Changes

==Biography==

==Biography==

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 States of America|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.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/winn/obits/l/leesr229.txt|title=Col. Stephen R. Lee of Alexandria Dies at His Home Feb. 13: Industrial and Political Leader, Descendant of Famous Lees|date=February 22, 1929|publisher=''Winnfield News-American''|location=Winnfield, Louisiana|accessdate=May 23, 2015}}</ref>

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 States of America|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.<ref name=bio>"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/</ref>

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 Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], as the Louisiana governor. Lee was a cousin by marriage of Huey Long.<ref name=bio/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_0CKVuAldzEC&pg=PA284&lpg=PA284&dq=Swords+Lee+of+Louisiana&source=bl&ots=Lm15xfwI9n&sig=v_YePL0Kju2btIJEpJ8z-NBVU2A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=edFgVezlCcfmsAW5o4O4AQ&ved=0CEsQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Swords%20Lee%20of%20Louisiana&f=false|title=Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long|author=Richard White|page=284|publisher=Random House|location=[[New York City]]|isbn=0-8129-7383-6|date=2006|accessdate=May 23, 2015}}</ref>

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 Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], as the Louisiana governor. Lee was a cousin by marriage of Huey Long.<ref name=bio/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_0CKVuAldzEC&pg=PA284&lpg=PA284&dq=Swords+Lee+of+Louisiana&source=bl&ots=Lm15xfwI9n&sig=v_YePL0Kju2btIJEpJ8z-NBVU2A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=edFgVezlCcfmsAW5o4O4AQ&ved=0CEsQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Swords%20Lee%20of%20Louisiana&f=false|title=Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long|author=Richard White|page=284|publisher=Random House|location=[[New York City]]|isbn=0-8129-7383-6|date=2006|accessdate=May 23, 2015}}</ref>