The mining boom of the 1800s attracted many to the West[1] as we all know. The Lee Brothers who grew up, in Sierra Valley California,[2] amidst the Great Gold Rush were no exception to such ways. The Lees parents had moved from New England, Massachusetts,[3] to California around the 1850s.[4] But the Lee Brothers had come of age as the Unexplored[5] West was deminishing, opening up new land full of discoveries, discoveries of much more than just Gold.[6][7] Taking lessons from their Father,[8] the boys set out on their own with a sensible, fair heard of cattle. First they set up a ranch in Virginia City,[9X] until the Mines there began drying up. Thus they herded their Cattle to Death Valley. But their fortune was fleeting, their rout as so many, was laden with hazards. By time they arrived, their Cattle had all but perished.[10] Setting up camp in Death Valley Phi took an Indian wife, Tvan, Cub already had an Indian wife, Minnie, the brothers regrouped and moved down to the lush fields and abundant water at Ash Meadows. They arrived in 1874 with their now large heard of sheep, paid their taxes and built their first homes. They would later replace those sheep again with Cattle, some likely from Charles King as he abandoned Ash Meadows, and others even later on Cattle Drives with the Younts. But the Lee Brothers reached fame, not from their ranch, but from their many lucrative mining strikes. Little did they know of the wealth in clay right beneath their feet, but such major prospects as the Lida C, made them the legend that they are. Phi moved on to Resting Spring and Cub to Shoshone. Only Bob, Phi's Son, is known to have stayed behind to live out his life at Ash Meadows. But the boys too made their mark in history discovering Gold, again up in the Funeral Mountains at what would become the townsite of Lee Camp.
The Lee family as a whole is said to be responsible in one way or another, for some forty mines. Aaron and Rosie Winters who lived next to the Lees were struggling to make a living with their Ranch, until in 1881 they discovered Borax, and were paid handsomely for it, spurring the bug among other residents of the valley. Philander Lee, Billy Yount, and Harry Spiller discovered Monte Blanco in 1882, another large Borax deposit that resulted in several mines. Yount had bought the Winters Ranch next to the Lees after Winters moved to Pahrump. The Lees and Younts shared in many Ranching and Mining endeavors throughout history. Phi and his brother Cub would find another Borax claim some thirty miles east of that first one. They had found the Lila C., later renamed Rhyan.
Alexander Lee
Alexander Lee, was born in 1834 in Ohio,[A1] the oldest son of Joseph and Margret Lee. Alexander,[A1] although he helped with ranching, he mostly made his living as a Stagecoach Driver. He moved off to Darwin California in his youth, followed his brothers to Ash Meadows, n even moved to their town of Lee California where continued to drive Stage. Alexander never married, died of Pneumonia 15 MAY 1893 in San Bernardino California.[Ax]
Lysander Lee
Lysander / LL Lee (Hy), was born in 1843 in Ohio[L1] the second son of Joseph and Margret Lee.[L1] Folowed his brothers as a Ranch Hand and Miner. Murdered by Claim Jumpers in 1902.[12]
Cub Lee
Leander / Meander Lee (Cub), was born in 1843 in Ohio[C1] the third son of Joseph and Margret Lee.[C1] Cub married Minnie C in 1860s.[C2] They had three children.[C3] Rose Elizabeth born 1865 in Spring Valley California.[C4] Ella (Peanuts) born 1868 in Spring Valley California.[C5]. One Sock born between 1870 and 1894.[C3]. It is a common story that Minni and One Sock were murdered** when they lived at Metbury Spring (modern day Shoshone), many News Papers even proclaiming that Cub had shot them.[C6] However Cub moved in with Phi,[C7] and was only aledgedly detained for a cooling off period.[C8] He then went on to live a life of solitude at Cub Lee Springs (modern day Sandy Valley).[C9] Cub himself gained quite a reputation as a storyteller, often quoted in books about him and his brothers. His daughter Rose went on to get married[C10] at 18 and moved away?* Cub himself was left for dead with his brother Hy, when a group of men shot them for their Water Wagon in Death Valley, 1902.[12] However Cub survived and ended up in a Veterans Hospital[13] where he lived for the rest of his life, passng on 3 DEC 1911.[14] Minnie C sold off their claims after Cub was shot.[15]
Phi Lee
Stephan Philander Lee was born in 1850 in Iowa,[P1] the forth son of Joseph and Margret Lee,[P2] who were already moving west when Phi was born.[P2] Phi married Princess Tavn[P3] in 1873 in Death Valley California.[P4] They had eight children.[P5] Richard (Dick) born 1875 in Ash Meadows,[P6] Robert (Bob) born 1877 in Ash Meadows,[P7] Mary born 1879 in Ash Meadows,[P8] Dora 1880,[P9] Burt,[P10] Ben 1883,[P11] Gus 1887,[P12] Clara 1891.[P13] Phi moved his family to Resting Spring[P14] then moved on to Lee Canyon where he spent the rest of his years.[P15]
Ed Lee
Edward J Lee was born in 1858 in California[E1] the last son of Joseph and Margret Lee.[E1] By age 12 his brothers had all moved away and he moved with his parrents although he lived with his neighbors, John and Martha Shepherd in Plumas California.[E2]
Subjects for future research: Many a written word proclaims that the Lee Brothers took Indian Wifes while in Death Valley, in 1873. We know Cub was Married and had children prior to their move, but Alexander and Lysander may verry well account for the roots of that story, although noted as being Single even later in life. Sadly women just rarely made it into history in those days. Hy is likely Lysander, but I am still challenged to find where I read that. Phi is also meantioned in the Oral Histories to of had two wives, both with a son by him named Bob / Robert, wich would seem to be confirmed in later Census recordings showing Tavn and Phy living in two different places, both with a son named Bob.
Further Reference Material
Books
Death Valley and the Amargosa a Land of Illusion by Robert D. McCracken
The Modern Pioneers of the Amargosa Valley by Robert D. McCracken
Pahrump: A Valley Waiting to Become a City by Robert D. McCracken
A History of Pahrump, Nevada by Robert D. McCracken
A History of Amargosa Valley Nevada by Robert D. McCracken
Death Valley Trails by William Caruthers
Death Valley Trails: A Personal Narrative by William Caruthers
The Story of Inyo: W. A. Chalfant
Glasscock 1940
Latschar 1981
Oral Histror Project
An Interview with Celesta Lisle Lowe, Nye County Oral History
An Interview with Deke Lowe: Nye County Town History Project
An Interview with STEVE P. BROWN and ROSIE
An Interview with MarieWilson
An Interview with Clarabelle Jim
An Interview with Edmund L. Fleming
Papers
A Cultural Resource Overview for the Amargosa-Mojave Basin Planning Units 1980
The Decline of Ash Meadows, a Unique Desert Ecosystem by Cynthia D. Williams (California Riparian Systems)
Death Valley NP Historic Resource Study A History of Mining (Section IV)
Native American Interpretation of Cultural Resources in the Area of Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Place, Performance, and Social Memory in the 1890s Ghost Dance
The Decline of Ash Meadows a Unique Desert Ecosystem
A garden in the desert? A regional study of ranching and farming in Southern Nevada
Death Valley NP-Historic Resource Study
Environmental Assessment for Fairbanks Spring and Soda Spring Restoration
Wheeler Survey
Powell Survey
Hayden Survey
O. J. Fisk Collection
EPA, 2001
Reccords
1891 p136 line39 Nye Assessment Records
1874 p66 3rd entry Nye Assessment Records
Newspapers
Inyo Independent, Volume XIV, Number 46, 3 May 1884
San Francisco Call, Volume 87, Number 136, 14 October 1902
Los Angeles Herald, Volume XXX, Number 14, 14 October 1902
The Longmont Call, Volume 10, Number 3, October 5, 1907
Bullfrog Miner, vol. V, no. 18, July 24, 1909
San Bernardino Sun, Volume 13, 15 November 1959
Maps
1889 Nevada Map by George F. Cram 1889 RR Map.kmz
Franklin Well Quadrangle Topographical Map 7.5 minute California Nevada 1987
Census
1850 Clayton IA
1860 Sierra Valley CA
1870 Spring Valley CA
1870 Plumas CA
1880 Lee CA
1880 Inyo CA
1880 Ash Meadows NV
1900 Inyo CA
1910 Tecopa CA
1910 Las Angles CA
Death Reccord
1893 San Bernardino CA
