession of said personal property, and defendant refused to give up and surrender the items.

Wherefore Plaintiff demands Judgement.

  1. For the recovery of the possession of said property.
  2. That is the owner of items.
  3. For one hundred and fifteen of occurring damages
  4. For costs of this action.
  5. For ____ itself.

John D Thorn Atty

For Plaintiff

North Carolina

Anson County

Personally appeared before me the undersigned Justice of the Peace. John T Lee, the plaintiff in the foregoing complaint, who being duly sworn making oath that the facts thereof in the foregoing complaint are his own knowledge on him, used on him, and those stated on confirmation and belief he deciding for the heirs.

Sworn to and subscribed  before me on 18th May 1893

            W E Pennington

            Justice of the Please

            John T Lee

Transcription:

Superior Court

North Carolina Anson County
John T Lee Admin of William Lee dec’d

Vs John W Odom, Deft

Answer

The Deft for answer to the complaint says

  1. That it is true as alleged in Article 2nd that the pltff qualifies as Administrator of William Lee, but Deft has no knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief that Plff duly qualifies as such or that he had any right to said administration.
  2. That Article Second of said complaint is untrue.
  3. That Article Three of said complaint is untrue.
  4. That Article Four thereof is untrue.
  5. That Article Five thereof is untrue.

Further answering Deft alleges that he bought said property from Joseph D Lee a son of intestate of pltff and as said is entitled to a distributive share in Wm Lee’s estate and is entitled to same qual in value to the property herein sued for, and said property is not necessary to the purposes of administration of said estate.

The estate folder in Anson County provides various depositions which provide a lot of information on the relationship between the brothers and the life of William Lee before he died.  There are multiple depositions from the same person each a little different in the information they contain. 

Deposition of HD Tiller, Judge of Chesterfield Probate Court

First Affidavit:  HD Tiller sworn says John T Lee is the qualified administrator of William Lee Deceased

Interrogatory

1 do you whole any office in Chesterfield County if so what

(Ans) 1 Judge of Probate

(Inter 2) did you have any conversation with JD Lee

(ans 2) yes

(Inter 3) when

(ans) 3 in the month of December AD 1892

(Inter) 4 what was the conversation

Ans 4 JD Lee came in my office and asked me if John T Lee had applied for Letters of administration of the Estate of William Lee.  I told him that he had I asked him if there were going to be any objections to it or if he was going to object – don’t remember which he JD Lee said he did not think there was.  I then asked if there was any personal property belonging to the Estate of William Lee.  He JD Lee told me there was two mules and a wagon

I advised JD Lee to turn over everything in his possession to the administrator that belonged to the estate of William Lee

(ques 5) so that all you know about the estate of William Lee that is the personal property

(ans) yes HD Tiller

Second Affidavit:  HD Tiller – being duly sworn says – I am Judge of Probate for Chesterfield County.  I knew the late William Lee now deceased.  I knew Joseph D Lee but not intimately.  He was the son of William Lee now deceased.  I had a conversation in my office with Joseph D Lee about the estate of William Lee deceased it was in November or December last.  Among other things he told me on that occasion that there was a pair of mules on his father’s place belonging to the estate of William Lee.

H D Tiller

Third Affidavit:  H.D. Tlller-being sworn says:  I am Judge of Probate for Chesterfield.  I knew the late William Lee.  I knew his son Joseph D. Lee In November or December 1892  I had a conversation with him in my office relative to the personal property of Wm Lee deceased.  He told me that there were two mules belonging to the Estate.

H D Tiller

Deposition of W A Pegue, Notary Public

WA Pegue (sworn)

(ques 1) Did you prove a contract between JD Lee and William Lee deceased

(ans) yes I wrote the contract and approved it

(ques 2) are you a notary public

(ans) yes

(ques 3) on or about that date did you write the contract

(ans) in April or March 1891

(ques 4) What did the contract specify

Ans It gave to JD Lee the use of all the personal property of William Lee deceased and the use of his home place timber and mineral as long as he William Lee and JD Lees mother should live and then to the heirs.

(ques 5) what obligation was JD Lee to perform for the use of the property real and personal

Ans he was to take care of William Lee and his mother as long as they lived

Signed W A Pegues

Deposition of James Samuel Parker, son of Hannah Lee Parker and Samuel James Parker and grandson of William Lee and Elizabeth Martha Thomas

First Affidavit:  J S Parker sworn says

(Quest 1st ) You went to J.D. Lee about what time to get the mules & wagon

(ans) first of August 1891

(quest 2) what conversation taken place between JD Lee and Wm Lee in your presence

(ans) I asked JD Lee if he would haul the Tress he said yes then turn to Wm Lee now deceased and said father can I have the mules and wagon his father said yes but said boys be careful and don’t strain my mules I don’t want them over loaded

Ques 3 did you have any conversation with JD Lee in December 1892 about buying a mule

Ans yes

Ques 4 what was that conversation

Ans I asked JD Lee if he would sell me a mule he advised me not to buy it – he said it belongs to his father estate he said if I bought him and kept the mule in this state John T Lee administrator would take him away from me I asked why would he take it away from me he said because it was his father’s mule he JD said if I would buy him and take him over into North Carolina I could keep him

Quest 5 is that all you know about the personal property of William Lee

Ans yes

Ques 6 do you know what went with the mules and wagon

Ans No don’t know what went with them

Signed JS Parker

Second Affidavit:  James S Parker, being duly sworn says – I know Joseph D Lee.  He is a half-brother of the Plaintiff John T Lee.  I knew William Lee now deceased.  William Lee is the father of Joseph D Lee.  I had a conversation with Joseph D Lee in December last about buying a mule.  One that my grandfather William Lee use to own.  He advised me not to buy the mule because the mule was part of his father’s estate and if I bought the mule and kept it in this State (SC) John T Lee, Administrator would take it away from me.  I went to buy the mule from Joe Lee.  It was in his possession.  I had seen the mule and knew it to be one of the mules on my Grandfather’s place when he died.  Grandfather at that time only had two mules on the place.  The mule was a horse mule, sorter of a blue color, named “Sam:.

J S Parker

Third Affidavit: James S Parker being duly sworn says:  William Lee deceased was my grandfather and Joseph D Lee my uncle.  About December 1892 I went to Joseph D Lee to buy one of the mules that were on Grandfather’s place when he died.  Joe advised me not to buy because it was part of his father’s estate and John T Lee Administrator would take it away from me if I kept it in this state.  He said that if I bought them I would have to take them out of this state.  There were two mules on grandfather’s place at the time of his death.  I knew them.  One of them was a sorrel mare mule named “Mollie”.  The other was a dark colored horse mule named “Sam”.  These were the only mules that grandfather owned when he died.  I went to buy the mule named “Sam.”

J S Parker

Deposition of William Tilman Brock, son of Hezekiah Brock and Sally Morris, Husband of Martha Parker, granddaughter of William Lee and Elizabeth Martha Thomas though daughter, Mary Lee Parker

First Affidavit:  W T Brock sworn says

(Ques) 1 did you often visit William Lee during his life time

Ans yes

Ques did you know him to have any personal property

Ans yes

Ques 3 what was it

Ans he had a pair of mules and 2 waggons and shop tools and sundry articles

Ques 4 how did you know that they were William Lee property

Ans he frequently asked how his mules were faring and talked of his property

Ques 5 where were the mules

Ans J D Lee had charge of them

Question 6 did not JD Lee try to hire you on or about the 1st of December 1892 to swear that you saw him pay the money for the shop tools of William Lee deceased

(answer) yes he did he says I will give you enough Tobacco to last you 12 months if I would swear it

Ques 6 what time were the mules sold under a chattel mortgage in favor Tinsley & Co

Ans on the 15th day of Nov 1892

Quest 7 who gave that mortgage to Tinsley & Co

Ans J D Lee

Ques 8 was the mortgage legal or illegal

Ans it was illegal

Ques 9 how do you know

Ans I know that the mules belonged to the Estate of William Lee for he often time told me so in his lifetime

Ques 10 do you know who bought the mules at the sale

Ans I bid them off for JD Lee at his request

Ques 11 do you know how JW Odom got in possession of the mules

Ans I do not

Signed W T Brock

Second Affidavit:

W T Brock. Being duly sworn says:  I knew Joe Lee and William Lee.  Joe Lee is William Lee’s son.  There were two mules on William Lee’s place when he died.  The mules had been on the place ten or twelve years.  I knew them well.  I know that William Lee swapped with a wagoner for the horse mule.  He bought the other mule from Mr Waddill of Cheraw.  One of them was a dark mouse colored horse mule called “Sam” – the other was a light bay mare mule called “Mollie” – There were no other mules on Mr William Lee’s place at the time of his death – There were some blacksmith tools on Mr William Lee’s place when he died.  Joe Lee asked me during the fall of 1892 how much Tobacco I (W T Brock) would take to swear that I saw him pay his father, William Lee, ten dollars for the blacksmith tools.  I told him that I could not do that.  I did not swear to that I didn’t see.

W T Brock

Third Affidavit:  W T Brock  being duly sworn says; I knew William Lee deceased and his son Joseph D Lee.  Mr. William Lee got the mule called “Sam” from a wagoner swapped for him.  He bought the mule from Mr. Wadill of Cheraw.  He owned one of the mules about fifteen years and the other one about twelve years prior to his death.  Joe asked me if  I would swear that I saw him give his father ten dollars for the blacksmith tools that he would give me enough tobacco to last me a year.  I told him that I would not swear to that I did not see.

W T Brock

Deposition of Easter Atkinson, daughter of William Burrell Atkinson and Martha Lee Atkinson, niece of William Lee through sister, Martha

First Affidavit:  Easter Atkinson sworn says

(1st question) you often visited Wm Lee Deceased did you

Ans yes

Ques 2 did you ever hear him say anything about his stock and where were they were at – that is mules

Ans yes he frequently told me he was afraid they were suffering and they were at JD Lee Son rather in his charge because JD Lee was never there to attend to them for he is always gone Oftentimes helped Wm Lee carry water to the mules when J D Lee would be gone

(ques 3) how old are you

Ans I am 56 years old

Ques 4 is that all you know about the property of William Lee

Ans yes            Easter Atkinson x his mark

Second Affidavit:  Easter Atkinson being fully sworn says:  I knew William Lee and Joseph D Lee.  William Lee was Joe Lee’s father.  I knew said mules were on William Lee’s place.  There were two.  One of them was a dark mouse colored horse mule called “Sam” the other was a light Sorrell mare mule called “Mollie.”  Joe called them “fathers mules”. 

Witness:  Easter Atkinson her mark

Witness: GJ Redfearn.

Third Affidavit: Easter Atkinson being fully sworn says:  I knew the late William Lee in his lifetime.  He lived in Chesterfield County South Carolina.  I remember when he died.  There were two mules on his place at the time of his death.  One of them was a mouse-colored horse mule called “Sam” and the other was a bay mare mule called “Mollie:.

I knew Joseph D. Lee.  He was a son of William Lee deceased.  Joe worked the mules and called them his father’s mules. 

William Lee had owned the mules as much as ten years at least.

Easter Atkinson her mark.

Deposition of E J Kennedy, Attorney At Law

First Affidavit:  E J Kennedy sworn says

(question first) do you whole any office in Chesterfield County if so what

Answer I can’t say that I whole any office but suppose you desire to know my profession if so I am attorney at law in actual practice

Ques2 did you have any conversation with J D Lee

Ans yes I had a conversation with JD Lee in the month of December I think AD 1892 in regard to the personal property of Wm Lee Deceased

Ques what was the conversation

Ans I can’t remember all the conversation now I remember very distinctly that Joseph D Lee told me that there was two mules that belonged to his father estate at that time at the hold family homestead where his father had lived and died according to my best recollection he also told me there was a wagon but I am not to positive about the wagon but I am very positive about the 2 mules.

E J Kennedy

Sworn to before me the 22nd day of April AD 1893

John T Hurst Trial Justice

Second Affidavit:  E J Kennedy, being duly sworn says – sometime in the latter part of 1892 near the Court House door in Chesterfield I had a conversation with Joseph D Lee in reference to what personal property there was belonging to his father, the estate of William Lee.  He told me that there were two mules on the place which belonged to the estate.  According to my best recollection he said also a wagon.  But at this last I couldn’t be perfectly positive.

EJ Kennedy

Third Affidavit:  EJ Kennedy being duly sworn says:  I knew William Lee in his lifetime.  I also know Joseph D Lee – about November or December 1892, near the Court House door at Chesterfield, I had a conversation with Joseph D Lee in regards to what personal property there was belonging to the estate of his father.  He told me that there were two mules on his father’s old place belonging to his estate. And according to any recollection he said also there were a wagon but of this I could not be perfectly positive.

E J Kennedy

Deposition of Albert Benton Parker son of Hannah Lee Parker and Samuel James Parker and grandson of William Lee and Elizabeth Martha Thomas

First Affidavit:  AB Parker, being sworn says – I know Joseph D Lee

He is my half Uncle.

William Lee was my Grandfather.  I knew the mules on Grandfather’s place at the time of his death.  One of them was a red mare mule called “Moll” she was club-footed in one of her fore feet.  The other mule was a dark horse mule named “Sam”.  I don’t know who the mules belonged to.  They were on Joe Lee’s place.  I suppose.

Joe, his father and my step grandmother lived on the place.  Grandfather died in May 1892, as well as I remember.  There were no other mules on the place at the time of his death.  I had a conversation with Joe Lee about these mules – on our way home from Mcfarlan, N.C. in November 1892.

Objection:

Defendants Attorney object to their conversations being brought out. 

Joe first said there was nothing there belonging to his father, then he walked on a few steps and said there was two old mules and some other trumpery.  Joe said he was going to sell out his property and leave.  He said the only property on the Place belonging to his father was them old mules and some other trumpery.  This was in answer to a question from me.

Cross Examined:

My mother is half sister to Joe Lee and a full sister to Mr John T Lee.  I don’t remember when my step grandmother died.  She was living with Joe Lee at Mcfarlan the last time I heard from her.  Joe was living on his own plantation where we had this conversation.  He moved to Mcfarlan about three weeks after that time.  Joe was reading a notice in Chesterfield Advertiser at the time.  He said that Jno T. Lee had applied for Letters of Administration on his father’s estate.  That if John Lee got those mules he would have to get them by law.

Sworn to before me  A B Parker

This 20th November 1894

GJ Redfearn Commissioner

Deposition of William H Talley, Business Associate of Joseph Daniel Lee

First Affidavit:  William H Tally. Sworn says:

I knew Joseph D Lee and William Lee his father. I don’t know exactly when Mr William Lee died – it was sometime in the first of Spring of 1892 – I think.  I was acquainted with the place when he died.  I knew the mules that were in the place at the time of his death.  There were two.  One red mare mule called “Moll”. The other one was a dark horse mule named “Sam”.  It was a dark mouse colored mule.  I was tending to Joe Lee’s business about a year before the old man died.  I went there in February 1891 and worked with him until about the 1st of July of that same year.  I had a conversation with Joe Lee.  About those mules during the time I worked there.

Objection:  Defendant’s Attorney objects to the bringing out of this conversation.

After I had been there awhile he left and gave me charge of all the business.

He told me if any mail came to him for me to get it and often it and if it was of any Importance to send it to him.  That he would write to me and tell me where he was at.  I got a letter from Mr Weiters of Charleston.  I got a letter from Joe.  I wrote him a Postal Card in answer.  I kept the letter from Weiters until he came home.  Joe came home in about two weeks after I got this letter.  I gave him the letter.  When I gave him the letter and he looked at it. He said “By God I aint going to pay it.”  Before Joe came home I went to see Mr. John T. Lee.  I wrote a letter back to Charleston to ____ Norwood Lee, I intended this letter for Weiters, Joe sat down on wagon and commenced to talk about these mules. He said that he would pay it and trade the old mules, But the “old man would raise Hell about it if he did.”  Joe told me that he owed Mr. O.F. Weiters a debt.  He said that he “lowed to mortgage the old mules, get all he could out of them and let them go.  Because he was not going to stay in this country. That he was going to sell out and leave.   He said the mules belonged to his father and that was the reason he would not trade them off and get young ones.

This conversation was had with Joe early in February 1891 near his Commissary.

Cross Examined:

I am a colored man.  I live with Mr  Jno T Lee. I went there in February 1892.  I was living on Henry Lee’s place, an adjoining plantation, when I had this talk with Joe.  I had just walked over there.  I think it was on Saturday.  There was no one present but Joe and myself.  I went to see Joe about getting him to furnish me with Guano. 

He told me that he was going to mortgage the plantation.  He said that it was the old man’s place

G W Simmons

‘Sworn to before me

This 20th November 1894

GJ Redfearn Commissioner. 

Joseph Daniel Lee left from South Carolina and went to Arkansas after the death of his mother.  One of the reasons he left may have been the debt he owed Otto Weiter, wholesale Grocer in Charleston, South Carolina.[1]  According to a newspaper article,  J D Lee was pardoned by the Arkansas governor in 1897 for trouble he got in Arkansas.[2]

[1]  Newspapers.Com. The Watchman and Southron, Sumter, South Carolina, Wednesday, Jan 17, 1894, page 1.

[2] Newspapers.com – Daily Arkansas Gazette – 1 Sep 1897 – Page 8.

In 1900, Joe and Curley Lee are found in the census in Ouachita, Arkansas.  He is a day laborer.  The couple reports to have been married in 1887 and to have had five children, four of whom are living.  Joe reports (or the census taker writes down erroneously) the birth dates of his parents as being Alabama and Mississippi.[1]

[1] Year: 1900; Census Place: Sayre, Ouachita, Arkansas; Roll: 70; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0132; FHL microfilm: 1240070

Beede Curley Wallace most likely died in 1921 in Union County[1] which is next to Oauchita County where they were in 1900.[2] 

[1] Ancestry.Com. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950.

[2] arkansas map of counties – Search Images accessed January 5, 2024.

Joseph Daniel Lee died in Little Rock Arkansas in 1944, probably without ever returning to Chesterfield, South Carolina.[1]

[1] “United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q534-Q5VF : Fri Mar 15 05:04:26 UTC 2024), Entry for Joseph Daniel Lee and William A Lee, 08 Nov 1944.

Joseph Daniel Lee was born on 26 August 1869 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, United States and died on 6 Nov 1944 in Pulaski, Arkansas. He was the child of William Allen Lee and Hannah Thomas.

Joseph Daniel Lee married Beede Curley Wallace in 1887. Beede Curley Wallace was born in Jun 1870 in North Carolina and died on 19 Jun 1921 in Union, Arkansas.

Children of Joseph Daniel Lee and Beede Curley Wallace are:

  1. Annie Belle Lee was born in May 1888 in Cheraw South, Chesterfield, South Carolina, USA and died on 5 March 1964 in Arkansas, United States of America.
  2. William Allen Lee was born in May 1889 in Cheraw, South Carolina and died aft. 1944.
  3. Minnie Ellen Lee was born on 14 August 1893 in Arkansas and died on 21 September 1979 in Homer, Claiborne, Louisiané
  4. Benjamin Franklin (Frank) Lee Sr was born on 21 Sep 1898 in Camden, Arkansas and died on 15 May 1956 in Jefferson, Texas.

Conclusion

Joseph Daniel Lee is the youngest son of William Lee and the only child of William and Hannah Thomas Lee.   This study seeks to find more about Joseph through the following tools.

  • Descendancy Research
  • Ancestry ThruLine Research with Pro Tools
  •  Chromosome Triangulation with DNA Painter
  • Family Search Full Text research which disclosed Estate Court Case
  • Newspapers.Com Research
  • Genealogy Bank Obituary Research
  • WikiTree research for possible ancestors

Joseph Lee grew up in the Westfield Creek area of Chesterfield, South Carolina near the North Carolina state line.  He married Beede Wallace from North Carolina.  He helped his father farm as a young adult.    William eventually sold Joseph all his land and had a contract with Joseph for care for William and Hannah.  From the Anson County William Lee estate case and from Hannah Thomas Lee’s coroner inquest, it is clear that Joseph and his brother John Thomas Lee had a contentious relationship.  The estate case also shows that William Lee was the uncle of Easter Atkinson through her testimony and the testimony of her son, Thomas “Smiley” Atkinson.  Her mother Martha Lee Atkinson is the sister of William Lee.  Joseph left South Carolina and moved to Arkansas around 1893 after the death of his father who died in 1892 and his mother who died in 1893.  In 1896, Joseph Daniel Lee was indicted for burglary and taking goods worth a few dollars from a store in Ouachita County, Arkansas.    The governor pardoned him in 1900 and he appears to be a law abiding citizen who worked as a contractor until he died in 1944 in  Little Rock, Arkansas.

DNA shared matches research shows relationships between the descendants of Joseph Daniel Lee and the other children of  William Lee.  It also shows a relationship with Reece and Rebecca Thomas providing evidence that Hannah Thomas, Lee, the second wife of William Lee was a sister to his first wife Martha Elizabeth Thomas Lee. There are also DNA shared matches for the Martha Lee Atkinson family and the descendants of Joseph Daniel Lee.  This provides evidence that Martha Lee Atkinson was the sister of William Lee.  DNA shared matches also shows a relationship between the descendants of James “Rich” Jimmy Lee of Darlington and the descendants of Jospeh Daniel Lee.    There is also a shared matches relationship to the Johnson/Purvis line.  Triangulation analysis with DNA Painter provides more evidence for the Johnson/Purvis line.

The Joseph Lee children and descendants settled in Harper Springs Arkansas, Little Rock Arkansas, Shreveport, Louisiana,  Haynesville, Louisiana, Montgomery Texas, California, and Thomson, Georgia.

They worked as blacksmiths, welders and cooks.  They worked in the oil industry serving as a pumper for Magnolia Petroleum Company and an office manager for Marathan Oil.   Several of the family became involved with the emerging mobile home industry, both selling and manufacturing.  Three great-grandsons lost their life in a plane crash after a business trip in which they were pursuing a business merger of two large mobile home manufacturers.  Their company was Brigadier, Industries of Thomson Georgia. 

Mention was made in obituaries of the Joseph Lee descendant’s love for singing and playing musical instruments and their musical talent. 

Joseph Lee’s descendants were not overly religious.  However, for the most part they were Baptist and Methodists including Missionary Baptist.

Many served in the public safety arena including military careers:

  • Son William Allen Lee served in World War I.
  • Son Benjamin Franklin Lee served in World War I
  • Grandson Joseph Daniel Lee served in World War II.
  • Grandson William Allen Lee Jr, served in the Korean War.
  • Grandson Dalton Wade Fain served in World War II and the Korean War
  • Grandson Robert Daniel Fain served from 1941 to 1952 in the US Airforce.
  • Grandson Harry Joy Fain served in the US Airforce from 1941-to his death in 1962
  • Grandson Benjamin Frank Lee, Jr served during World War II from 1942-1946
  • Great Grandson Harry Michael Fain was a career Police Officer when he died in 2007.

DNA shared matches for Margie Lee Kinney also shows a relationship between the descendants of James “Rich” Jimmy Lee and the descendants of William Lee.  Triangulation with DNA painter, the gold standard, shows that these matches are not coming from the Lee line but instead from the Wiley Jones line of Lavinia Jones who married Samuel Franklin Lee, the son of James “Rich” Jimmy Lee.  Margie Lee Kinney shows shared matches relationship to the Johnson/Purvis line.  Triangulation with DNA Painter confirms this relationship showing common chromosome with other descendants of the William Lee line and with Margie with the Johnson/Purvis line.

The Big Y Test does not provide any matches for the William Lee descendant’s test taker.  It does provide a Haplogroup R-S7978 which goes back to 300 CE.

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