Person:David Lee (14)

Per oral history of C. Bruce Lee, David Lee had a brother, George Lee, who looked white, moved to England during the Civil War, possibly Liverpool (Lancashire County), and changed his last name to Cotton.

From the Gore District Marriage Register, it would appear that David Moses Lee was born several years prior to his parent’s marriage.

1870 US Census (NY, Erie, Buffalo, Ward 4, p 472, ln 12), David 25, mu, b. Canada, blacksmith, mother of foreign birth. He was living with Joseph Cornish, 43, mu, cook, b. MD, and Ellen Cornish, 42, mu, washing, b. England, both parents of foreign birth. All could read and write. Also living in the same home with them: Washington Carter 53, mu, cook, b. VA; Eliza Carter 53, mu, washing, b. PA; William Bedford 28, mu, cook, b. PA; and Carter Charles 23, mu, waiter, b. NY.

• • Where was David’s half brother Edward Cornish? He would have been about 16 years old ** 12/5/03

1873 Buffalo City Directory, pub. by The Courier Company, p. 420 David Lee, h. 40 William; Mrs. Emma Lee, hair dressing, h. 40 William.

1874 Buffalo City Directory, p. 431 David Lee, male nurse, h. 40 William; Emma Lee, hair, 40 William.

1875 Buffalo City Directory, p. 466 David Lee, blksmth, h. 40 William.

1875 NY State Census (Erie, Buffalo, 1st Dist, 5th Ward, penned sh 4 [familysearch.org, no source info], family 41, ln 28) David Lee 29, wh, b. Canada, machinist, owned his frame home, worth $2,000. His wife, Mary 25, wh, b. Buffalo. Their daughter, Dora 2, b. Buffalo. *** all the dates and birth places match, but not the race. However, I believe this is OUR David Lee, especially since Edward Cook and family are living on the same street, family no. 36 **

1876 Buffalo City Directory, p. 474 David Lee, waiter, h. 47 E. Bennett.

1877 Buffalo City Directory, p. 459 David Lee, saloon, 162 Elm, h. 48 Potter.

1878 Buffalo City Directory, p. 448 David Lee, nursery, 48 Potter.

1879 Buffalo City Directory, p. 459 David Lee, nurse, h. 48 Potter.

1880 Buffalo City Directory, p.469, no David Lee.

1880 No listing of David or Emma Lee in NY Soundex. I checked the Buffalo census for 48 Potter (John Winddranger and family lived there ... ED 127, sh 226C, ln 36); 40 William (Ernestine Bernstein and family lived there), 467 Michigan (William Kaufman and family lived there), and 47 William (Edward Carter and family lived there). I checked 467 Michigan because that’s where Washington Carter lived for several years, and since he and David lived at the same address over the years, I though it might lead me to David. Unable to locate David Lee, his wife and two children anywhere!

1881 Buffalo City Directory, p. 481 David Lee, nurse, h. 48 Potter; Mrs. Emma Lee, ladie’s hair dresser, h. 48 Potter.

1882 Buffalo City Directory, p. 494 David Lee, nurse, 48 Potter.

1887 Buffalo City Directory, p. 504 David Lee, nurse, 48 Potter.

1890 Buffalo City Directory, David Lee listed as nurse over 48 Potter St. ** In 1953, Potter was renamed “Nash.” **

1892 NY State Census (Erie, Buffalo, Ward 7, ED2, penned sh 19, familysearch.org) Emma Lee 43, colored, b. U.S.; David Lee 47, colored, nurse, citizen voter; Jenny Lee 18, colored, b. U.S.; and Edward Lee 14, colored, b. U.S.

1900 US Census (NY, Erie, Buffalo, Ward 7, ED 54, sh 4A, ln 29), David, 55, b. Jan 1845 in NY, had been married 20 years. He was living as a boarder at 37 William, his father b. Canada, mother b. Canada, and he worked as a nurse. Upton and Matilda Dorsey owned this home. There were 9 boarders plus 2 stepsons in addition to the Dorseys living at this address.

1900 Buffalo City Directory, p. 800 David Lee, nurse, r. 37 William.

1905 NY State Census (Erie, Buffalo, Ward 7, ED 1, Block H, penned sh 38, ln 47, familysearch.org) David Lee 55, bl, b. United States, nurse, lived as a lodger in the home of Winton Dorsey, and several other lodgers, at 37 William Street, just a few doors down from his estranged wife and son.

1910 US Census (NY, Erie, Buffalo, Ward 5, ED 41, sh 12A, ln 46), David Lee, 62, b. Canada (Eng), married for 30 years, was living as a roomer at 37 William. His father b. Canada (Eng), his mother b. NY. He worked as a nurse at a hospital.

1910 Buffalo City Directory, p. 773 David Lee, nurse r. 37 William; p. 774 Emma Lee, hair dresser, r. 204 Laurel.

1915 NY State Census (Erie, Buffalo, Ward 6, ED 5, Block 6, Assy Dist 5, penned she 39, ln 34, ancestry.com, no source info) David Lee, 60, bl, b. U.S., nurse, citizen had been in the U.S. 60 years, was living as a roomer, at 37 William, in the home of Matilda Dorsey and several other roomers.

1920, he was living with his son, Edward D. Lee.

1925 NY State Census (Erie, Buffalo, Ward 17, ED 5, blocks 8-9, Assy Dist 6, penned sh 31, ln 46, ancestry.com) David M. Lee 79, bl, b. U.S., citizen, living at 69 Verplanck. Living with him, Edward D. Lee 45, bl, b. U.S., citizen, was a waiter for NY R.R.; and Edward’s wife, Florence 39, bl, b. U.S. Also living with them, as a lodger, Loruce Wilson 32, bl, (male), b. U.S., waiter in restaurant.

1930 US Census (NY, Erie, Buffalo, Ward 12, ED 15-155, sh 26, ln 24), David M. Lee 82, widow, b. Canada (Eng), father b. Canada (English), mother b. England, was naturalized in 1863, did not work, was 30 at the time of his first marriage, and was listed as the father-in-law of Lester B. Dickson, with whom he was living. Lester, 55, b. NY, father b. LA, mother b. NY, was 30 at the time of his first marriage, worked as a chef on the railroad, and owned their home at 204 Laurel Street, which was valued at $6,000. His wife, Cora J., 50, b. NY, father b. Canada (English), mother b. NY, was 25 at the time of her first marriage and did not work outside the home.

1936 NY State Dept of Health Death Certificate no. 4481, July 16, 1936 David Lee died at Buffalo General Hospital, ward 11. He was black, widowed, wife’s name was Emma Lee Cook, b. Feb 7, 1847 in Brantford, Canada. His father was Bernard Lee who was born in Niagara on Lake, Canada, and his mother was Helen Smith, born in “unknown,” England. He had worked as a male nurse in private homes for 50 years, and had retired in 1930. He died from Labor Pneumonia from which he had suffered 6 days, contributory cause was Arteria sclerosis. He was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery on July 18, 1836, undertaker was Earl A. Carpenter (license 4638), 1747 Jefferson, Buffalo. He was 89 years, 5 months, and 9 years old at the time of his death, and he was living at 1400 Michigan Avenue, 12th Ward, Buffalo.

1. ↑ Section O, N-1/4 lot 62