840
HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
drew from the firm, Mr. Lawrence becoming the head of the firm of Lawrence, Baldwin & Higgins, known as one of the leading commercial houses of Aurora. Mr. Lawrence had also much to do with the Second National Bank of Aurora, being one of the Directors and Its Vice-President. The Aurora Silver Plate Company counted him among its earlier promoters, and he had much to do with various other business enterprises. As President of the West Aurora School Board for several years he did much to help the schools. He served as Treasurer of Jennings Seminary for some years, and was also Treasurer of the Mercantile Association. Various other positions of trust and responsibility were filled by him, and his memory is that of an honorable and upright business man. Mr. Lawrence was married in 1849 to Miss Mary A., daughter of Peter Brown, of Shushan, N. Y. Her father came west and died in Aurora at the age of 91 years. She survives her husband, who died July 26, 1879. Their only living child is George J., of San Jose, Cal.
ABIJAH A. LEE, retired farmer, Elgin, Ill.; born in Plato Township. Kane County, Sept. 4, 1838, son of John S. and Nancy (Perry) Lee, and the first white child born in Plato Township; reared on his father's farm; educated in the pioneer schools, and trained to agricultural pursuits; entered the Union army in ]861 as a member of Company B, Thirty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which in 1863 became a part of the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, and during his long term of service, covering the entire period of the war, he participated in the battles of Pea Ridge, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Peach Tree Creek, Siege of Atlanta, and many minor engagements. After the close of the war he resumed farming in Plato Township, where he resided until 1885, when he removed to Elgin, which has since been his home. He was married in 1866 to Miss Eliza C. McArthur.
BRAINARD A. LEE, farmer, Kaneville, was born in Kaneville, Ill., May 7, 1865, and received his education in the public schools. His business in life has been farming, in which he is still engaged, and has been since he started for himself, with the exception of one year when he was engaged as a clerk in a store in Missouri. He was married in April, 1890, to Miss Bertha Smith, by whom he has had one child, a daughter. He was married a second time, May 13, 1900, to Miss Ettie Logan, and of this union have been born two sons.
CHAUNCEY W. LEE, pioneer, Aurora, Ill., born in Albany, Vt, Aug. 25, 1820, grew to manhood in his native State, receiving his education in the public schools, and learned the harness-maker's trade. In 1844 he removed to Ticonderoga, N. Y., where he followed his trade for ten years. In 1854 he came west, and shortly after went into a partnership in the jewelry business with his brother at Aurora. His brother having entered the army as Captain, Mr. Lee sold out their partnership business, for ten years thereafter he was in the insurance business, and later entered the employ of the Burlington Road as car accountant, a position which he filled for eighteen years, retiring in 1892. He has been prominent in Masonic circles, having taken all the degrees of the order up to the Thirty-second; for twenty-four years he has been Prelate of Aurora Commandery Knights Templar, and within that time has knighted 210 candidates, a record not surpassed in the Masonic annals of Illinois. He was a Mason in 1856, and is now affiliated with Jerusalem Temple, Aurora Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Aurora Council, Royal Arch Select Masons; Aurora Commandery, K. T.; Oriental Consistory, Scottish Rite Masons; and the Masonic Veteran Associations. In 1849 he married Miss Mary Tobias, who died in 1884.
GEORGE P. LEE, retired farmer, Elgin, Ill.; born in Plato Township, Kane County, Dec. 25, 1843, son of John S. and Nancy (Perry) Lee; brought up on the farm and obtained his education in the district schools and Elgin Academy; began his business career, when he attained his majority, as a farmer and stock-raiser, following this occupation until 1890, when he retired and removed to Elgin. He was married in 1871 to Miss Sarah A. Sherwood, daughter of Seth Sherwood, of Plato Township, a pioneer settler of Kane County.
JOHN S. LEE, lawyer and farmer, Elgin, Ill.; born in Plato Township, Kane County, Sept. 8, 1848, son of John S. and Nancy (Perry) Lee; educated at Clark's Seminary (Aurora), Kim-ball Academy (Meriden, N. H.), and Beloit College (Beloit, Wis.); graduated from the law
