Los Angeles County
Biographies
STEPHEN
BYRON DEXTER
DEXTER, STEPHEN BYRON, Real Estate and Industrial Promoter, Los Angeles, California, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, March 22, 1869, the son of John W. Dexter and Emma (Denmead) Dexter. He married Miss Louis Schryber at Polo, Illinois, June 16, 1893, and to them there have been born two children, Byron Russell and Martin Schryber Dexter. Descended from an early New England family, Dr. Dexter’s ancestors for generations have been prominent in public affairs. His great-great-granduncle, Samuel Dexter, served as Secretary of War in the Cabinet of President John Adams during the year 1800.
Dr. Dexter was educated for the ministry and spent a large part of his life in religious endeavor. He attended the grammar and high schools of Boston until the year 1881, then went to Suffield Institute in Connecticut for several months. He followed this with brief study in a preparatory school of New York City.
It was shortly after this, when about seventeen years of age that Dr. Dexter felt the call to the Christian ministry. He first entered upon the work as an assistant to Dr. S. P. Henson, having charge of the work at Raymond Chapel, afterwards associating with Dr. R. E. Torrey, the famous evangelist. Later he became acquainted with such celebrated men as Dr. A. J. Gordon, a great Boston preacher; Rev. Wilbur Chapman and Alexander, the noted singing evangelist. His zeal and sincerity during various campaigns attracted the attention of Dwight L. Moody, known all over the world for his evangelistic efforts, and the latter was so impressed that he offered to pay the tuition of Dr. Dexter in preparing for the ministry. The latter accepted the offer and entered Chicago Bible School, where he studied for two years, supplementing this with five years at the University of Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1897 with the degree D.D.
Beginning his career as an ordained minister, Dr. Dexter’s first charge was the Humbolt Baptist Church, Chicago, to which he was called. He served there about four years and in 1901 received a call to Emmanuel Baptist Church, Chicago, where he was in association with the Rev. Johnson Meyers, D.D. for part of the time.
Possessed of unusual ability as an organizer and executive, Dr. Dexter was called upon to perform numerous duties outside of his pulpit and spent much time in travel as a lecturer on temperance and the work of the Y. M. C. A. In this connection he was chosen President of the Million Voters’ league, a quasi-religious organization in Ohio and Illinois, whose members were pledged to vote for the adoption of temperance legislation.
While conducting this campaign, Dr. Dexter was invited to Washington by Secretary Root, to discuss the army canteen problem and was appointed to investigate the closing of the canteens at Fort Sheridan, Ill. In his report, he took a stand against saloons outside the gates of army posts, stating there was less injury from canteens within the garrison than from the saloons outside. This report was decried by the ultra-temperance advocates and Dr. Dexter suffered great persecution, but the press, President McKinley and Secretary Root received his views with favor.
In 1903, Dr. Dexter was called to Princeton, Ill., where he engaged in church and missionary work for four churches during the next year. In 1904, he was called to the Park Place Baptist Church, Aurora, Ill. and remained there about five years.
During this charge Dr. Dexter attracted the attention of the country by his progressive ideas. He established a lodging house for men in connection with the church, providing for fifty men. This personally conducted by him, proved a success and was a valuable adjunct to the church work. One of his ideas, however, shocked the deacons; he announced from the pulpit that he favored flirting in churches. At first blush this seemed the ultimate of radicalism but Dr. Dexter declared he had personally conducted an investigation of amusement places in Aurora, and had come to the conclusion that flirtations within the confines of the church, under the hallowed influences of divine love and church society, were preferable to the sudden bewitching and beguiling flirtations of dance halls.
In 1909, after more than twenty years of church work, Dr. Dexter decided to abandon it for commercial life, and became Manager for the Pittsburg Life Trust & Insurance Co. He had under his supervision thirty-one counties in Illinois, but in 1911 resigned and moved to the Pacific Coast.
Dr. Dexter first organized the Golden West Home Builders of Los Angeles, but in May, 1912, sold this and organized the Securities Investment Co., with the insurance of mortgages and bonds as its object. He is President of this company and also of the Guarantee Fund & Investment Co. He is also President, Spring Street Investment Co.; Vice President, Tungsten Consolidated Co.; Vice President, Pacific Tunnel Co., and Vice President, Spiral Amusement Co.
The main part of Dr. Dexter’s business is transacted through the S. B. Dexter Syndicate Co., of which he is President and chief stockholder.
He retains interest in church affairs as a member of Temple Baptist Church in Los Angeles. He is member, Masons, Knights of Pythias, and the Gamut and Sierra Madre Clubs.
Transcribed 5-6-10
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Pages 410-411,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2010 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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