▁ten ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁had ▁att ained ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁general ▁super int endent ▁of ▁production . ▁ ▁While ▁there , ▁however , ▁he ▁became ▁friends ▁with ▁J . S . ▁C ull in an , ▁and ▁the ▁two , ▁along ▁with ▁Em erson ▁Francis ▁Wood ward , ▁Will ▁C . ▁Hog g , ▁and ▁James ▁L . ▁Aut ry , ▁joined ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Farm ers ▁Pet role um ▁Company , ▁of ▁which ▁Lee ▁became ▁president . ▁ ▁Life ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁Lee , ▁along ▁with ▁C ull in an , ▁Wood ward , ▁and ▁other ▁associ ates , ▁organized ▁the ▁American ▁Republic s ▁Corporation ▁that ▁later ▁controlled ▁twenty - one ▁subs idi aries ▁involved ▁in ▁all ▁fac ets ▁of ▁the ▁oil ▁industry : ▁prospect ing , ▁production , ▁ref ining , ▁and ▁transport ation , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁manufact uring ▁ships , ▁tank ▁cars , ▁and ▁oil ▁tools . ▁ ▁While ▁serving ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors , ▁Lee ▁also ▁held ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁vice ▁president ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁production . ▁ ▁But ▁things ▁would ▁eventually ▁s our ▁between ▁Lee ▁and ▁C ull in an , ▁and ▁several ▁years ▁later , ▁they ▁head ed ▁oppos ing ▁forces ▁bitter ly ▁engaged ▁in ▁a ▁stock ▁war ▁for ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁corpor ation . ▁C ull in an ▁not ▁only ▁defeated ▁Lee ▁in ▁the ▁struggle , ▁but ▁he ▁put ▁his ▁own ▁son ▁Craig ▁into ▁Lee ' s ▁position ▁as ▁vice ▁president . ▁