As a businessman he kept developing the family-owned mining conglomerate, which controlled part of iron ore, carbon, fluorite, anhydrite and plaster exploitation in Vascongadas and Asturias.

As a linguist he was a longtime executive of Sociedad de Estudios Vascos, owned one of the largest collections of Basque literature and contributed few scientific works himself.

He kept obtaining new mining concessions,[11] counted among "destacados miembros de las élites bilbaína" and owned one of the most successful industrial conglomerates in Biscay.

[21] The oldest son, Luis Lezama Leguizamón Zuazola, was the provincial Carlist leader in the mid-1930s;[22] he died of typhus[23] when fighting as requeté during the Civil War;[24] neither José survived the conflict.

[47] Some mines were equipped with transportation systems or washeries which provided services to competitive companies;[48] part of their infrastructure was so advanced that it gained scientific articles.

In the 1890s he was among stakeholders of La Robla, a new railway line which linked Bilbao with León and Palencia; both regions provided coal, needed for the Biscay iron industry.

In 1916 he engaged in Euskal Esnalea, an association set up to study Basque language; he took part in its labors and co-organized a grand "Homenaje al idioma vasco", hailed among "conocidos cultivadores del euskera".

[83] Other attempts are largely bibliographical and partially biographical pieces published in Revista Internacional de los Estudios Vascos in the 1920s;[84] one of them, El Vascófilo Franciscano R. P. Fr.

[85] Despite rather modest output, at least compared to scientific writings of other SEV leaders like Julio Urquijo, Luis Eleizalde or Resurección Azkue, in friendly press Lezama was hailed as "vascofilo ilustrísimo".

[88] The collection, estimated to be one of the largest in Spain, occupied entire wing of Lezama's palace in Getxo;[89] apart from Basque-related treasures[90] it included also non-Basque documents related to Spanish history.

[94] Lezama co-founded the daily and provided own financial contribution;[95] similarly, in 1904 he engaged in somewhat broader media initiative, setup of a Bilbao publishing house, Editorial Vizcaina; he served as its vice-president.

[96] At least until the late 1910s the Lezama brothers were key owners of La Gaceta;[97] Luis remained in executive of the company and died as Presidente del Consejo de Administración of the daily.

[104] As he contributed financially, in 1909 the Sociedad organized him a homage concerto; its program included the first public performance of Así cantan los chicos, the first major work of Jesús Guridi.

[106] His bibliophile collection included treasuries of musical history; in case of some, he donated them, e.g. in 1927 he presented a manuscript of Boccherini, consisting of separate vocal and instrumental parts of Stabat Mater, to his native Comune di Lucca.

[107] Until his late years Lezama used to take part in musical events, e.g. in 1928 he participated in Congreso Nacional de la Música Sagrada[108] and upon death was acknowledged as "músico eminente".

[120] In the 1910s Lezama was moderately engaged in party propaganda; in 1911 he took part in a banquette to honor Traditionalist deputies,[121] in 1913 both brothers travelled to Paris to pay homage to Don Jaime,[122] and in few cases he appeared on closed-doors Jaimista feasts, e.g. in 1917 in Azcoitia with infanta Beatriz.

[125] When the conflict erupted in the climax of 1919, the Lezamas joined the rebel Mellistas;[126] though they counted among their most eminent personalities,[127] in Biscay the dissenters were led by José Joaquín Ampuero and Ignacio Gardeazábal.

In 1924 both brothers[130] co-signed a manifesto, which pledged support to the dictator; though they declared that no Traditionalist could accept the 1876 constitution as basis for further action, they nevertheless recommended entering Union Patriótica.

[137] The same year he entered the Carlist junta which inspected the draft of vasco-navarrese autonomous statute; the body eventually refrained from issuing firm recommendations.