As quoted below from 1903 probate records of Ellen LANE, otherwise known as Ellen LEE, in Surrogate’s Court, Kings County (Brooklyn) New York.
I’m wondering if there is any truth to this. Is the surname Lee connected to the surname Lane somewhere in Ireland or in Irish ?
Or am I right to think that her uncle Patrick Lane did not want to be found, so started to call himself Patrick Lee ?
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Q. Now, Miss Benedict, will you please tell us, in your own language, about how this woman went under the name of Lee or Lane ? How did that come about, if you know ?
A. Well, she told me that when she lived in Ireland as a young girl, her name was Lane, Ellen Lane. Her father’s name as Lane, and she said that when she came to this country she found her uncle, who had preceded her and whose name was Patrick Lane, had called himself Lee, but she did not know the reason why, except that she told me that Lee and Lane were the same in Ireland, and when she came here and found her uncle was calling himself Lee, why naturally, she called herself Lee and she was known as Lee. I think her brother had preceded her and she found he was calling himself (James) Lee.
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Any comments/advice appreciated.
Stella
