Annie E. Lee (abt. 1877 - 1957)

Born about 20 Feb 1877 in Hedgesville, Berkeley, West Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 22 Aug 1957 at about age 80 in Martinsburg, Berkeley, West Virginia, United States

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Biography

No birth record exists for Annie, as birth records were not required in West Virginia before 1917.^[1] Annie's birth information can be pieced together for clues as to her date of birth and parents.

Records for Annie include two different maiden names on different records during her lifetime. When Annie married Robert E. Lee on the 11th of January 1902 as Annie Lee, her parents are recorded as "Geo. & Bouser Lee."^[2] This is consistent with her maiden name, Annie Lee, documented later in 1902 when Robert and Annie's daughter, Jennie, was born.^[3] When Annie served as informant on the death certificate of Robert, she gave her maiden name as Annie Bowser.^[4] "Geo. & Bouser Lee" may be a misrecording of the name of Annie's mother, usually known as Jennie Bowser. Jennie remained single throughout her life.^[5]

Annie's mother is almost certainly Laura Virginia "Jennie" Bowser and her date of birth is most likely 20 February 1877. In addition to the above records, the following sources link Annie to her mother and provide clues to her date of birth.

• According to her daughter Bessie, Annie was born on 20 February 1878 in Hedgesville, Berkeley County, West Virginia. The name of Annie’s parents is recorded as “unknown.”^[6]
• Jennie Bouzer, a single woman, lived in Hedgesville in June of 1880 with a daughter Annie, age three and a daughter Emma, age two.^[7]
• The FindAGrave memorial for Annie Lee states that Annie's mother was Laura Virginia “Jennie” Bowser and that Annie was born 20 February 1877.^[8]
• In 1900 Jennie Bowser lived in Hedgesville with the James Harris family as the housekeeper, with Richard L. Bowser, age six, and Catherine E. Bowser, age three.^[9] Annie would have been over twenty years old at the time and likely employed. Catherine’s middle name is almost certainly Elizabeth, as Katherine Elizabeth Bowser, daughter of Laura Virginia Bowser, married Stephen Edward Lipscomb in Martinsburg in 1944.^[10]
• In 1902, Annie named her first daughter Jennie, possibly in honor of her mother.^[3]
• In 1910 Robert and Annie Lee are found living in Martinsburg with their daughters Jennie and Bessie. A fifth member of the household is Lizzie Basel, noted to be the fourteen-year-old sister-in-law of Robert. Since she is single, this would mean she is Annie’s sister. Lizzie is likely Catherine Elizabeth Bowser, Annie’s sister or half-sister. “Basel” is likely a misunderstanding of the surname Bowser.^[11]
• In 1920 Jennie Bowser, single, age 64, and Lizzie B. Bowser, married, age 22, are both servants in the home of S.C. Payne in Hedgesville.^[12]
• Laura Virginia Bowser died in 1928 at 213 Conner Street in Martinsburg, West Virginia.^[5]
• Annie Lee lived at 213 Conners Street from at least 1935 until her death in 1956.^[13][6]

Laura Virginia “Jennie” Bowser was almost certainly Annie’s mother. The only direct evidence about Annie’s father is on her marriage record with the names "Geo. & Bouser Lee." George Lee has not been identified yet.

Annie's year of birth is most likely 1877.

• Annie's marriage record states Annie was 25 in January of 1902, consistent with a date of birth in 1876 or 1877.^[2] It is not unusual for people to round up or estimate their birth date in a record. The age information was most likely provided by Robert or Annie Lee.
• Annie Lee was 25 at the time of her daughter Jennie’s birth in April of 1902.^[3] The information about age was most likely provided by Robert or Annie to the physician, Alonzo Andrews.

Other records with unknown informants provide differing birth years.^[11][14] With her daughter Bessie as an informant, Annie's birth date was given as 20 February 1878.^[6] Bessie was more likely to know the month and day of her mother’s birth and not the year. The year 1877 would be consistent with the information for Jennie Bowser and Annie in 1880, which could have been provided by Jennie, the most reliable informant for her daughter’s date and year of birth. It is also closer to her age provided in her marriage and the record of her daughter's birth, both provided either by Robert or Annie.

Annie's location in 1900 is currently not known. As a 23 year-old, Annie was likely working. Several candidates have been located in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Further research may identify if any of these represent Annie. No earlier marriage has been located for Annie, either as Annie Bowser or Annie Lee. She is noted to be single on her marriage record to Robert E. Lee in 1902.^[2]

On the 11th of January 1902, Annie married Robert E. Lee, age 21, a laborer, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The marriage was performed by W.P. Fisher.^[2] Their daughter, Jennie, soon joined the family.^[3] Daughter Bessie was born in about 1906.^[11]

In 1910 Robert and Annie lived with their children Jennie (age 8), Bessie (age 4) and Annie's sister, Lizzie Bowser, age 14 (enumerated as Lizzie Basel). ^[11] Robert was working in the stone quarry and the family lived in a rented home on Maple Avenue in Martinsburg. Annie was able to read and write.

By 1920, Robert and Annie were living at 315 Conners Street in Martinsburg with their daughters, Jennie, Bessie and Bertha, age 2.^[14] Robert loaded trucks in a stone quarry. The oldest daughter, Jennie, age 16, worked as a waiter in a hotel and daughter Bessie, age 13, worked as a house girl in a private home. Both Robert and Annie are able to read and write.

By 1935, the family resided at 215 Conners Street.^[13] After Robert's death in Martinsburg on 1 Dec 1938, Annie lived in the family home until her death in 1957.^[6] She is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Martinsburg.^[15]

Do you know more about Annie Lee's father or her location in 1910 and 1930?

Sources

1. ↑ How to find West Virginia Birth Records, FamilySearch (FamilySearch LInk : accessed 6 February 2021).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Berkeley County, West Virginia, Marriage license and return, 1902, County Court Clerk, entry for Lee-Lee; database with images, "West Virginia Vital Records Search, Marriages," West Virginia Vital Records Research Project (West Virginia History and Culture : accessed 14 July 2021).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} West Virginia, “Register of Births,” Jennie Lee, 15 April 1902, Berkeley County, page 242 (stamped), number 250; database with images, West Virginia Vital Records Research Project (West Virginia History and Culture : accessed 19 July 2021).
4. ↑ West Virginia State Department of Health, death certificate, Robert E. Lee, File No. 15733, Martinsburg District, 1938; database with images, "West Virginia Vital Records Search, Deaths," West Virginia Vital Records Research Project (West Virginia History and Culture: accessed 19 July 2021).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} West Virginia State Department of Health, death certificate, Laura Virginia Bowser, File No. 7226, District Martinsburg, 1928; database with images, "West Virginia Vital Records Search, Deaths," West Virginia Vital Records Research Project (West Virginia History and Culture : accessed 23 July 2021).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} West Virginia State Department of Health, death certificate, Annie E. Lee, File No. 57009792, District 020, 1957; database with images, "West Virginia Vital Records Search, Deaths," West Virginia Vital Records Research Project (West Virginia History and Culture : accessed 19 July 2021).
7. ↑ 1880 U.S. Census, Berkeley County, West Virginia, population schedule, Hedgesville, enumeration district (ED) 15, p. 49 (penned), dwelling 425, family 463, Jennie Bouzer household; digital image, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Link : accessed 23 July 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 1400.
8. ↑ Annie E Lee, 1957, Find A Grave memorial #118063814, database online, FindAGrave.com (FindAGrave Link : viewed 19 July 2021).
9. ↑ 1900 U.S. Census, Berkeley County, West Virginia, population schedule, ED 14, Hedgesville District, Sheet 15B (penned), dwelling 279, household 285, Jennie Bowser in the James Harris household; digital image, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Link : accessed 23 July 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1755.
10. ↑ Berkeley County, West Virginia, Marriage license and return, 1944, County Court Clerk, entry for Lipscomb-Bowser; database with images, "West Virginia Vital Records Search, Marriages," West Virginia Vital Records Research Project (West Virginia History and Culture : accessed 23 July 2021).
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3} 1910 U.S. Census, Berkeley County, West Virginia, population schedule, Martinsburg, Ward 2, enumeration district (ED) 20, sheet 24B (penned), dwelling 440, family 484, Robert Lee; digital image, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Link : accessed 3 September 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1676.
12. ↑ 1920 U.S. Census, Berkeley Co., West Virginia, population schedule, Hedgesville District, enumeration district (ED) 23, sheet 6A, (penned), dwelling 109, family 117, Jennie Bowser in household of S.C. Payne; digital image, FamilySearch, (FamilySearch Link : accessed 23 July 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1948.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} 1940 U.S. Census, Berkeley County, West Virginia, population schedule, Martinsburg, Ward 5, enumeration district (ED) 2-17, sheet 2B (penned), family 32, Annie Lee household; digital image, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Link : accessed 24 July 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 04393.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} 1920 U.S.Census, Berkeley Co., West Virginia, population schedule, Martinsburg Ward 3, enumeration district (ED) 30, sheet 9B, (penned), dwelling 188, family 200, Robert Lee household; digital image, FamilySearch, (FamilySearch Link : accessed 10 Jun 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1948.
15. ↑ Annie E Lee, 1957, Find A Grave memorial #118063814, database online, FindAGrave.com (FindAGrave Link : viewed 19 July 2021).