Andrew E. Lee
Encyclopedia
Andrew Ericson Lee was an American
politician who served as the third Governor of South Dakota
.
and at a young age moved with his parents to the United States
. His parents were Eric Lee and Augusta (Johnson) Lee. He spent his childhood on a farm in Dane County, Wisconsin
. He moved to Dakota Territory
and settled at Vermillion
in 1867. Lee and Charles E. Prentis became partners in a mercantile business in 1869.
on the Populist
ticket and beat A. O. Ringsrud of Elk Point
by only 319 votes. He was elected to his second term on the Fusion Party
ticket, an alliance of Independents in the state. The party was formed in 1896 from an alliance of Democrats, Free Silver Republicans, and Populists who were opposed to the platform of the state Republican Party. He was the only non-Republican
Governor to hold office until the election of William J. Bulow
in 1926. Populist Governor Lee was instrumental in getting the Initiative and Referendum passed. A major focus during his administration was eliminating inefficiency and mismanagement within State Government. A major issue during his administration was the organization and return of the state militia which served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War.
In 1900, the Populists nominated Lee for Congress, and he spoke at the Populist convention in Sioux Falls
, South Dakota
. Lee lost in a Republican landslide, which ended the political influence of the Populists in South Dakota. In 1908, Lee ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic
candidate for Governor of South Dakota.
House of Representatives. He was the uncle of Carl Gunderson
who served as Governor of South Dakota. Hans Gunderson married Lee's sister Isabel. Isabel's brother and son were South Dakota Governors. Andrew Lee died at his home in Vermillion
, South Dakota
, the day after his 87th birthday. (information about Isabel from unknown newspaper article in possession of a family member writing this update.) It was also known in the family that Andrew Lee and Carl Gunderson did not get along. The Gundersons and the Lees are buried in the old Bluff's Cemetery in Vermillion, SD.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as the third Governor of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
Background
Lee was born near Bergen in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and at a young age moved with his parents to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His parents were Eric Lee and Augusta (Johnson) Lee. He spent his childhood on a farm in Dane County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. He moved to Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
and settled at Vermillion
Vermillion, South Dakota
Vermillion is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the tenth largest city in the state. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 10,571. Vermillion lies atop a bluff near the Missouri River.The area has been home to...
in 1867. Lee and Charles E. Prentis became partners in a mercantile business in 1869.
Career
In 1896, Lee ran for Governor of South DakotaGovernor of South Dakota
The Governor of South Dakota is the head of the executive branch of the government of South Dakota. They are elected to a four year term on even years when there is no Presidential election. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican elected in 2010....
on the Populist
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
ticket and beat A. O. Ringsrud of Elk Point
Elk Point, South Dakota
Elk Point is a city in Union County, South Dakota, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,963 as of the 2010 census...
by only 319 votes. He was elected to his second term on the Fusion Party
Fusion Party
Fusion Party is a term that may have a variety of meanings in the political history of the United States.The Fusion Party was the original name of the Republican Party in the state of Ohio. In 1854, anti-slavery parties were forming in many northern states in opposition to the Kansas Nebraska Act...
ticket, an alliance of Independents in the state. The party was formed in 1896 from an alliance of Democrats, Free Silver Republicans, and Populists who were opposed to the platform of the state Republican Party. He was the only non-Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor to hold office until the election of William J. Bulow
William J. Bulow
William John Bulow was an American politician and a lawyer. He was the first Democratic Governor of South Dakota, receiving the highest vote ever received by a Democratic candidate for governor up to that time,, and then went on to serve as a member of the United States Senate.-Biography:Bulow...
in 1926. Populist Governor Lee was instrumental in getting the Initiative and Referendum passed. A major focus during his administration was eliminating inefficiency and mismanagement within State Government. A major issue during his administration was the organization and return of the state militia which served in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War.
In 1900, the Populists nominated Lee for Congress, and he spoke at the Populist convention in Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Lee lost in a Republican landslide, which ended the political influence of the Populists in South Dakota. In 1908, Lee ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for Governor of South Dakota.
Personal life
Lee was married in 1872 to Annie M. Chappell. They had one daughter. Lee was the brother-in-law of Hans Gunderson and Lyman Burgess, both of whom served as members of the Dakota TerritoryDakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
House of Representatives. He was the uncle of Carl Gunderson
Carl Gunderson
Carl Gunderson was the 11th Governor of South Dakota. Gunderson, a Republican from Mitchell, South Dakota, served from 1925 to 1927.-Background:...
who served as Governor of South Dakota. Hans Gunderson married Lee's sister Isabel. Isabel's brother and son were South Dakota Governors. Andrew Lee died at his home in Vermillion
Vermillion, South Dakota
Vermillion is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the tenth largest city in the state. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 10,571. Vermillion lies atop a bluff near the Missouri River.The area has been home to...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, the day after his 87th birthday. (information about Isabel from unknown newspaper article in possession of a family member writing this update.) It was also known in the family that Andrew Lee and Carl Gunderson did not get along. The Gundersons and the Lees are buried in the old Bluff's Cemetery in Vermillion, SD.