Sid Lee: Difference between revisions

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'''Sidney W. Lee''' was the owner of [[Alabama Grocery Company]], and invented [[Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale]] in [[1901]].
'''Sidney Word Lee''' (born [[December 16]], [[1864]] in Monroe County, Mississippi; died [[1944]]) was the owner of [[Alabama Grocery Company]], and invented [[Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale]] in [[1901]].


==Buffalo Rock==
Lee was the only child of Colonel James Williamson and Morgia Reynolds Word Lee at their plantation near Aberdeen in Monroe County, Mississippi. He attended public schools in Aberdeen and then graduated from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of at Starkville, then earned a degree from the Eastman School of Business in Poughkeepsie, New York in [[1883]].
Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale was originally created by Lee as a non-carbonated tonic for stomach ailments. Lee worked with Selma chemist Ashby Coleman to create a carbonated soft drink from the tonic which he sold through his Alabama Grocery Company. The name was first used in commerce in [[1906]], and a trade mark was applied for in [[1917]]. By [[1927]], Lee dropped all of his wholesale products to focus on making and bottling Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale.


Lee's son, [[James C. Lee]], took over the company. Lee's [[Jimmy Lee, Jr|grandson]] and [[Jimmy Lee III|great-grandson]] have also headed what is now the [[Buffalo Rock Company]].
In [[1884]] Lee went to work for [[W. C. McMillan]], a cotton merchant, as bookkeeper. On [[February 1]], [[1888]] he moved to [[Birmingham]] and kept books for a shoe wholesaler for a few years before he partnered with McMillan, [[H. C. Terrell]] and [[A. O. Stoddard]] in the formation of the [[McMillan-Lee Grocery Company]] in [[1892]]. McMillan retired from the business after only six months, leaving Lee in charge. The firm merged with [[Simmons, Durham & Company]] in [[1901]] to form the [[Alabama Grocery Company]] with Lee as president.


{{stub}}
Meanwhile, Lee was working with Selma chemist Ashby Coleman to create a carbonated soft drink from the popular ginger-based tonic sold by Alabama Grocery Company. The "Buffalo Rock" name for the resulting golden ginger ale debuted in [[1906]]. Lee eventually sold off the other aspects of his business to focus on bottling the product and applied for a Trade Mark in [[1917]]. Lee was elected president of the National Bottlers Association in [[1922]] and served two terms. The Alabama Grocery Company was officially renamed the [[Buffalo Rock Company]] in [[1927]].


{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Sid}}
Lee married the former [[Minnie Lee|Minnie Coleman]] on [[March 27]], [[1889]] and resided at [[Sidney Lee residence|3519 Country Club Road]]. They had five children: [[Sidney Lee, Jr|Sidney Jr]], [[James C. Lee|James Coleman]], Annie (Barker), Emma (Dean), and Minnie (Thames). James took over the company after his father's death, and has passed it down to his son, [[Jimmy Lee, Jr]], and thence to his son, [[Jimmy Lee III]].
 
{{Start box}}
{{Succession box|title=CEO of [[Buffalo Rock Company|Buffalo Rock]]|before=none|after=[[James C. Lee]]|
years=[[1927]]–?}}
{{End box}}
 
==References==
* Citizens Historical Association (February 27, 1937)  "Sidney Word Lee,  Executive, 3519 Country Club Road, Birmingham, Alabama." ''[http://catalog.jclc.org/record=b1142487 Biographical Sketches of Citizens of Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama]'' Indexed and compiled by Birmingham Public Library, 1965
* Lee, Peyton (February 16, 2012) "Sidney Word Lee: The Greatest Great Grandfather I Never Met." ''Birmingham Weekly''
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Sidney}}
[[Category:1864 births]]
[[Category:1944 deaths]]
[[Category:Bookkeepers]]
[[Category:Grocers]]
[[Category:Entrepreneurs]]
[[Category:Entrepreneurs]]

Latest revision as of 20:25, 18 February 2012

Sidney Word Lee (born December 16, 1864 in Monroe County, Mississippi; died 1944) was the owner of Alabama Grocery Company, and invented Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale in 1901.

Lee was the only child of Colonel James Williamson and Morgia Reynolds Word Lee at their plantation near Aberdeen in Monroe County, Mississippi. He attended public schools in Aberdeen and then graduated from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of at Starkville, then earned a degree from the Eastman School of Business in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1883.

In 1884 Lee went to work for W. C. McMillan, a cotton merchant, as bookkeeper. On February 1, 1888 he moved to Birmingham and kept books for a shoe wholesaler for a few years before he partnered with McMillan, H. C. Terrell and A. O. Stoddard in the formation of the McMillan-Lee Grocery Company in 1892. McMillan retired from the business after only six months, leaving Lee in charge. The firm merged with Simmons, Durham & Company in 1901 to form the Alabama Grocery Company with Lee as president.

Meanwhile, Lee was working with Selma chemist Ashby Coleman to create a carbonated soft drink from the popular ginger-based tonic sold by Alabama Grocery Company. The "Buffalo Rock" name for the resulting golden ginger ale debuted in 1906. Lee eventually sold off the other aspects of his business to focus on bottling the product and applied for a Trade Mark in 1917. Lee was elected president of the National Bottlers Association in 1922 and served two terms. The Alabama Grocery Company was officially renamed the Buffalo Rock Company in 1927.

Lee married the former Minnie Coleman on March 27, 1889 and resided at 3519 Country Club Road. They had five children: Sidney Jr, James Coleman, Annie (Barker), Emma (Dean), and Minnie (Thames). James took over the company after his father's death, and has passed it down to his son, Jimmy Lee, Jr, and thence to his son, Jimmy Lee III.

Preceded by:
none 		CEO of Buffalo Rock
1927–? 		Succeeded by:
James C. Lee

References

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