a professional drummer met Sam Cooley while playing locally in Indianapolis in 1895.  

Hollander made his first drums in 1894 in Toledo Ohio and in 1896 they teamed up and formed the Leedy-Cooley Manufacturing Company making drums in Indianapolis.  

In 1924 they started making banjos by employing an ex Ludwig banjo maker.  These were mostly 4 stringed instruments.  

In 1930 during the great depression both Leedy and Ludwig were purchased by G C Conn Manufacturing of Elkhart, Indianna.