Los Angeles County
Biographies
CHARLES
HENRY FROST
FROST, CHARLES HENRY, Manufacturer, Los Angeles, California, was born at Ithaca, New York, June 9, 1844. His father was George Pepperell Frost and his mother Eliza Little (Benjamin) Frost. He married Helen I. Sherman, November 19, 1869, at Davenport, Iowa and to them were born two children, Lida E. (Mrs. L. J. Huff) and Howard Frost.
Mr. Frost is a descendant of one of George Washington’s most valiant soldiers, his grandfather, Captain George Pepperell Frost, having served with him throughout the Revolutionary period, in most of the big battles which led, ultimately, to the freedom of the United States.
He received his primary education in the public and private schools of Ithaca, N. Y., and Chicago, Illinois, having attended the Ithaca Academy at the former place. He finished his studies at Baker’s High School, Quincy, Illinois.
He attended school up to the year 1862, when upon President Lincoln’s second call for volunteers, he deserted his school books to join the Union army. He was beneath the legal age limit and his father refused to permit him to enlist as a fighting man, so he went into the commissary department of the government as a citizen employe, (sic) with headquarters at Chicago. He remained in that capacity for two years, when he was transferred to the quartermaster’s department at Cincinnati, Ohio, being promoted to the post of cashier. Here is remained two years more, and in 1866 he resigned to go with the Home Mutual Life Insurance Co. of Cincinnati. He was connected with the company for three years, the latter part of which period he was secretary. In 1868 he resigned his position with this company to join the United States Life Insurance Company of New York as manager of its Western department. With this corporation he remained until 1877.
In 1988 Mr. Frost organized a pressed brick company at Chicago, capitalized at $500,000, and has remained in that business down to date. He was made general manager of this original company and for nearly ten years directed the working of it. The company was a success from the beginning and at the end of nine years Mr. Frost had amassed an independent fortune.
At that time he sold his interests and decided to move West, settling at Pasadena, California. He determined to re-enter business and in 1887 organized the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Co., with himself as president and general manager. The company built a large plant at Los Angeles and in the twenty-four years that have elapsed since its organization has grown to be one of the most important industrial institutions in the West. It has a capital stock of $500,000, and a partial list of the stockholders associated with Mr. Frost includes some of the most successful men in Southern California. A few of his associates in this company follow: H. E. Huntington, W. G. Kerckhoff, I. N. Van Nuys, William H. Allen, J. E. Fishburn, J. M. Elliott, W. C. Patterson, West Hughes, W. D. Woolwine, J. Ross Clark, O. T. Johnson, J. M. C. Marble, Dan Murphy and Howard Frost.
In addition to the main plant at Los Angeles, the company operates two other large factories, one at Santa Monica, California, and another at Point Richmond, California, all under the general direction of Mr. Frost. He has extended the business of his company from British Columbia to Old Mexico.
Mr. Frost has been an active figure in the upbuilding of Los Angeles and is considered one of the most progressive men in that city. He is a member of the Jonathan Club, and during his residence in Chicago was a member of the Union League, and Illinois clubs. He also held membership in the Building Trade Club of New York. He is a thirty-second degree Mason.
Transcribed 6-24-09 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 305,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2009 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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