William Ellsworth Lee
William Ellsworth Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Petroleum, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | October 28, 1936 (aged 69) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Oil industry executive; founder and president of Citizens National Bank |
William Ellsworth Lee (January 31, 1867 – October 28, 1936) was a notable figure in American business.
Biography
Born on January 31, 1867, in Petroleum, West Virginia, William Ellsworth Lee was the sibling of Thomas Peter Lee. He commenced his career in the oil industry with six years at the U. S. Oil Company in West Virginia before relocating to Ohio. In 1904, he moved to Saratoga, Texas to collaborate with his brother. On September 8, 1907, he wed Margaret McGuigan from Parkersburg, and together they had six children: William Howard, Irene May, Thomas Peter, Faustine Ellen, along with twins Donald and Ronald.
Following ten years of service at Producers Oil Company, Lee became part of the Texas Company (Texaco), where he was placed in charge of the Sour Lake production sector. Although he aspired to replace his brother T. P. Lee as general superintendent of production after his departure, the position went to someone else. Despite this setback, he stayed at Texaco under his brother’s encouragement while exploring other ventures.
When Yount-Lee Oil Company was established, T. P. Lee awarded him shares that allowed William to shift his focus from oil production into financial enterprises. He founded and presided over the Citizens National Bank in Sour Lake, which grew to become a dominant banking institution within Hardin County.
According to Bill Lee’s grandson, T. P. "Tommy" Lee III, William was a robust man standing approximately five feet eleven inches tall and weighing around three hundred pounds. He was known for his warmth toward family members and shared a particularly close bond with his brother T. P. Lee. Despite his considerable wealth and business stature, he retained rural habits such as tending a vegetable garden and raising livestock at his Houston residence on Montrose Boulevard, demonstrating a strong commitment to family life.
After moving to Houston, Lee concentrated on investment activities and emerged as a leading financier in the region. He held memberships in prestigious clubs like the River Oaks Country Club, Houston Club, and Yacht Club, as well as participation in fraternal organizations including the Shrine and Knights Templar. William Ellsworth Lee passed away at age sixty-nine on October 28, 1936, due to bronchial pneumonia; at the time of his death, he lived at 4218 Montrose Boulevard and was interred alongside his brother at Houston's Glenwood Cemetery.
Legacy
One of his daughters, Faustine, married Glenn Herbert McCarthy—familiarly called "Diamond Glenn"—a famed wildcatter responsible for developing Houston’s renowned Shamrock Hotel. McCarthy is believed to have inspired the character Jett Rink in Edna Ferber's novel Giant. Additionally, William Howard Lee, one of William Ellsworth Lee’s sons, was twice married to Hollywood actresses: first to Hedy Lamarr from 1953 until 1960 and later to Gene Tierney in 1960.