Husband David Hamilton Fee 1 2 3
Born: 9 Jul 1853 - Chartiers Twp, Washington Co, PA 2 3 4
Christened:
Died: 25 Nov 1929 5
Buried:
Father: John Fee (1817-1895) 2 3 6
Mother: Hannah Quinn (1827-1901) 2 3 6
Marriage: 15 May 1884 5 7
Wife Eva Lee Pattison 5 7 8
Born: - near West Alexander, Washington Co, PA
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Thomas Pattison (1802-1888) 4 5 7
Mother: Jane Humphrey ( -1877) 5 7 9
Children
1 M [Infant] Fee 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: in infancy
Buried:
General Notes: Husband - David Hamilton Fee
He enjoyed educational advantages in the public schools, Jefferson Academy and local normal Schools. Mr. Fee engaged in teaching school in 1881-2, and then purchased an interest in the Canonsburg Notes, and within a few months became sole proprietor and editor of the paper, then a weekly publication. He conducted the business on his own account for ten years, when he associated with him his brother, William H. Fee, who had come into the office in 1883. The publication of The Notes was carried on for the ensuing twelve years by this firm, under the name of D. H. and William H. Fee. On April 18, 1894, they established a daily edition, at a time when Canonsburg was hardly more than a village. The paper, however, by careful attention, succeeded, and The Daily Notes soon became a permanent fixture. Its circulation became more than 2,000 copies, being taken in practically every home in the community where a newspaper enters. So firmly fixed became the daily edition that the weekly, which had enjoyed a large circulation, was discontinued at the close of 1905, and all attention directed to the daily. When the Notes Publishing and Printing Company was formed, in the autumn of 1904, Mr. Fee was elected president of the company. He was also the senior editor of the paper and directed its general policy.
Mr. Fee was an independent Republican in politics, but no political alliances interfered with his support of measures which he felt would benefit Canonsburg. Mr. Fee was one who has always had a deep appreciation of the beautiful in Nature and in Art, and his time outside of his office hours was divided between his flowers and fruits and his books. He also possessed some ability as a public speaker, and delivered addresses on a considerable number of public occasions. He was a charter member of the Monday Night Club-Canonsburg's oldest and most important literary society-and was active in promoting its welfare.
General Notes: Wife - Eva Lee Pattison
She was educated in private and normal schools in Donegal Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania. For several years she taught in that section of Washington County and came to Canonsburg following her marriage. A woman of broad culture and informed taste, she was conspicuous for years in the literary and cultural life of the community. She also kept in close touch with the progress of public affairs, local, national and international.
Mrs. Fee was a founder of the Monday Night Club, organized in 1897, and for years the leading literary society of Canonsburg. She served as president of the Woman's Hospital Auxiliary during a period when the facilities and activities of the hospital were greatly expanded, and by her energetic leadership contributed substantially to that end. She was also a member of the local Board of Health for a time and was long active in the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Chartiers United Presbyterian Church and the Canonsburg Woman's Club. By virtue of her descent from Colonel Humphrey, she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and is affiliated in this order with Wheeling Chapter.
During the period in which her husband edited and published "The Daily Notes," and after the death of William H. Fee in 1923, Mrs. Fee became an associate editor on the staff of this publication. She contributed regularly to the columns of the paper, usually over the signature "Eva L. Fee," and her articles and notes on community affairs became one of its distinctive features. Mrs. Fee became well known not only as a popular journalist but as an equally successful writer of verse. Many of her poems were published in the local paper, as well as other periodicals and reached a wide circle of appreciative readers. Perhaps her best known composition in verse form is the poem written for the thirtieth anniversary of "The Daily Notes." In this poem she originated the phrase "Canonsburg Can," which was immediately adopted as the slogan of the paper and was soon accepted for the town as a whole. Through its widespread popularity, this slogan passed into common local speech, expressing the spirit and will to progress of the community.