Roy Austin
August 5, 2018
On this day, 100 years ago, my maternal grandparents, Orion Buckley Lee and Susie McIntosh were married. They went to Bernice to elope, but one of Susie’s uncles found out and called ahead to prevent them from getting married. Undeterred, they boarded a train and went to Jonesboro in Jackson Parish where they married.
Orion Lee was born on July 2, 1895, the son of James Webster Lee and Lula Clark Moore. Susie McIntosh was born March 1, 1903, the daughter of John McIntosh and Sallie Wiltcher.
I only remember my grandmother refer to Grandpa as “Lee”, his last name. I don’t recall her ever calling him “Orion”. I once asked if he kissed her before they married. She said that he tried once and she told him he really didn’t want to do that…lol.
The oldest picture is of Orion and Susie shortly after they married. The other two are from the 50th Anniversary party in 1968. They were blessed with 13 children, with one set of triplets. Two of the triplets died as infants, but the other 11 grew to adulthood. They had 28 grandchildren.
They were married 57 years before Orion Lee died in 1975 at the age of 79. Susie McIntosh Lee died in 1988 at the age of 85. I have many fond memories of them both, especially of visiting them on the farm. Those are precious memories that I hope will never fade.
Shiloh to Canaan 