BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
Genealogical & Biographical Record
of Miami Co., Ohio
Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company
1900

	MELVILLE O. LANDON, better known as " Eli Perkins," author, lecturer and humorist, was born in Eaton, New York, Sept, 7, 1839.  He was the son of John Landon and grandson of Rufus Landon, a revolutionary soldier from Litchfield county, Connecticut.  Melville was educated at the district school and neighboring academy, where he was prepared for the sophomore class at Madison University.  He passed two years at the latter, when he was admitted to Union College, and graduated in the class of 1861, receiving the degree of A. M., in 1862.  He was, at once, appointed to a position in the treasury department at Washington.  This being about the time of the breaking out of the war, and before the appearance of any Union troops at the capital, he assisted in the organization of the "Clay Battalion," of Washington.  Leaving his clerkship some time later, he took up duties on the staff of General A. L. Chetlain, who was in command at Memphis.  In 1864 he resigned from the army and engaged in cotton planting in Arkansas and Louisiana.  In 1867 he went abroad, making the tour of Europe, traversing Russia. While in the latter country his old commander of the "Clay Battalion," General Cassius M. Clay, then United States minister at St. Petersburg, made him secretary of legation.  In 1871, on returning to America, he published a history of the Franco-Prussian war, and followed it with numerous humorous writings for the public press under the name of "Eli Perkins," which, with his regular contributions to the "Commercial Advertiser," brought him into notice, and spread his reputation as a humorist throughout the country.  He also published "Saratoga in 1891," "Wit, Humor and Pathos," "Wit and Humor of the Age," "Kings of Platform and Pulpit," "Thirty Years of it and Humor," " Fun and Fact," and " China and Japan." Source: Genealogical & Biographical Record of Miami Co., Ohio - Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company - 1900 - Page 109
	DAVID L. LEE.  David L. Lee, one of the enterprising and prosperous business men of Troy, is numbered among Miami county's native sons, his birth having here occurred on the 17th of December, 1843.  His father, Abram J. Lee, was born in Virginia, in 1809, and at an early period in the development of Miami county came to Ohio with his father, Benjamin Lee, who was a first cousin of General Robert E. Lee, of Confederate fame.  Our subject has the same refined and intellectual face, calm and dignified, yet with his penetrating expression, as his illustrious cousin.  Benjamin Lee located on a farm on Honey creek, and there reared his family.  Abram J. Lee was identified with the agricultural interests of this community in pioneer times, and after arriving at years of maturity he purchased a farm on the Dayton pike, near Troy, now known as the Enyeart farm.  He married Catherine Bowersock, a representative of an old Pennsylvania family.  The children of this marriage are: J. H., who is now in the Klondike; George, a hardware merchant of Piqua, Ohio; Howard, a retired farmer of Kansas; Mrs. G. L. Smith, who resided in St. Paris, but is now deceased; and Davis L., of this review.  George and Howard were both loyal soldiers in the Union army during the civil war.      The father of this family died when David L. Lee was only six years of age.  The family afterward removed to Fletcher, where he attended school and also worked on the home farm.  At the outbreak of the war of the rebellion, although only seventeen years of age, he was one of the first to respond to the call for troops, enlisting in the Seventy-first Ohio Infantry.  After participating in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, he was engaged in garrison duty in Tennessee and in fighting guerrillas.  In 1864 he re-enlisted and after joining General Sherman's army at Cumberland, he took part in the Atlanta campaign, and was present at the fall of Atlanta.  His command was with General Thomas, of the Fourth Army Corps, at the battles of Pulaski, Columbia, Franklin and Nashville.  At the last named place Hood's army was annihilated and was thus prevented from making the contemplated raid into Ohio.  On the 15th and i6th of December, when General Thomas rode down the line.  Mr. Lee states that every man felt that victory had crowned the Union arms.  Nashville was the last battle in which Mr. Lee participated, for, by the last gun fired by the rebels, he had his left leg shattered and the member was afterward amputated.  For two months he lay in the Nashville hospital and then returned to his home.      On again reaching the north Mr. Lee learned the silversmith's trade, at which he worked for two years, when, on the 3rd of July, 1867, he was appointed United States storekeeper at Hayner's distillery, in Troy.  He held that position for six years, and in the fall of 1873 was elected sheriff of Miami county, and re-elected in 1875, acceptably serving in that capacity for four consecutive years.  He handled three hundred and fifty prisoners, took fifty criminals to the penitentiary at Columbus and a number of offenders to the Lancaster Farm for Boys and to the Reformed Home for Girls.  Two indictments were returned for murder in the first degree, but the convictions were in the second degree so that he narrowly escaped being compelled to hang the murderers.  Only one person thus far has been hung in Miami county, and that was by the sheriff succeeding Mr. Lee.  In 1878 our subject went to Kansas City, Missouri, but his business ventures there proved unprofitable, and in 1880 he returned to Troy.  Not long afterward he went to Arizona to visit a brother, and while in that territory acted as a clerk in the twelfth Arizona legislature for one term.  On again coming to Troy he went into the grocery business, and, while so engaged, was once more appointed storekeeper and gauger by President Harrison for a term of four years.  Under Cleveland he was superseded in the office, but was twice elected township clerk for terms of two years each, and during his incumbency in that position he was reappointed storekeeper and ganger at Hayner's distillery, in which position he is now serving.      Mr. Lee was married in Troy, Oct. 8, 1868, to Miss Libby C. Clyde, a daughter of George C. Clyde, now deceased.  Her father, a prominent and influential citizen of the community, served for two terms as treasurer of Miami county, as auditor for two terms and as a member of the state legislature.  Mr. and Mrs. Lee now have two sons, Harry and Fred, the former an inspector for the Central Union Telephone Company, of Troy, and the latter a clerk in Long & McKnight's store, in Troy.  The family are members of the Presbyterian church, and Mr. Lee holds membership relations with the Knights of Pythias fraternity.  Coleman Post, G. A. R., and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  He has filled various offices in those organizations, and at the present time is serving as treasurer of the first two.  He has a fine home on North Mulberry street, which he has gained by his own well directed efforts in business affairs.  Many times called to public office, his career has ever been honorable and loyal, and no trust reposed in him has ever been betrayed. Source: Genealogical & Biographical Record of Miami Co., Ohio - Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company - 1900 - Page 843
ROBERT E. LEE	GENERAL ROBERT EDWARD LEE, one of the most conspicuous Confederate generals during the Civil war, and one of the ablest military commanders of modern times, was born at Stratford House, Westmoreland county, Virginia, Jan. 19, 1807.  In 1825 he entered the West Point academy and was graduated second in his class in 1829, and attached to the army as second lieutenant of engineers.  For a number of years he was thus engaged in engineering work, aiding in establishing the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan, and superintended various river and harbor improvements, becoming captain of engineers in 1838.  He first saw field service in the Mexican war, and under General Scott performed valuable and efficient service.  In that brilliant campaign he was conspicuous for professional ability as well as gallant and meritorious conduct, winning in quick succession the brevets of major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel for his part in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cherubusco, Chapultepec, and in the capture of the city Mexico.  At the close of that war he resumed his engineering work in connection with defences along the Atlantic coast, and from 1852 to 1855 was superintendent of the Military Academy, a position which he gave up to become lieutenant-colonel of the Second Cavalry.  For several years thereafter he served on the Texas border, but happening to be near Washington at the time of John Brown's raid, October 17 to 25, 1859, Colonel Lee was placed in command of the Federal forces employed in its repression.  He soon returned to his regiment in Texas where he remained the greater part of 1860, and Mar. 16, 1861, became colonel of his regiment by regular promotion.  Three weeks later, April 25, he resigned upon the secession of Virginia, went at once to Richmond and tendered his services to the governor of that state, being by acclamation appointed commander-in-chief of its military and naval forces, with the rank of major-general.      He at once set to work to organize and develop the defensive resources of his state and within a month directed the occupation in force of Manassas Junction.  Meanwhile Virginia having entered the confederacy and Richmond become the capitol, Lee became one of the foremost of its military officers and was closely connected with Jefferson Davis in planning the moves of that tragic time. Lee participated in many of the hardest fought battles of the war among which were Fair Oaks, White Lake Swamps, Cold Harbor, and the Chickahominy, Manassas, Cedar Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Malvern Hill, Gettysburg, the battles of the Wilderness campaign, all the campaigns about Richmond, Petersburg, Five Forks, and others.  Lee's surrender at Appomatox brought the war to a close.  It is said of General Lee that but few commanders in history have been so quick to detect the purposes of an opponent or so quick to act upon it. Never surpassed, if ever equaled, in the art of winning the passionate, personal love and admiration of his troops, he acquired and held an influence over his army to the very last, founded upon a supreme trust in his judgment, prescience and skill, coupled with his cool, stable, equable courage.  A great writer has said of him: As regards the proper measure of General Lee's rank among the soldiers of history, seeing what he wrought with such resources as he had, under all the disadvantages that ever attended his operations, it is impossible to measure what he might have achieved in campaigns and battles with resources at his own disposition equal to those against which he invariably contended."      Left at the close of the war without estate or profession, he accepted the presidency of Washington College at Lexington, Virginia, where he died Oct. 12, 1870. Source: Genealogical & Biographical Record of Miami Co., Ohio - Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company - 1900 - Page 38
JAS. R. LOWELL

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