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Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:  KIDDER, OWENS, INGRAM, WATSON

Few departments of activity pertaining to the financial world are of greater importance than that represented by H. Irving Lee, the well-known investment broker, with offices in the Tuahy Building at San Jose. He has made a careful study both of past and present conditions, and in his extensive operations ably demonstrates the value of thorough scientific treatment and the highest of ethics. His work has long contributed to stabilize that which has so much to do with giving stability to other things, and also to protect the inexperienced. More than that, he has done much to encourage the public to invest where and how they should. Frank H. Lee, the father of our subject, was a native of Portland. Maine, and came to Portland, Ore., with his parents and later south to Santa Clara County in 1865 and here he married Miss Elizabeth Kidder, a native daughter of the county, whose parents were Charles S. and Sarah F. (Owens) Kidder. Sarah F. Owens was a native of Indiana. Her father, Rev. Isaac Owens, came from Indiana across the plains at the head of an immigrant train drawn by oxen in 1849. He was the first superintendent of missions sent out by the Methodist Episcopal Church. After his arrival he gave his time to Christian work and was one of the founders of the University of the Pacific, of which he was a trustee for  many years and he was also a presiding elder. He owned a farm at the corner of Stevens Creek and the Los Gatos-Santa Clara roads where he resided at the time of his death, a much loved and highly esteemed man well known over all of Northern California, after devoting his life to the spreading of the Gospel and moral uplift of the people. He had five children, four of whom grew up, but now all are deceased. Frank H. Lee was engaged in farm and stockraising in this vicinity for many years. The mother passed away January 18, 1921, while the father is still living.

H. Irving Lee having finished the courses of both the grammar and high schools, graduated from the Pacific Coast Business College and in 1913 organized the National Cleaning & Dyeing Company, which, in 1915, was consolidated with the Golden West when he became president of the new organization and in that responsible position he remained until December, 1919, when he disposed of his interest and became associated with the General Securities Company of San Jose, of which he is the manager, having offices in the Tuohy Building. Mr. Lee is devoting much of his time to the study of automobile financing and to plans that will make it easier for automobile men to obtain financial assistance, at the same time making it safer for bankers to do business with automobile men.

 Mr. Lee is much interested in civic and social affairs, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and a charter member of the 100 Per Cent Club and is an active member of the Progressive Business Men's Club and charter member of the San Jose Commercial Club. In national politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the San Jose Lodge No. 522 of Elks, the Native Sons of the Golden West, was made a Mason in Fraternity Lodge No. 399, F. & A. M., San Jose, and is also a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of Islam Temple. A. A. 0. N. M. S., in San Francisco. He has two married sisters, Mrs. Myra D. Ingram of San Jose, and Mrs. Daisy V. Watson.

 from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1665 cdf

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