Mark and Edith (While) Lee
Images and notes from Sarah Pope - her great uncle Mark Robert and great aunt Edith Mae (While) Lee, longtime residents of Hanna, with contributions from Bob Leathers.
Mark Robert and Edith (While) Lee (Image from Sarah Pope)
Life Story
1905 September 29: Mark Robert Lee was born in Hanna, Carbon, Wyoming.
1910 September 28: Edith Mae While was born to James and Eliza Ann (Allen) While in Netherton, Dudley, England. Netherton is located in the middle of the Black Country. (BL)
1910: Robert Mark Lee was listed in the US Census as the son of Joseph A. Lee. Joseph A Lee, age 46, born in England, head of house, and wife Elizabeth, age 42, born in England. The children were listed as John Lee, age 18, a son, Sarah Lee, age 17, a daughter, Anna Lee, age 11, a daughter, Richard M. Lee, age 9, a son, Isabella Lee, age 6, a daughter, Robert M. Lee, age 4, a son, and Esther Lee, age 2, a daughter. (1910 US Census)
1911 June 19: Edith While arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Liverpool, England. With her was Mr. William While, an uncle, her mother Eliza While, age 30 and siblings John, age 4 and Samuel, age7. Edith was about 8 months old at the time. Eliza's mother was listed as Ann Allen. The group was headed for Forbes, Colorado. William While was listed as coming from Sims Lane in Netherton, Worcestershire. (Philadelphia Immigration Records)
1928 December 15: Edith While married Mark Robert Lee in Cheyenne, Wyoming. (Helen While)
1930 April 8: Mark Lee, age 24 and Edith (While) Lee, age 19, were living in house #95 in Hanna. They paid $11.00 a month rent. Mark was employed as a gas repairman in the coal mine. [Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 4 Mine] They were married for two years. At the time they had no children or other adults living with them. (1930 U.S. Census)
1940: Mark Robert Lee, age 34, head of house and Edith May Lee, age 29, wife, born in England, a naturalized citizen, high school two years, were living in Hanna, Carbon, Wyoming in house #23. Their residence in 1935 was Hanna. Mark's occupation was listed as Carpenter. They rented their home. Mark had one year of high school. Also listed was Lorraine Joan Lee, age 9, a daughter and Marcia Hope Lee, age 2, a daughter. (1940 US Census)
1983 October 4: In a letter to the Hanna Historical Society from Edith and Mark Lee post dated October 4, 1983, Edith writes:
Enclosed is a check for $20.00 for the Memorial Fund in memory of my father James While who was killed January 21, 1921, in Hanna mine. He was the husband of Eliza. His children: Sam, Jack, Joe, Edith (While) Lee, Dolly (While) Marion, Alice (While) Geide and Kay (While) Friel. We think you are doing a wonderful thing.
Signed: Edith and Mark Lee
Arbuckle California
1990 May 8: Mark Robert Lee, age 84, died in Arbuckle, California. He was buried in Arbuckle. (Helen While)
1999 May 3: Edith Mae (While) Lee died in Arbuckle, California. She was 89 years old. She was buried in Arbuckle with her husband Mark in plot 26. (Helen While)
Edith (While) Lee and Mark Robert Lee had two children together:
1910 September 28: Edith Mae While was born to James and Eliza Ann (Allen) While in Netherton, Dudley, England. Netherton is located in the middle of the Black Country. (BL)
1910: Robert Mark Lee was listed in the US Census as the son of Joseph A. Lee. Joseph A Lee, age 46, born in England, head of house, and wife Elizabeth, age 42, born in England. The children were listed as John Lee, age 18, a son, Sarah Lee, age 17, a daughter, Anna Lee, age 11, a daughter, Richard M. Lee, age 9, a son, Isabella Lee, age 6, a daughter, Robert M. Lee, age 4, a son, and Esther Lee, age 2, a daughter. (1910 US Census)
1911 June 19: Edith While arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Liverpool, England. With her was Mr. William While, an uncle, her mother Eliza While, age 30 and siblings John, age 4 and Samuel, age7. Edith was about 8 months old at the time. Eliza's mother was listed as Ann Allen. The group was headed for Forbes, Colorado. William While was listed as coming from Sims Lane in Netherton, Worcestershire. (Philadelphia Immigration Records)
1928 December 15: Edith While married Mark Robert Lee in Cheyenne, Wyoming. (Helen While)
1930 April 8: Mark Lee, age 24 and Edith (While) Lee, age 19, were living in house #95 in Hanna. They paid $11.00 a month rent. Mark was employed as a gas repairman in the coal mine. [Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 4 Mine] They were married for two years. At the time they had no children or other adults living with them. (1930 U.S. Census)
1940: Mark Robert Lee, age 34, head of house and Edith May Lee, age 29, wife, born in England, a naturalized citizen, high school two years, were living in Hanna, Carbon, Wyoming in house #23. Their residence in 1935 was Hanna. Mark's occupation was listed as Carpenter. They rented their home. Mark had one year of high school. Also listed was Lorraine Joan Lee, age 9, a daughter and Marcia Hope Lee, age 2, a daughter. (1940 US Census)
1983 October 4: In a letter to the Hanna Historical Society from Edith and Mark Lee post dated October 4, 1983, Edith writes:
Enclosed is a check for $20.00 for the Memorial Fund in memory of my father James While who was killed January 21, 1921, in Hanna mine. He was the husband of Eliza. His children: Sam, Jack, Joe, Edith (While) Lee, Dolly (While) Marion, Alice (While) Geide and Kay (While) Friel. We think you are doing a wonderful thing.
Signed: Edith and Mark Lee
Arbuckle California
1990 May 8: Mark Robert Lee, age 84, died in Arbuckle, California. He was buried in Arbuckle. (Helen While)
1999 May 3: Edith Mae (While) Lee died in Arbuckle, California. She was 89 years old. She was buried in Arbuckle with her husband Mark in plot 26. (Helen While)
Edith (While) Lee and Mark Robert Lee had two children together:
- Lorraine Joan Lee (1930 - 2002). Born September 26, 1930, in Hanna, Carbon, Wyoming. Died October 12, 2002, in Antioch, Contra Cost County, California. Cremated.
- Marsha Hope Lee (1936 - 2002). Born 1936 in Hanna, Carbon, Wyoming. Died June 11, 2002, in Woodland, Yolo County, California. Cremated.
Mark and Esther Lee (Image from Sarah Pope)
Lorraine and Marsha Lee in Hanna. (Image from Sarah Pope)
Edith and Mark Lee (Ancestry.com)