Lee was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, and attended the common schools in the area.

[1] In 1915, he again ran for Governor and was defeated in the Democratic Primary by eventual winner Emerson Harrington.

Because the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution had recently gone into effect, Lee became the second U.S.

He presented his credentials to serve as senator on December 5, 1913, but he did not qualify until January 28, 1914 because the incumbent in his seat, Republican William P. Jackson, claimed that "since he had been appointed under the original constitutional provision, he was entitled to hold his seat until the regularly scheduled adjournment date of the Maryland state assembly.

"[2] The Senate considered Jackson's challenge but eventually rejected it and seated Lee.