JOHN K. TENNANT

Los Angeles County

Biographies

JOHN K. TENNANT

TENNANT, JOHN K., Insurance, Bonds and Mortgages, Los Angeles, California, was born in Alabama, December 7, 1868, the son of Charles W. Tennant and Nancy J. (Daniel) Tennant. He married Miss Clara M. Lewis at Trenton, N.J., on April 4, 1890, and to them there has been born a son, John K. Tennant, Jr.

Mr. Tennant, who is identified with numerous financial affairs in the Southwest, received his preliminary education in various institutions of the South and later attended Bowdon College, at Bowdon, Georgia.

Upon finishing his education, Mr. Tennant went to Guatemala, Central America, in the employ of a railroad contractor then engaged in building a line from Puerto Barrios to Guatemala City, known as the Ferro Carreal Del Norte Railroad. He served this company for four years as Assistant Paymaster, returning to the United States in 1894.

Shortly after his return to this country he embarked in the insurance business, with which he has been associated continuously since. He began with the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Louisville, Kentucky, now known as the Illinois Life Insurance Company, and remained with it for about seven years, during the greater part of which time he operated in the Southern States. In 1901, upon the absorption of the Mutual Life Insurance Company by the Illinois Life Insurance Company, Mr. Tennant became a general insurance broker and traveled all over the State of Texas, maintaining headquarters in Dallas and Galveston. He was thus engaged for about five years and in that time made such a record that the attention of insurance men in general was attracted to him and he was offered various positions. He finally accepted employment with the Texas Life Insurance Company and moved to Waco, Texas, where he made his headquarters. He had the management of the company’s business in the States of Louisiana and Mississippi and conducted this business until January, 1909, when he was transferred to the management of the company offices in El Paso, Texas.

In July, 1909, however, Mr. Tennant, although recognized as one of the successful men in the insurance business in Texas, resigned from the company he had served three years, disposed of his Texas interests and moved to Southern California, where he has since been active. He first located at Los Angeles, but later went to San Diego, California, which presented a more inviting field at that time for insurance development.

In June, 1910, Mr. Tennant organized the National Life Insurance Company, with home offices at San Diego, and assumed the management at once. He still serves as Manager of the concern and, although it is comparatively young it has developed with remarkable rapidity and is one of the growing corporations of the West, with branch offices in seven states. A large part of the success of the company is due to the personal efforts of Mr. Tennant, who, in the fifteen years he devoted to insurance in Texas, came to be known as one of the experts and also developed splendid executive ability. This is apparent in the complete organization of his company, whose title was changed shortly after its inception to the California National Life Insurance company.

When the insurance project had become firmly established, Mr. Tennant, in 1911, organized the Western Underwriting & Mortgage Company, which has made a place for itself among the substantial financial institutions of the Southwest. Mr. Tennant has been in this, as in his first venture, the dominant factor in the affairs of the company, and as General Manager has entire charge of its operations. It was shortly after the organization of this company that Mr. Tennant transferred his home to Los Angeles, although he has many interests in San Diego and other places.

The success of his other enterprises led Mr. Tennant to seek other opportunities, and in 1912, turning his attention to Arizona, he purchased the controlling interest in the Union Bank & Trust Company of Phoenix. This bank, organized in 1904, is one of the prosperous monetary institutions of Arizona, its business being confined to trusts and savings. Upon becoming affiliated with the company Mr. Tennant immediately reorganized it, increased the capital stock from $100,000 to $1,000,000 and took up the duties of General Manager. Thus, with three thriving enterprises under his direction, Mr. Tennant is compelled to divide his time between them and devotes part of each month to each of the three cities in which he is interested.

In addition to the interests mentioned, Mr. Tennant has invested considerably in Southern California real estate and has joined in the work of developing the country with characteristic energy and enthusiasm. He is not interested in political affairs but takes an active part in civic projects and was among the strongest advocates of the World’s Fair to be held in San Diego in 1915 under the name of the Panama California Exposition. This is the greatest public enterprise ever undertaken by the citizens of San Diego, and Mr. Tennant, as one of the progressive business men who realize the benefits that will accrue to the city, has done his share to make the project a success.

Mr. Tennant is thorough in everything he undertakes and is a tireless worker, but he finds time for recreation and is a prominent figure in club and fraternal circles, being especially active in Masonic affairs. He is a Thirty-second Degree Mason, member of the Mystic Shrine and Knights Templar, and also belongs to the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks. His club affiliations include the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Sierra Madre Club, of Los Angeles; Cuyamaca Club of San Diego, and the San Gabriel Valley Country Club.

Transcribed 9-23-11 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: Press Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 793, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.

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