ALONZO B. CASS

Los Angeles County

Biographies

ALONZO B. CASS

CASS, ALONZO B., President of the Home Telephone and Telegraph Company, Los Angeles, California, is a native of New York State. He was born July 4, 1856, at Albion. His father was P. C. Cass and his mother Amanda M. (Herrick) Cass. He was married in Muskogee, Oklahoma, June 21, 1885, to Emily F. Tufts (deceased), to which union there were born eight children, Frank T. Cass, Phil, Louis, Donald, Quincy, Harold, Emily F. and Alonzo B. Cass, Jr. On August 23, 1909, he married Martha T. Muir, at Los Angeles, and adopted her three children, John, William and Robert.

Mr. Cass attended the public schools of New York State, and finished his education at the Albion Academy, Albion, New York.

He started in the business world at Ash Grove, Missouri, in 1879, in the general merchandise line as the firm of Green and Cass. From there Mr. Cass moved south to Oklahoma, where at Muskogee he continued in the general merchandise business between the years of 1880 and 1887. Two of his brothers, Frank H. and B. H. Cass, with Leo B. Newberry, were his associates, for one year in that city. He was also in the same business in Atoka, Oklahoma, in 1883-1884; at South Canadian in 1884-1886, and at McAllister, Oklahoma, from 1887 up to 1888. He was also a member of the firm of Govigan and Cass, druggists, at Muskogee.

On arriving in Los Angeles, in 1888, Mr. Cass immediately went into business with his brothers as the firm of Cass Brothers Stove Company, which continued under that name until 1890. In that year the firm became known as the Crandall and Cass Company, continuing to 1893. Between the years of 1893-1906, the Company was known as the Cass and Smurr Stove Company, when it came under its present name, Cass, Smurr, Damerel Company.

During his years in business in Los Angeles, Mr. Cass established a substantial reputation for himself among the representative and progressive men of that city. His success in whatever field he pleased to enter won the hearty endorsement of able men.

Mr. Cass was one of the original founders of the Central Bank, now the Central National Bank. His keen perception in the business world and his wide acquaintance among men of affairs were forces which worked for the upbuilding of the bank which today is one of the sound institutions of Los Angeles.

In 1906, when the Home Telephone and Telegraph Company was forging to the front, Mr. Cass was elected President of that corporation. Immediately he set about to make the Company a success.

Four years later because of his successful work with the Home Telephone Company, in Los Angeles, Mr. Cass was made President of the Bay Cities Home Telephone Company of San Francisco.

When the Home Telephone Company was first founded in 1898, Mr. Cass became its first subscriber for stock and has stood by the corporation ever since. He was shortly after elected vice president of the company, and today occupies the position of chief executive, directing the tremendous workings of the system.

He still retains his interest with the Cass, Smurr, Damerel Company, and holds the vice presidency of that firm. He is a director of the Central National Bank, and holds many other important interests. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1901, was the first president of the Municipal League and a trustee of the State Normal School for four years.

He is a member of the California, Jonathan, Sunset, and Union League Clubs of Los Angeles, is vice president of the Young Men’s Christian Association, and a member of the Federation and City Clubs.

Transcribed 8-19-08 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 125, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.

GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES

GOLDEN NUGGET INDEX