JAMES CHARLES KAYS

Los Angeles County

Biographies

JAMES CHARLES KAYS

KAYS,, JAMES CHARLES, Vice Pres., Park Bank, Los Angeles, California, was born in Santa Barbara, California, May 5, 1850, the son of John C. Kays and Josephine (Burke) Kays. He married Alice Benedict at Boonville, Missouri, January 30, 1883, and to them there have been born four children, James Walter, Ruth Josephine, Cecilia Catherine and Florence Frances Kays. He is of Irish descent, his father having been a native of County Roscommon, Ireland.

Mr. Kays’ education was fragmentary. He attended the public schools of Santa Barbara, but was compelled to give up his studies at the age of thirteen, owing to financial reverses suffered by his father, and went to work as clerk in the general store of his uncle at Santa Ynez, Cal. He devoted his spare hours to study, however, and when he was about fifteen years of age, matriculated for the Christian Brothers’ College at Santa Ynez. He paid his own tuition, but at the end of two years again was forced to give up his studies and work for the maintenance of his family.

When he was twenty years old, Mr. Kays took up mining in Nevada and in Inyo County, Cal. This was the actual beginning of a career, which, although successful in the ultimate, was filled with various setbacks. After mining successfully for a time, he located, in 1870, at the town of Cerro Gordo, near Lone Pine, Cal., in the region whence the Los Angeles water supply now flows, and there bought out a small general merchandise store. This he operated with success until 1872 when the region was visited by a series of earthquakes which continued at intervals for months, and Mr. Kays sold out his business and left that part of the State.

He went to Santa Barbara for a time and early in 1874 went to Los Angeles, where he entered the employ of the then leading hardware establishment of the city—Harper & Long, now known as the Harper, Reynolds Co. He was a Democrat in his political affiliation and early took an interest in the affairs of his party. This led, in 1877, to his appointment as Deputy, under County Clerk A. W. Potts, and he later served as Undersheriff with Sheriffs Henry M. Mitchell and W. R. Rowland of Los Angeles County.

In 1879, Mr. Kays was elected City Treasurer of Los Angeles and was twice re-elected, in 1882 and 1884, his administrations being marked for economy in the handling of the city’s financial affairs and the inauguration of business methods. Upon retiring from office in 1886, Mr. Kays was appointed United States Revenue Stamp Agent for the Los Angeles District under Collector Ellis and served in that capacity until 1887, when he resigned to accept the Democratic nomination for sheriff. Los Angeles County then included a vast amount of territory, which has since been changed into other counties, but the campaign was notable for the fact that the Democrats overcame a Republican majority of 4000 that year. Mr. Kays served one term and declined a second nomination.

From 1889 to 1892 Mr. Kays was Receiver and Manager of the Citizens’ Water Company, which supplied water to the hill section of Los Angeles, and then for about two and a half years operated the plant as trustee for the bondholders of the company. In 1898, when a dispute between the city and the company over the purchase of the water system by the former came to a focus, Mr. Kays was chosen to represent the city on the Arbitration Commission appointed to clear up the situation. The company had demanded a price for the property which the city deemed exorbitant, and the City Council had offered a figure which the company declared was little better than confiscation, with the result that negotiations were deadlocked. Through Mr. Kays a compromise was reached, the city paying $2,000,000 for the property. This price satisfied both sides, and the city has since received the purchase price many times over.

Mr. Kays embarked in banking in 1902, when he and a group of Los Angeles financiers took over the charter of the Riverside Bank & Trust Co. of Los Angeles, which had been in existence since 1891. They reorganized the institution as the Dollar Savings Bank & Trust Company, with $50,000 capital. A little over a year later the capital was increased to $100,000 and the scope of the bank enlarged. Mr. Kays was made Vice President and later President, until 1907, when the bank became the Park Bank, of which he is now Vice Pres. And his son, James Walter Kays, Cashier.

Mr. Kays has figured as administrator of several large estates and as director and trustee in many other financial enterprises. He is esteemed as a substantial business man and upbuilder and has lent his efforts on many occasions to civic movements which have aided in the development of the city. He served as a member, at different times of the Los Angeles Water Board, the Park Commission and Public Service Commission.

Mr. Kays has been active in philanthropic works and was one of the organizers of the Associated Charities of Los Angeles, in which he has been Vice Pres. Since its inception in 1892. He has served as Treas. and Director of the Chamber of Commerce and is a Director in other organizations. He is a member California Club and Newman Club, the latter an organization of Catholic laymen, which he served as President and Director for over ten years.

Transcribed 6-4-08 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 53, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.

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