Los
Angeles County
Biographies
JAMES R. FILES
James R. Files, successful Los
Angeles attorney, is engaged in law practice as a member of the firm of Freston & Files, with offices at 650 South Spring
Street. He was born near Iowa City,
Iowa, December 6, 1881, his parents being James Monroe and Mary Jane (Bowman)
Files, both of whom are deceased. The father devoted his attention to general
agricultural pursuits throughout his active career.
J. R. Files completed his public
school education by graduation from the high school at Iowa City and
subsequently entered the State University of Iowa, which conferred upon him the
degree of Bachelor of Philosophy in 1905 and that of Bachelor of Laws in
1907. He taught history and coached
debating in the high school at Fort Dodge, Iowa, from 1906 until 1910, and the
debating teams which he tutored won the state championship for four consecutive
years. Thereafter he engaged in law
practice at Fort Dodge for a period of seventeen years, or until 1927, when he
came to Los Angeles, California, where he has continued in the work of his
chosen profession to the present time, being now accorded an extensive and
gratifying clientele as a member of the firm of Freston
& Files.
In 1909 Mr. Files was united in
marriage to Miss Anna Louis, of Harlan, Iowa, and they are the parents of four
children: Gordon L., Mary Helen, Roger
B. and Hanford A. The family home is at
1776 North Sycamore Street in Hollywood.
Mr. Files has long occupied a
position of prominence in Democratic circles.
While still a resident of Iowa he was nominated for congress in 1916 and
six years later was the Democratic candidate for governor of the state. For twelve years he served as a member of the
board of education in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
In 1924 he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in New
York City. In Los Angeles he has become
widely known as a public speaker and has taken an active part in civic
affairs. His military record covers
service in the United States Army at the time of the World War and he was the
first commander of Fort Dodge Post of the American Legion. Fraternally he is identified with the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and with the Masons, belonging to Ashlar Lodge, No. 111, F. & A. M., Fort Dodge Chapter,
R. A. M., Fort Dodge Commandery, K. T., all of Fort Dodge, Iowa; and Za-Ga-Zig Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. of Des Moines,
Iowa. Mr. Files has won many warm
friends in his adopted city, Los Angeles.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 31-32, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES