Swords Lee

Stephen Roland
"Swords" Lee, Jr.

* * *

Louisiana State Representative
for Grant Parish

In office
1904-1908
Preceded by  |  C. M. Brannon
Succeeded by  |  C. W. Payne

* * *

Born  |  February 8, 1859
Perry County, Mississippi, USA
Died  |  February 13, 1929 (aged 70)
Alexandria, Louisiana
Resting place  |  Greenwood Memorial Park in Pineville, Louisiana
Political party  |  Democrat
Spouse(s)  |  Cornelia Nugent Lee (married 1884-1929, his death)
Relations  |  Huey P. Long, Jr. (cousin by marriage)
Children  |  Maude Lee Eubank

J. H. Lee
Ethel L. Jarrell
Mrs. S. J. Rogers
Pre-deceased children:
Florence, Lucille, and Samuel Patterson Lee
Grandsons:
James Rowland Eubank
Dr. Marion Lee Jarrell

Residence  |  (1) Pollock, Grant Parish

(2) Alexandria, Louisiana

Occupation  |  Lumberman

Stephen Roland Lee, Sr., known as Swords R. Lee (February 8, 1859 - February 13, 1929), was a wealthy lumberman from Pollock and then Alexandria, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic state representative for his adopted Grant Parish from 1904 to 1908. His term corresponded with the administration of Governor Newton C. Blanchard.[1]

## Biography[edit]

One of eight children of Stephen Lee, Sr., and the former Rebecca Grantham, Lee was born two years before the start of the American Civil War in Perry County in southeastern Mississippi. He was a lineal descendant of Light Horse Harry Lee of Virginia, the father of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. His grandfather, Elijah Lee of North Carolina, fought in the 1815 Battle of New Orleans under General Andrew Jackson. Lee's middle name was derived from his paternal grandmother, Martha Roland. The Lees left Perry County when he was twelve years of age. He was educated in the public schools of Grant Parish; after reaching adulthood, he taught school for a number of years.[2]

Lee was the president and general manager of the Lee Lumber Company, which operated a large sawmill at Tioga in northwestern Rapides Parish. The company closed c. 1917 after the nearby timber was exhausted. Lee was the Grant Parish assessor during the 1890s, having been appointed to the since elected position by then Governor Murphy James Foster, Sr. After his legislative term ended, he relocated to Alexandria. He had a large political following and worked in 1928 for the successful election of Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Huey Pierce Long, Jr., as the Louisiana governor. Lee was a cousin by marriage of Huey Long.[2][3]

On November 12, 1884, Lee married Martha Cornelia Nugent (1862-1933),[4] a daughter of Matthew and Julie Ann Mackie Nugent, pioneer Grant Parish settlers. Lee died of an illness of several months at his Alexandria home at the intersection of Fourth and St. James streets five days after his seventieth birthday. He was survived by his widow and four children, Maude Lee Eubank (1885-1958) and husband Benjamin Franklin Eubank (1882-1962),[5] J. H. Lee, and Ethel Lee Jarrell (1896-1967) and husband Marion Fahy Jarrell (1897-1977), all of Alexandria, and Mrs. S. J. Rogers of Monroe in Ouachita Parish in northeast Louisiana. Three other Lee children, Florence, Lucille, and Samuel Patterson Lee, predeceased their father. He had two surviving grandsons,[2] attorney James Rowland Eubank (1914-1952) and Dr. Marion Lee Jarrell (1921-1984).[6] James Eubank served briefly in the Louisiana House in 1952, during which time he was a floor leader for Governor Robert F. Kennon. Representative Eubank died of a heart attack in Alexandria at the age of thirty-seven.[7]

Lee is interred with other family members at Greenwood Memorial Park in Pineville. Both Methodist and Southern Baptist pastors officiated at his funeral, with Masonic lodge graveside rites following.[2]

## References[edit]

1. ↑ Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024: Grant Parish. house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved on January 24, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Col. Stephen R. Lee of Alexandria Dies at His Home Feb. 13: Industrial and Political Leader, Descendant of Famous Lees," The Wiknnfield News-American, accessed May 23, 2015.
3. ↑ Richard White (2006). Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long. Random House. Retrieved on May 23, 2015.
4. ↑ Martha Cornelia Nugent Lee (wife of Swords Lee). findagrave. Retrieved on January 24, 2021.
5. ↑ Benjamin Franklin Eubank (son-in law of Swords Lee). findagrave.com. Retrieved on January 23, 2021.
6. ↑ Dr. Marion Lee Jarrell (grandson of Swords Lee). findagrave. Retrieved on January 23, 2021.
7. ↑ James Rowland Eubank. The Baton Rouge Advocate through findagrave.com (November 10, 1952). Retrieved on January 23, 2021.