Los Angeles
County
Biographies
DAVID WILLARD PONTIUS
Bending every effort toward the
attainment of his objective, David Willard Pontius has risen from a humble
position to the presidency of the Pacific Electric Railway of Los Angeles and
is also a forceful factor in civic affairs in the city of which he became a
resident in 1908. He was born in Upper
Sandusky, Ohio, a son of Adam and Elizabeth (Winstead)
Pontius, and supplemented his high school education by a course in the normal
school at Ada, Ohio.
As a clerk in the supervisor’s
office of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, Mr. Pontius made
his initial step in business and next worked for the Chicago Great Western
Railroad. From 1917 to 1921 he gained
added experience in the employ of the Northern Pacific Railroad, the
Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company, now the Union Pacific, the
Southern Pacific Railroad and the San Diego & Arizona Railroad. Steadily progressing, he served in succession
as telegraph operator, agent and trainmaster, district freight and passenger
agent, traffic manager and general manager.
He earned his promotions by untiring industry and the faithful
performance of every task assigned him and his intimate knowledge of the details
of railroad operation qualified him for positions of large responsibility. In 1921 Mr. Pontius organized the Yuma Mesa
Grapefruit Company at Yuma, of which he is president, and in the same year was
made a director of the Pacific Electric Railway Company of Los Angeles. Of the latter corporation he became vice
president and general manager in 1922, acting in those capacities for seven years
and since 1929 has been president of the road, maintaining a high degree of
efficiency in its operation. In 1925 he
assumed the duties of executive vice president of the Mission Playhouse
Corporation of Alhambra, and his name now appears on the directorate of the
Pacific Electric Land Company of Los Angeles.
He was elected a director of the Los Angeles Public Market Company in
1927.
In 1892 Mr. Pontius was married to
Alice Malina Banfill, born
in Canada but a resident of California from her girlhood and both are prominent
in the social life of Los Angeles. Mr.
Pontius belongs to the California, City, Jonathan, Electric and Transportation
Clubs of Los Angeles. His fraternal
affiliations are with the Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Republican in politics and in many
ways has given substantial proof of his public spirit and devotion to the
general good. Active in behalf of the
Municipal League and the Los Angeles Community Chest, he was chairman of the
advance gifts committee of the latter in 1927.
Because of his knowledge and experience he was appointed one of the
traffic commissioners of Los Angeles in 1921 and did effective work in that
connection. In 1925 he was named a
member of the local board of health commissioners, becoming president of that
civic body in 1927, and met every requirement of the office. He is controller and a member of the board of
directors of the Metropolitan Water District, and for the season, 1933, was
vice president and a director of the Symphony under the Stars Foundation giving
the concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.
Transcribed
by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 801-802,
Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V.
Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPHIES