William F. Lee

The history of the William F. Lee family has its roots in Creivagh, Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland, where James Moffett was born in 1820. James came to America in 1840 and settled in Jo Davies County, Illinois. He married Isabelle McCall in 1848; they had several children, one of whom was Thomas, born in 1856.Thomas attended Mount Carrol Seminary and Monmouth College. He moved to Harper, Kansas, with his family in 1878. Legend has it that James gave each of his four sons $400 to "make their way". Thomas was a shrewd bargainer and livestock man who traveled widely throughout Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, managing the landholdings and businesses of Moffett Brothers. These businesses included Moffett Brothers Commission Company, the first livestock commission company in Kansas City, and banks and ranchers in Kansas and Oklahoma. Thomas had the reputation of never carrying a gun or money; he conducted his extensive business on his word only. He and his brothers were Sooners.
In 1905 he married a concert pianist, Louise McGraw of Kansas City, whose father had been the first governor of Kansas.
In 1917, Thomas and Isabel purchased the ranch on Turkey Creek. For many years the ranch was a horse ranch, where draft horses and mules were raised for use on the various operations. Several government-owned Thoroughbred stallions were stood to the public to supply mounts for the U.S. Calvary.
Thomas and Isabela Moffett had three children: Paul of New York, Tom of Kansas City, and Louisita Isabella who married Roger Chamberlain Lee of Minneapolis, Minnesota and became the mother of William F. Lee.
Bill Lee spent parts of almost all his childhood summers at the ranch on Turkey Creek, although he lived in three cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he was born; Chicago, Illinois; and Liberty, Missouri. Bill developed an appreciation of agriculture and love of the land which caused him to pursue these interests at Kansas State University, where he majored in agricultural-economics.
He married Judith Lynn Littleford, August 10, 1963, and they finished their senior year at K. State together, graduating in 1964. Judy's major was biological science; her family came from an agricultural background. Judy grew up on a large farm near Chicago, Illinois, although her father spent most of his life as a munitions engineer for the U.S. government and her mother was an educator and school principal.
Bill and Judy came to Turkey Creek in 1964, following graduation from K. State. They own a herd of around 350 Hereford cows, which had their origin from the Hazlett dispersal in 1936. They were very interested in the production of quality, growthy Hereford cattle and have participated in the American Hereford Association's Total Performance Registry program since 1970. They eagerly look forward to each new calf crop and feel each year's calves will be better than the last.
They like to travel and have enjoyed trips to Europe, Mexico and most of the Western part of the United States.
Bill has been active in Farm Bureau, Secretary of Barber County Cattlemen's Association, President of Barber-Comanche Hereford Breeders Association, Kansas Livestock Association, Chairman of Properties of Wheatbelt Girl Scout Council, a director of Gyp Hills Trail Ride Association, a 4-H leader and participant in the Peace Treaty Pageant. He was listed in Who's Who in 1973.
Judy's activities include: Director of Kansas Hereford Auxiliary, Board of Directors of Kansas CowBelles, AAUW, a 4-H leader and Peace Treaty Pageant; she also designed and promoted a needlepoint canvas used in promotion by the American Hereford Auxiliary.
Nathanial Littleford Lee was born November 7, 1966 and Patrick Chamberlain Lee was born July 28, 1969. Both boys have attended Medicine Lodge schools.