WILLIS DOUGLAS LONGYEAR

Los Angeles County

Biographies

WILLIS DOUGLAS LONGYEAR

LONGYEAR, WILLIS DOUGLAS, Banking, Los Angeles, California, was born at Grass Lake, Jackson County, Michigan, July 2, 1863, the son of Moses Longyear and Maria (Douglas) Longyear. He married Miss Ida A. Mackay at Los Angeles, February 8, 1893, and to them there have been born two children, Douglas M. Longyear and Gwendolyn C. Longyear. Mrs. Longyear was the youngest daughter of Captain A. F. Mackay, a pioneer builder of Los Angeles, who erected many of the large buildings of that city prior to his death. Mr. Longyear is of German and Scotch antecedents, his father’s parents having been of old German stock, natives of Nuremberg, Germany. They came over to the United States early in the nineteenth century, settling first in New York State and later in Michigan. His mother was of Scotch descent. Her father, Eli Douglas, was born in Vermont in 1810 and as a young man, in the early thirties, migrated to Southern Michigan, when only the wild animal trails marked the line of travel that is today followed by railroads and highways. Then it required a strong heart and steady nerve to withstand the hardships of the pioneer—the days before matches, “when grandmother went a mile for fire if so unfortunate as to let the hearthfire go out.”

Mr. Longyear’s father was prominent in political and social affairs in the community where he was born and reared and held many important public offices. In the early days of his business career he was a merchant, and later engaged in stock raising and shipping, being reputed at the time of his death to have the largest sheep holdings in southern Michigan.

Mr. Longyear, who now occupies a position among the leading bankers of the Southwest, was reared in Michigan and received his education in the public schools of Kalamazoo. He was nine years old when his father died and the early plans of his parents as to the future education and career of their son were thwarted. After his father’s death, he went to Kalamazoo and resided there with his maternal grandfather. The strong Scotch influence which surrounded his life there had much to do with molding and fixing the principles upon which his future career was built. What he lost in theoretical teaching, however, he made up in practical experience.

At the age of eighteen years, Mr. Longyear entered the employ of the U. S. Government as a clerk in the Registry Division of the Kalamazoo Postoffice. He remained in the Federal service about two years, resigning in 1884, and since that time his life has been spent in the banking business.

He first entered the banking field as an employe (sic) of the Kalamazoo National Bank, beginning in a minor position, and remained with it for about five years, or until the year 1889. During that time he passed through various positions and became thoroughly acquainted with the intricacies of National banking.

Resigning his position with the Kalamazoo institution in November, 1889, Mr. Longyear went to California, locating at Los Angeles, since when he has made that city his home. For the first few months after his arrival he was inactive, but early in 1890 he became associated with the Security Savings Bank in the capacity of Teller. He held this position for about three years and then was made Assistant Cashier.

It was in this latter office that Mr. Longyear displayed his abilities most and in 1895, upon a change being made in the personnel of the bank, he was elected to the offices of Cashier and Secretary, both of which offices he fills. Thus, in that first five years, Mr. Longyear, who arrived in Los Angeles practically a stranger, rose from a minor position to a most important one, in one of the strongest banks in the West, the Security Trust & Savings Bank, as the institution is now known.

In addition to his banking affiliations, Mr. Longyear has been identified with numerous commercial and development projects. He also is interested in real estate in and around Los Angeles, being a stockholder and Director in several corporations.

Having inherited from his father a tendency toward outdoor pursuits, Mr. Longyear has of recent years acquired very substantial holdings in a valley adjacent to Los Angeles, so that at some future day he may satisfy that calling, which some men of his profession would term a hobby.

Mr. Longyear is a Scottish Rite Mason, member of Al Malaikah Temple of the Mystic Shrine, the California Club, Los Angeles Country Club, Crags Country Club, and the Jonathan Club, Los Angeles.

Transcribed 5-21-08 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 29, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.

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