George Lee: Birth 1778 Death 1855 at 78 years of age.
Keziah Lee Birth 1803 Death 1899 at 96 years of age
In 1802, George Lee left Orange County where he was born, and settled with his family in Liverpool. In 1804, Keziah Forgar, daughter of William Forgar, came here from Pompey where she was born. George Lee and Keziah Lee were married in 1818 and had 12 children.
George was a caulker by trade and served in the War of 1812. His death in 1855 left Keziah with six children at home. The 1855 census lists Keziah as widowed and provides the following information
Dorane Lee: Died at age 33 in 1874. Military records indicate the he was wounded in the war of “1861” during the battle of Petersburg and had both feet amputated above the ankles. ”The wounds never thoroughly healed and were always discharging which finally weakened him and led to consumption from which he died.
At the time of his death he death he was receiving $31.25 a month military pension. In 1872 he $200.00 per month. In 1883 his mother Keziah petitioned the government to receive his pension, indicating the she had been totally dependent upon him for her support. The request was denied as she was receiving a way of 1812 pension due to her husband’s service.
Harry W. Lee, son of George and Keziah Lee, had an extremely interesting life. His obituary on file at the Liverpool Village Museum tells it best. “Harry W. Lee died of Teucocythemin, a disease of the glandular system, resulting in an impoverished condition of the blood on the evening of Dec. 4th, 1900. Mr. Lee was born in Liverpool, N.Y., Jan. 30, 1825. He was a son of George and Keziah Lee who were truly honored by giving to the world so worthy a son.
His life was characterized by many vicissitudes. When a young man he spent some years in a clerkship and in mercantile business in Syracuse, where he married in 1850 Miss Ursula Palmer, a young lady of accomplishment and great personal worth. In 1851 the family moved to Wisconsin, and in 1858 to Iowa where he suffered financial loss from a tornado, and where his only daughter, Fannie, a child of 10 years, sickened and died - a loss which nearly broke the father’s heart. Just on the outbreak of the civil war in 1861, Mr. Lee enlisted in a company and went as a private to the war, but for meritorious conduct was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He continued in the war until its close in 1865, when he returned to his wife and they went to Chicago to live, and engaged in keeping in keeping of a restaurant. Here his wife died, and about 1870 he married Miss Hattie Blossom whose relatives now largely reside in Canada. They were among the sufferers in the great Chicago fire of 1871, 98,800 people were made homeless and nearly $200,000,000 worth of property was consumed. Mr. Lee here lost his home and his all. After the fire he went to Texas, on the Gulf coast, ans started the manufacture of brick, but a strong tidal wave set in on his premises and washed away all his accumulations. He then went Northward in the same state and started farming, a business to which he was entirely unaccustomed, and in which found himself insufficient to cope with the drowth.
About 12 years ago he and his wife came to Liverpool to live. He soon united with the Methodist church, and has been one of the most exemplary and useful men in its membership. He has the confidence not only of the church, but of the citizens generally who had the good fortune of his acquaintance. He was one of the most active members of the Grand Army Post ad ever had the esteem of his comrades. He did his work well and has gone to his reward.
Transcribed by: Andrew V, Aaliyah S, Aidan L.