Wheeling Sunday Register., September 06, 1885
Excerpt–
Lee H. Vance has purchased the Clarksburg News and hereafter will be the editor and proprietor thereof. He is a shrewd and intelligent young man, and will no doubt make it an influential Democratic paper.
The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer., September 07, 1885
Excerpt–
Mr. George Purcell, who for the past two years has owned and conducted the Clarksburg News, has disposed of the property to Mr. Lee H. Vance.
Mr. Purcell has conducted the paper in an able and clean manner and the readers of the News are assured that Mr. Vance will keep it up to its present high plane.
Spirit of Jefferson., September 08, 1885
Excerpt–
Mr. George Purcell has sold the Clarksburg News to Mr. Lee H. Vance.
Wheeling Sunday Register., September 13, 1885
Excerpt–
The first issue of the News under Lee H. Vance, Esq., our “new editor” is a subject of favorable comment.
The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer., September 29, 1885
Excerpt–
Editor Lee Vance, of the Clarksburg News, has been appointed U. S. Revenue Stamp Agent at that place.
The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer., June 09, 1886
Excerpt–
Circuit Court adjourned on Thursday. During the last few days of its session intense interest was manifested in the slander suit of the News, edited by Lee Vance, against Richards, of the Telegram. The case was partially tried, but. Postponed by Judge Fleming till the next term of court.
Editor Vance Wins a Libel Suit.
Wheeling Register, September 30, 1886
Special Telegram to the Register
CLARKSBURG, W. VA., September 29.–To-day the jury rendered a verdict in favor of Lee H. Vance, editor of the News, for $800 damages in a libel suit, wherein William F. Richards of the Telegram was defendant, the trial of which was commenced on last Friday. Under the plea the court refused to admit evidence of justification. Mr. Vance, the plaintiff, was represented by John J. Davis and John Bassel and the defendant by A. L. Hustead, Esq.
Vance–Hursey.
Wheeling Register, November 17, 1886
Special Telegram to the Register:
CLARKSBURG, November 16.–To-night, at the residence of W. L. Hursey, Esq., of this city, Mr. Lee H. Vance, editor of the News, was married to Miss Lizzie Hursey, daughter of Lloyd R. Hursey. Rev. T. S. Wade officiated. It was a quiet affair, none but the relatives of the parties being invited. A host of friends and acquaintances wish them a pleasant voyage through life.
Wedding–Libel Suits.
Wheeling Register, November 18, 1886
Special Telegram to the Register:
CLARKSBURG., W. VA. November 17.
Excerpt–
On yesterday W. F. Richards of the Telegram, instituted three libel suits for five thousand dollars each against Editor Lee H. Vance. It is said other suits will also be brought by Mr. Richards.
Wheeling Sunday Register., November 21, 1886
Excerpt–
Mr. Lee H. Vance, editor of the Clarksburg News, and Miss Lizzie Hursey, of the same city, well known society people were married last Tuesday evening.
EDITOR RICHARDS SHOT.
The Long Feud Between Him and Editor Vance Culminates.
Wheeling Register., July 02, 1887
Special Telegram to the Register.
CLARKSBURG, W. VA., July 1.,–This evening while Editor Lee H. Vance, publisher of the Clarksburg News, shot Editor Richards, of the Telegram. We are informed the trouble grew out of a publication appearing in the last issue of the Telegram. At this telegraphing the condition of the wounded man is not known to your correspondent. Vance promptly surrendered to the officers.
Bad blood has been prevailing for some time. Only a few months ago Vance brought suit against Richards for $5,000. The jury returned a verdict of $800 or thereabouts. Richards, to be even with Vance, also brought suit for libel, claiming $5,000 was necessary to heal his lacerated feelings. The jury returned a verdict of $50. As Richards is alleged to have no property in his own name the judgment in favor of Vance still stands against Richards less his (Richards’) contra judgement. The suits have only terminated recently and the war on paper has been kept up at short intervals with unparalleled acrimony and vileness, Richards going to such lengths as to bring about the sensation of to-day.
At 1:20 o’clock Vance met Richards near Holmes’ store and shot him.
One ball passed through his arm and another hitting him in the month, and being deflected, passed from the jaw into the shoulder, and perhaps fracturing or breaking the bone.
Vance gave himself up, and at a preliminary hearing that was had before Justice Northcott he was admitted to bail in the sum of $2,000. Richards is not hurt badly.
In this connection some of the rumpuses in which Richards has played star parts may be of interest.
Some four or five years ago, he published in his paper articles of an abusive character about Mr. D. C. Lee, a well known young lawyer of this place.
Mr. Lee and Mr. Richards
Mr. Lee met Richards on the street that evening and whacked him across the head with a cane, which knocked him silly for an instant, but he recovered and a scuffle ensued. Richards broke away and pulling out his revolver began retreating and firing at Lee, who is quite a large man, but Richards was unsteady and never touched him.
While the firing was going on Mr. Lee was hunting for his revolver, but by the time he found it Richards had emptied his revolver and retreated into the residence of a friend near, where he took shelter. He afterwards had Mr. Lee arrested for assaulting him and Mr. Lee was fined $50, but the fine was remitted afterwards.
The next racket occurred about two years ago or more, when Richards assailed Camden Osborne in his sheet. Mr. Osborne met him that day and promptly let daylight right through Richards’ lungs, which laid him out for some time, and it was thought he would die, but he got well in order to let some one else shoot him. Richards has had a number of other rows with people whom he assailed through his paper, and in most cases he has got the worst of it.
Shepherdstown Register., July 08, 1887
Excerpt–
A shooting affray occurred last Friday evening at Clarksburg, in which Lee Vance, editor of the Clarksburg News, shot W. F. Richards, editor of Clarksburg Telegram and the mayor of this city. One ball struck Richards in the mouth, and glancing off, struck his shoulder blade, without doing any serious damage, but the second shot passed nearly through his right arm, the ball being extracted by Dr. Morgan. He walked home after the shooting. Vance was arrested by Captain Smith, the town sergeant, and taken to jail. Vance gave bail for $1,000 for his appearance at court, his bondsmen being J. T. Farland, Geo. Bastable and Jno. Basset. The trouble, it appears, grew out of a publication in Richards’ paper in reference to Vance.
VERY LATEST
The Clarksburg Telegram., November 03, 1893
The Senate confirmed the appointment of Mr. Lee H. Vance as postmaster at Clarksburg on Wednesday.
The Clarksburg Telegram., November 24, 1893
Excerpt–
The Postoffice passed into the hands of the recent appointee, Mr. Lee H. Vance, one day this week but ex-postmaster, Boughner will remain a short time to assist the new officials.
The Clarksburg Telegram., December 14, 1894, page 7
Excerpt–
Postmaster Lee H. Vance has returned from a trip East.
The Clarksburg Telegram., March 22, 1895, page 7
Excerpt–
Mr. Lee Vance is at his desk in the post office after a short illness.
The Clarksburg Telegram., July 19, 1895, page 7
Excerpt–
Mr. Lee Vance has resigned as postmaster at Clarksburg and there is a lively contest among the Democrats as to who will be his successor. The many friends of Mr. Lloyd Reed are urging his appointment while, with equal energy, Hood Hornor, W. Scott, Frank Hornor and others are hustling for the place. Mr. Vance had been quite sick–in fact not expected to live– at the time he resigned. The appointment will be made soon.
Shepherdstown Register., August 08, 1895
Excerpt–
The Postmaster-General has appointed Lloyd Reed postmaster of Clarksburg. The office was in the hands of Lee H. Vance, who has resigned. There was a contest over the office after it became known that Mr. Vance would resign. The residents of Clarksburg endorsed Mr. Reed. Ex-Representative Pendleton endorsed Mr. Turner. Reed was postmaster during Cleveland’s first administration.
The Clarksburg Telegram., October 25, 1895, page 7
Excerpt–
Lee H. Vance was in Grafton Wednesday.
Vance-Ferguson.
The Clarksburg Telegram., January 10, 1898, page 3
Lee H. Vance and Miss Clara Ferguson were quietly married at the residence of Fielding Berry, at Brookville Tuesday at high noon, Rev. Carnes officiating. Both are residents of Clarksburg, West Virginia, though they will go at once to Tennessee where Mr. Vance has recently become the proprietor of a newspaper. The bride is a sister of Mrs. J. J. Reiboldt, of Laurel. Only members of the family were present to witness the ceremony.
–Laurel (Ind.) Review
The TELEGRAM extends congratulations and wishes them both a long and prosperous life, and may their cup be filled with the happiest thoughts of future happiness.
Lee H. Vance Dead
The Clarksburg Telegram., October 18, 1901, page 3
Lee H. Vance died at his late residence on Mulberry Street at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon, October 13, 1901, of stomach trouble after an illness of several weeks. Funeral services were held at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon and interment was made in the I. O. O. F. cemetery.
The deceased was a son of John C. Vance, a former resident of this city, was born and reared here and was 36 years of age. He was quite a prominent democratic politician at one time and was postmaster here in Cleveland’s second administration. Lee H. Vance was editor of the Clarksburg News some years ago, and filled party positions in Democratic politics, attending the various conventions and taking an active part. He possessed an extraordinary intelligence and an attractive personality that drew around him a large circle of friends, who learn of his demise with deep regret.
Mr. Vance’s first wife was Miss Lizzie Hursey, by whom he had one child, Amelia. His second wife was Miss Clara Ferguson. They all survive him.
The Clarksburg Telegram., October 18, 1901, page 4
Excerpt–
Carl Vance came home from Albany to attend the funeral of his brother, Lee H. Vance.
Fiduciary Orders.
The Clarksburg Telegram., October 25, 1901, page 6
J. Carl Vance has qualified as guardian of Amelia H. Vance, infant of Lizzie Hursey Vance, bond $1,500.
Fiduciary Business.
The Clarksburg Telegram., November 01, 1901, page 9
J. Hornor Davis has qualified as administrator of Lee H. Vance, deceased; bond, $2,000.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS,
The Clarksburg Telegram., November 22, 1901, page 11
The Clarksburg Telegram., November 29, 1901, page 11
Notice is hereby given that all persons knowing themselves indebted to Lee H. Vance or having claims against his estate, are requested to pay debts, or file such claims properly verified by affidavit, with the undersigned as his administrator on or before the 1st day of January, 1902, at his office in the city of Clarksburg, W. Va.
J. HORNOR DAVIS,
Administrator of Lee H. Vance, deceased. 3-2t.
