Los Angeles County
Biographies
FERDINAND RANDALL BAIN
BAIN, FERDINAND RANDALL, President, Southern Counties Gas Company, Los Angeles, California, was born at Chatham, New York, May 3, 1861, the son of Milton Bain and Charlotte M. (Nash) Bain. He has been twice married, his first wife having been Hattie J. Kenworthy, whom he married at Poughkeepsie, New York, December 9, 1885. To them there were born three daughters, Ethel, Mary and Kathleen Bain. His second wife was Gertrude M. Benchley-Miller, whom he married in New York City, February 1, 1911.
Mr. Bain received his preliminary education in private schools of Dover Plains, New York, and was graduated from Bishop’s Preparatory School at Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1878. His parents dying that year, he gave up his plans for a college career and engaged in the real estate and investment business in Poughkeepsie.
Mr. Bain was engaged in this field for about twenty-five years and during that time was one of the prominent figures in the financial and political life of the city. Early in his career he purchased the street railway system of Poughkeepsie, known as the Poughkeepsie and Wappingers Falls Railroad and served for two years as its President and General Manager. He sold the property to another syndicate at that time and shortly afterward, in company with Former Governor Benjamin B. Odell, Jr., of Newburgh, purchased the Electric Light and Gas Company of Newburgh, New York. He was elected president of this corporation and served in that capacity for a year, when he sold his interest in order to look after other affairs.
From this time on Mr. Bain branched out in various financial lines and for many years was one of the conspicuous figures in banking, realty, railroad and other utility corporations. He held the office of president for two years in the Poughkeepsie Gas and Electric Company and for several years after leaving that office retained a large interest in the company. While he was President of the company he also held the same office in the Varick Realty Company, which owned a square block of property in New York’s business district, the site of one of the largest mercantile buildings in the metropolis. He maintained offices at 35 Wall street.
He still had extensive interests in Poughkeepsie and other parts of New York at this time, being a director in the Farmers and Manufacturers’ national Bank of that city and an officer in various other corporations. In 1904 his New York business had increased to such an extent he was compelled to relinquish his real estate and investment enterprises in Poughkeepsie, with the exception of the gas and bank holdings, and transfer his headquarters to New York City.
For about seven years he was practically inactive and spent this time principally in traveling Europe. He purchased a large interest in the Southern Counties Gas Company, a corporation which had taken in many of the gas plants of the Southern part of California, and was elected Vice President and General Manager. Within a short time he was elected President of the company.
In Poughkeepsie Mr. Bain was active in civic affairs, was elected a member of the Board of Aldermen in 1886 and re-elected in 1888. At the expiration of his second term he was elected Supervisor for two years.
In 1894 he was appointed City Assessor for the purpose of reorganizing the assessment system of the city and held the office two years. He was Secretary for fourteen years of the Dutchess County Agricultural Society, resigning when he moved to New York City.
Mr. Bain is a member of the Down Town Club, and the Republican Club of New York; the Gamut, L.A. Country Club and the Union League of Los Angeles; also the L. A. Chamber of Commerce.
Transcribed 3-30-09
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 223,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2009 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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