Lee Counties named for Robert E. Lee

[RobertP]

A number of States named counties after General Robert E. Lee beginning immediately after the Civil War and continuing until the turn of the century.

1. Lee County, Ala., 1866. Opelika is the seat, Auburn the largest city.
2. Lee County, Ark., 1873. Marianna is the seat.
3. Lee County, Fla., 1886. Ft. Myers is the seat.
4. Lee County, Ky., 1870. Beattyville is the seat.
5. Lee County, Miss., 1866. Tupelo is the seat.
6. Lee County, NC, 1907. Sanford is the seat.
7. Lee County, SC, 1902. Bishopville is the seat.
8. Lee County, Tex., 1874. Giddings is the seat.

 

[kevikens]

One thing to keep in mind is that there may be places, municipalities, that are named Lee but may have been named for some other Lee (Arthur Lee, the several Lees of Colonial Era Virginia (Richard Henry Lee), General Charles Lee (Fort Lee, NJ). Out in California, near Berkeley there is a park named "Sibley". I wondered why anyone, other than a tent manufacturing company, or a distillery, would want to name a park after a Confederate general. Of course it turns out that it was named for some other local politico. Modern politics edited out by moderator JerseyBart

 

[RobertP]

One thing to keep in mind is that there may be places, municipalities, that are named Lee but may have been named for some other Lee (Arthur Lee, the several Lees of Colonial Era Virginia (Richard Henry Lee), General Charles Lee (Fort Lee, NJ). Out in California, near Berkeley there is a park named "Sibley". I wondered why anyone, other than a tent manufacturing company, or a distillery, would want to name a park after a Confederate general. Of course it turns out that it was named for some other local politico.

These Counties were all named for the great Robert E. Lee.

 

[DixieRifles]

5. Lee County, Miss., 1866. Tupelo is the seat.

I never thought of that but I don't suppose it was named after Stephen Dill Lee?
He eventually adopted Mississippi and was president of the A&M college.

 

[RobertP]

I never thought of that but I don't suppose it was named after Stephen Dill Lee?
He eventually adopted Mississippi and was president of the A&M college.

I know about SD Lee but here is what Wiki says about Lee County:


HistoryEdit

Family in a wagon, Lee County, August 1935, Arthur Rothstein.
Lee County was established on October 26, 1866, and named for Robert E. Lee,[3] General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States. It was carved from Itawamba and Pontotoc; therefore, the record and list of pioneers mentioned in those counties embrace a great number who were residents of what is now Lee.[4]

 

[bdtex]

My thread on Giddings,Lee County,Texas:

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/giddings-lee-county-tx.124032/

 

[DixieRifles]

I know about SD Lee but here is what Wiki says about Lee County:

I didn't intend to sound argumentive. I figured that is what Wiki said. I also doubt S.D. was that well known by the date the county was formed.

 

[RobertP]

I didn't intend to sound argumentive. I figured that is what Wiki said. I also doubt S.D. was that well known by the date the county was formed.

Oh I knew that. No offense taken at all.

 

[RobertP]

My thread on Giddings,Lee County,Texas:

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/giddings-lee-county-tx.124032/

We used to drive through Giddings on the way to LaGrange when going to the big Round Top Antique fair. I like that part of the State. I do think Texas should have picked a different stone than the native pink granite. You can hardly read the inscription, same thing at the Texas monument in Vicksburg.

 

[bdtex]

I do think Texas should have picked a different stone than the native pink granite. You can hardly read the inscription, same thing at the Texas monument in Vicksburg.

Oh I know that. Visited the Harrison County Courthouse in Marshall about a month ago and the pink granite monuments there are unreadable with the naked eye. I can take pics and upload them on my desktop then blow 'em up and read 'em.

 

[Hoseman]

Lee County, Virginia was named after Robert's father in 1793.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Cleveland, TN is home to Lee University. It's named after a past president of the university, F. J. Lee. Amusing coincidence considering that R. E. Lee held such disdain for F. J. Hooker.

Leesburg, VA is named for Thomas Lee. Leesburg, FL is named for the family that founded it.

 

[hoosier]

One thing to keep in mind is that there may be places, municipalities, that are named Lee but may have been named for some other Lee (Arthur Lee, the several Lees of Colonial Era Virginia (Richard Henry Lee), General Charles Lee (Fort Lee, NJ). Out in California, near Berkeley of all places, there is a park named "Sibley". I wondered why anyone, other than a tent manufacturing company, or a distillery, would want to name a park after a Confederate general. Of course it turns out that it was named for some other local politico. However, he may have been related to the Confederate General and if Berkeley ever finds that out, well... .

It is also possible that the politician after whom Sibley Park in California was named may have been related to the Union general, Henry Hastings Sibley, rather than the Confederate general, Henry Hopkins Sibley.

There are a number of places named for the Union general, including Sibley County, Minnesota, Sibley, North Dakota, Sibley, Iowa, Sibley State Park in Minnesota, and Henry Sibley High School in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Interestingly, Hastings, Minnesota is also named for Henry Hastings Sibley, though I have no idea why they chose to commemorate his middle name instead of his last name.

 

[civilken]

what's that all about I just realized no northern states named Amy of their counties or communities after Robert E Lee was a surprise. I guess we didn't get the memo. Robert E Lee fort for our country I and I

 

[RobertP]

what's that all about I just realized no northern states named Amy of their counties or communities after Robert E Lee was a surprise. I guess we didn't get the memo. Robert E Lee fort for our country I and I

There are Grant and Lincoln Parishes in Louisiana, both created by the Reconstruction government in 1869. Ironically Colfax of the Colfax massacre is in Grant. Both Parishes are rural and very conservative yet I know of no past or present push for a name change.

 

[Stony]

You can add Lee County , N.C. to the list. oops I see it now.

 

[RobertP]

Ditto for Lincoln Co., Ark., created in 1870.

 

[dibbern]

Guess who's behind the name "Sherman County, Nebraska"?

 

[Eleanor Rose]

The naming of Lee County in Florida in 1887 was celebrated, but apparently it was also protested. Yikes!

"I remember the enthusiasm in adopting the motion," retired Confederate Capt. Francis Hendry and the namesake of neighboring Hendry County, wrote in his 1908 memoir. "I must narrate a little incident which occurred the next day … Someone stepped in and said: 'Judge, some people are protesting against the name of our proposed new county.'"

Judge Cranford, who would go on to have Cranford Street named for him, "flashed fire" in his eyes at the protesters, Hendry wrote. The judge said: "Let them protest and be _____."

"I will leave the dash to be filled in by my dear friend, Judge Cranford," Hendry continued. "Yes, we are proud of the name of our county and its seat of government."

Efforts to learn more about the protesters, who they were and how many, were unsuccessful.


Source: News-Press.com

 

[Desert Kid]

There are Grant and Lincoln Parishes in Louisiana, both created by the Reconstruction government in 1869. Ironically Colfax of the Colfax massacre is in Grant. Both Parishes are rural and very conservative yet I know of no past or present push for a name change.

Even better. Grant Parish was shaved off from the very pro-secessionist Rapides Parish.

I listen to a couple radio stations in the Alexandria metro. 105.5 KBUCK and LA103.5 from the looks of things on their respective Facebook pages, Grant Parish is Confederate battle flag heaven.