SAMUEL, the 6th child was born August 18, 1859 at Tooele. Sam was always a chubby boy good-natured and willing to help. As he grew to young manhood there was one thorn in his side. Tom, his brother, was his boss, not his father who should have been a grandpa by this time, had two families to care for and thought it best to give Tom some more responsibility, hence, the job of seeing that the younger boys worked. Tom ruled with an iron hand, the work must be done. Alf, Sam and Henry didn't like his efforts to have a job well done. In time those three boys came to hate their brother Tom as only a brother can. This feeling carried throughout their whole lives. Instead of calling him brother, he was "tyrant".

Sam worked in timber while living in Utah and continued the same line of work when he went to Beaver Canyon with his mother. While visiting his sister Lib in Blackfoot, Idaho he met and married Minnie Matheny, his sister's step-daughter. They both went with Mr. and Mrs. Matheny to Cayacus, California about 200 miles south of San Francisco, on the ocean front.

It was there that his two children were born, Minnie Collier and Jasper (Jsp) Lee. When Sam's in-laws moved to San Francisco he, his wife and two small children moved back to Beaver Canyon. The happiness that comes with married life was short for Sam. His dear wife Minnie died, leaving him with two small children. Grandma was close, also other relatives, but Sam a home loving type was very lonely.

After a year or so he met a girl named Minnie, soon their friendship blossomed into love and they were married. Life became pleasant again but Sam wanted to be a little closer to the finer things in life. As his second family started he and Minnie decided to move to Ashton, where they lived the rest of their lives.

To them came 10 children, mostly girls. They were a fine family, happy, intelligent, ambitious. The boys followed their father's trade, timber work, saw mill men and a little railroading.

The girls had good educations, are closely knit together as a family and are a credit to any community in which they live.

Uncle Sam use to visit my mother and father every once in a while. He was delightful to talk to. His wit was evident in word and action. The last time I saw him Aunt Minnie came to our home and also attended the funeral. While talking to me about Mother he said, "She was the best woman who ever lived. I have always loved her."

Several years passed and the next call to attend a funeral service of the family was from Ashton, Uncle Sam was dead. Date of death October 21, 1928. Father, Wilford and I attended the service. He had many friends come and pay tribute to him, but very few relatives were present.

Aunt Minnie lived a few years after Uncle Sam but the home never seemed the same after his death. She passed away having the love and respect of not only her family but all who knew her.

There were ten sons and daughters of the second family, five of whom are still living.

** Special to post registers: Mrs. Minnie Bircher Lee, 70, Pioneer Ashton resident died at her home of heart disease. She was born at Coalville, Utah on April 7, 1870. Married Samuel W. Lee November 15, 1888. Date of her death 1940 soon after the party. Copy of newpaper clippings honoring their mother Mrs. Minnie Lee on her 70th birthday, April 7, 1940. Her three daughters entertained at a lovely at the Mann home in Ashton.**

Utah Since State: Historical and Biographical. Volume II.
Excerpt: Samuel W. Lee, residing in Tooele, is well known as stake superintendent for the Young Men's Mutual Improvement...





Date of Burial: 1928. Source: North Fremont County Cemetery Maintenance District Records submitted by Elinda K. Mitchell.

Note: Information obtained from a service project compiled by the Ashton, Idaho LDS Stake Young Men and Young Women under the direction of Brian Loosli & Renee Heward. Submitted by Clair Allison.