Background
He was born in 1849 in Vermont and attended school in South Tunbridge, he moved to Galion, Ohio, in 1862 where he worked as a hotel clerk and parlayed livery and real estate investments into the purchase of Central Oil Company of Galion.
He was born in 1849 in Vermont and attended school in South Tunbridge, he moved to Galion, Ohio, in 1862 where he worked as a hotel clerk and parlayed livery and real estate investments into the purchase of Central Oil Company of Galion.
Early success in the oil industry coupled with advice from his doctor (he was tubercular) to head west, Lee moved on to Salina Kansas in 1889 and set up the H.D. Lee Mercantile Company, soon becoming the major food distributor between Kansas City and Denver. Later the product range was expanded to include Sales of notions, furnishings, stationery and school supplies. Later the H.D. Lee Mercantile Company would solve workwear supply problems by taking matters into its own factory and hence the Lee Jeans brand was born.