Ellen was the daughter of Rev. James McEwen and Catherine Chambers. She married Marshall Burr Lee in Bartholomew Co., IN on October 15, 1828. After his death she married Daniel Fortner on November 19, 1855. She later divorced him and took back Lee as her surname. It is unknown where James was buried. Catherine ended up in WA State.

OBIT - Ottumwa Courier - Feb. 16, 1899
A FATAL ACCIDENT
Aged Fremont Woman Falls Into a Cellar Way
Kirkville, Feb. 15. --- Grandma Lee, mother of M.B. Lee, was making her home with her son and family, met with an accident, Tuesday which cost her her life. She opened what she thought was the door to her room but instead opened the cellar door and fell to the bottom of the cellar, sustaining injuries from which she died soon after. Mrs. Lee was almost a centenarian, being about 90 years old.

OBITUARY: ELLA MCCUNE LEE
Ella McCune was born in North Carolina Dec. 23, 1810. She was married to M.B. Lee in the year 1828. In 1851 she and her husband moved to Iowa and settled on a farm in Mahaska Co. To them were born eleven children; of whom only four survive her. She was blessed with fifty grand children and twelve great grand children and three great great grand children. Besides the care and attention bestowed on her own family she thought it not too much to show the part of a friend and mother to others who were in need of sympathy and care. Her home was refuge where all the comforts and training of a home were freely given. Mrs. Lee was converted when she was eight years old and at once identified herself with the church. Her love for God and the church has never waned. For some years she has been so feeble from age as to render her unable to worship at the church with the people of God, still she was content to have the comforting presence of her Savior with her in her home. Much of her time was spent in reading and in singing those old Methodist hymns. She died February 14, 1899, aged 88 years, 2 months and 21 days.

Newspaper Burial Notice:
The funeral services of Mrs. Lee, the mother of Mr. M.B. Lee, will be held at Kirkville at 11 o'clock Friday, February 17th, the procession to leave the residence at 10 o'clock a.m. Mrs. Lee's death was the result of a fall on Tuesday morning,her death occurring at about 8:30 the same evening. She was over 80 years of age.