STODDARD JESS

Los Angeles County

Biographies

STODDARD JESS

JESS, STODDARD, Banker, Los Angeles, California, was born at Fox lake, Wisconsin, December 3, 1856, the son of George Jess and Marion Theresa (Judd) Jess. He married Carrie Helen Chenoweth at Monroe, Wisconsin, January 15, 1879, and to them there were born two children, Jennie C. (deceased) and George Benjamin Jess.

The Jess family is of English origin, but has been prominent on this side of the Atlantic for nearly a hundred years, the first member to cross the waters having been John L. P. Jess, the grandfather of Stoddard Jess. He was reared to manhood in Nova Scotia, but later moved with his family to the United States, settling near Fox Lake, Wisconsin. His son George, father of Stoddard Jess, was one of those adventurers who crossed the plains in 1850, following the receipt of information about the discovery of gold in California. He prospected for gold for several months, but gave up the effort and returned to his home in Wisconsin, where he later became prominent in banking, political and fraternal affairs. He was a supporter of the Republican party and besides representing his district in the Wisconsin Legislature, held various other public offices. On the maternal side of his family Stoddard Jess is descended from the early settlers of New York State. His grandfather, Stoddard Judd, served his district in the New York State Assembly for several terms, and later, upon receiving appointment from President Polk as Receiver of the United States Land office at Green Bay, Wisconsin, moved to that State and there spent a large part of his life. He was a member of the first and second Constitutional Conventions at which the Constitution of Wisconsin was drawn and later served several terms as Senator and Representative in the State Legislature.

Stoddard Jess attended the public schools of his native city and was graduated from the University of Wisconsin in the class of 1876. Immediately upon the conclusion of his college course, he entered the employ of the First national Bank of Fox Lake, Wisconsin, as a clerk and remained there a year. At the end of that time he was taken into the banking house of his father, known as George Jess & Co. of Waupun, Wisconsin, in the capacity of Cashier. This was considered one of the strongest financial institutions of that time and Mr. Jess, as one of its officers occupied an important place in the business affairs of the town.

Early in his career Mr. Jess became active in political affairs of Waupun and in addition to serving several terms as a member of the City Council, held the office of Mayor for two years.

His term expiring in 1885 Mr. Jess declined re-election in order to move to Southern California with his father, whose health had become impaired. Disposing of their interests in Wisconsin, the Jess family transferred their home to Pomona, California, and a few months after their arrival there, Stoddard Jess organized the First National Bank of Pomona, he taking the office of Cashier. He held this office until 1898, when on the advice of physicians, he gave up all

active work and started upon a period of travel in order to regain his health, which had been seriously affected by the strenuous life he had led in business and public affairs.

When he first located at Pomona, the city was in its infancy and Mr. Jess immediately became one of the factors in its development. He was chosen first Treasurer of the city and also took a leading part in the organization of the Pomona Board of Trade, serving as President of that body during the first two years of its existence. For many years he was a member of the Board of Library Trustees of Pomona and served as its President from 1902 to 1904.

In 1904 Mr. Jess moved his home to Los Angeles and was chosen Vice President of the First National Bank of Los Angeles, in which office he has continued ever since. This bank ranks high among the monetary institutions of Californian and is distinguished for the large number of depositors which it serves. Having spent a large part of his life in the banking business and being one of its closest students, Mr. Jess introduced into the First National Bank the united system of Paying and Receiving Tellers. With the idea of lessening congestion before the bank’s windows, he devised a plan which has proved a great success. In the first place, the old system of separate Receiving and Paying Tellers was abandoned and the bank was divided into a number of alphabetical sections, at which the tellers receive and pay money, as the case may be. The advantages of the system include the elimination of long waits by customers, closer relations between the bank and its depositors, less bookkeeping and general expedition of business. This addition to the banking methods of the country was eagerly welcomed by the banking fraternity and within a few years was adopted by a number of large institutions throughout the United States, among the earliest being the Continental & Commercial Bank of Chicago, the Seattle National Bank of Seattle, Wash., the first National and United States National Banks of Denver, Colorado, and the Irving Park National Bank of New York City.

Aside from his position in the First National Bank of Los Angeles, Mr. Jess is a Director of the Los Angeles Trust & Savings Bank and is interested in various other enterprises. He is regarded as one of the most conservative bankers of California, is President of the Los Angeles Clearing House Committee and Ex-President of the California State Bankers’ Association. As a widely known and respected authority in his profession, he has made numerous addresses on banking subjects and has written many articles dealing with financial matters.

From the time he located in Los Angeles Mr. Jess has been among the city’s most progressive citizens and has been a figure in nearly every movement inaugurated for the benefit of the city. He was Chairman of the Consolidation Committee which brought about the consolidation of Los Angeles and San Pedro, California, thus giving the former its own harbor, and upon the conclusion of this work, was chosen President of the harbor Commission of Los Angeles which had charge of the work of building the city’s harbor, the original cost of which, including local and federal expenditures, exceeded three and a half million dollars. Mr. Jess directed the affairs of the Commission during the early stages of the harbor work, but resigned in order to devote himself to his private affairs.

Politically, Mr. Jess is a Republican and an important factor in the local affairs of the party.

He is a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, F. & A. M., is a Knight Templar, Mystic Shriner and an Elk. His clubs are the Jonathan, California, Los Angeles Athletic and the Union League of Los Angeles.

Transcribed 5-22-08 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 31, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.

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