History of Lee, (Berkshire County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

John Edwin Bradley, educator, was born in Lee, Mass., in 1845; son of Stephen and Hannah (Austin) Bradley and a descendant of William Bradley, New Haven, Conn., 1635. He was graduated at Williams college in 1865, was principal of the high school at Pittsfield, Mass., 1865-'8, at Albany, N.Y. 1868-86, and was a commissioner from New York to the Paris exposition in 1878. He was superintendent of city schools at Minneapolis, Minn., 1886-92; a member of the National council of education in 1889, and president and professor of mental and moral science at Illinois college, 1892-99. He was a trustee of Williams college 1888-92 and of Carleton college from 1887; received the degree Ph.D. from the University of the city of Yew York in 1879, and LL.D. from Williams in 1897. He is the author of "Science and Industry" (1884); "Unconscious Education" (1894); "Work and Play"; "Talks with Students."

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Henry Billings Brown, jurist, was born at Lee, Mass., March 2, 1836; son of Billings Brown, a manufacturer. He was graduated at Yale in 1856, and spent a year in Europe, studying languages and travelling extensively on the continent. He began his law studies at the law school in New Haven and finished them at Harvard, where he received his degree. In 1859 he went to Detroit, and in 1861 was appointed deputy U.S. marshal and assistant district attorney. He held the latter office until 1868, when Governor Crapo appointed him to fill a vacancy in the Wayne circuit court. In 1875 President Grant appointed him U.S. district judge. As an admiralty lawyer he became a recognized authority and compiled a volume of "Admiralty Reports" (1875). Upon the death of Mr. Justice Miller of the U.S. supreme court, Oct. 14, 1890, President Harrison appointed Judge Brown as his successor, and he was commissioned, Dec. 29, 1890. In 1887 the University of Michigan gave him the degree LL.D. He compiled Brown's Admiralty Reports.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Franklin Thomas Backus, lawyer, was born at Lee, Mass., May 6, 1813. He spent his boyhood in working on a farm to support his widowed mother, and at the age of thirteen went to Cleveland, Ohio. He obtained employment in a lawyer's office, gained an elementary education and earned his way through Yale college. After his graduation in 1836 he studied law in Cleveland for three years, and was admitted to the bar. In 1841 he was prosecuting attorney for Cuyahoga county, and was elected state representative in 1846, and state senator in 1848. In 1861 he was a delegate to the peace conference at Washington. He died May 14, 1870.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Addison Henry Laflin, representative, was born in Lee, Mass., Oct. 24, 1823. He was graduated at Williams college in 1843 and engaged in the manufacture of paper at Herkimer, N.Y. He was a state senator, 1857-58, and a representative in the 39th, 40th and 41st congresses, 1865-71, serving as chairman of the committee on printing, and as a member of the committee on manufactures. He was a member of the Republican state convention of 1867. He was appointed by President Grant, naval officer of the post of New York, in 1871, resigning in 1877. He died at Pittsfield. Mass., Sept. 24, 1878.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor