Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3297not only by his business relations but also by bis membership in the citycouncil.Born at Atlanta August 2,1874, lie is a son of the late Rev. Alouzo F. andMatilda J. (Henderson) Lee, both of whom are now deceased. His fatherwas a minister of the Christian Church, was also a native of Atlanta, wherehe was born July 31,1849, and spent practically all his life in that city, in theservice of various churches of the Christian faith. His death occurred December 14, 1908. The mother was born in Campbell County, Georgia, anddied July 4, 1890, at the age of thirty-six years six months. They were theparents of thirteen children, only three of whom are now living: Jesse B.;Benjamin F. Lee; and Katie, now Mrs. Katie Dawson, a widow living atJackson, Mississippi.Leaving school at the age of sixteen, Jesse B. Lee found his first regularemployment with Hunnicutt & Bellingrath, tinners. After one year withthem lie was for a year and a half with the E. Van Winkle Gin and MachineCompany. The next year and a half w;as spent in traveling all over the country, and that was the period in which he "sowed practically all his wild oats,"though it is only proper to record that the tares of that sowing has not interfered with an abundant harvest of real and substantial success in later years.During that year and a half he visited practically every state in the Unionfrom the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Lakes to the Gulf, and the longeststop he made in any one city was at Fort Worth, where he remained fourmonths and was a member of the fire department of that Texas city. He wasstill very young, and was only eighteen when he returned to Atlanta in thefall of 1892. During the next two years he was in the employ of the AtlantaAgricultural Works, and in the fall of 3894 and the spring of 1895 was working on the Atlanta Exposition grounds in preparation for the exposition heldthere in 1895. He also learned the carpenter's trade by an apprenticeshipunder his uncle, David J. Lee, but did not long continue work with the sawand hammer. His next experience was in the railroad service as locomotivefireman on the Western & Atlantic Railroad. In July, 1896, lie became amotorman on the old Atlantic Rapid Transit Railway, but three weeks laterhis car was involved in a head-on collision in which one person was killed andtwenty-six wounded, and he was himself seriously injured. This ended hiscareer as a.motorman, but it should be stated as a matter of justice that thecollision was not in any sense blamable upon his negligence, and in recognition of this fact the street car company paid him handsomely for his ownpersonal injury. His next employment was as locomotive fireman on theSouthern Railway, and he was promoted to engineer and for one year ran aswitch engine in the yards at Atlanta. Resigning that work he was next acontractor and builder in Atlanta, and for several years that was the positionby which he was best known in local business affairs.In January, 1912, Mr. Lee organized and incorporated the Lee Tile &Construction Company of Atlanta, a business which is still prospering and ina flourishing condition, though after giving it his entire time and attention hesold his half interest in the company on January 16, 1915. He gave up thatbusiness in order to organize and incorporate the Big Chief Tobacco Company, of which he became president and manager. The Big Chief TobaccoCompany is the largest cigar manufacturing concern at Atlanta, and its output comprising twelve brands of cigars, the most popular of which is knownas Big Chief, a high grade 5-cent cigar, are distributed all over the country.In politics Mr. Lee is a democrat and has been quite a factor in city affairsfor several years, and is now representing the Fifth ward in the city council.He is a member of the Christian Church, of the Junior Order of UnitedAmerican Mechanics, and the Improved Order of Red Men. In the last namedorder he is now serving as Great Sannapp for the State of Georgia. He isalso affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Silver Link