San Bernardino County
Biographies
JAY CORWIN SEXTON
Jay C. Sexton, widely known banker and attorney, is successfully engaged in law practice at Redlands, with offices in the Security-First National Bank building. He was born in Minneapolis, Kansas, February 6, 1880, his parents being Frank M. and Alice M (Elder) Sexton, the latter now a resident of Long Beach, California. Frank M. Sexton, who was born near Syracuse, New York, removed to Kansas in the ‘70s and became a prominent banker of the Sunflower state. He passed away in 1913 at San Diego, California, in the faith of the Presbyterian Church. To him and his wife were born four children, two of whom survive.
Jay C. Sexton acquired his early education in the schools of Kansas and subsequently entered in the University of Michigan, from which institution he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Law in 1904, being admitted to the Michigan bar the same year. It was in 1912 that he came to California, locating in San Diego, where he continued active in law practice for four years. On the expiration of that period, in 1916, he removed to Brea, Orange County, this state, where he was manager of a bank for five years or until 1921. In the latter year he came to Redlands, where in 1922 he was one of the organizers of the First National Bank, which was later merged with the Bank of America. As an attorney of Redlands, Mr. Sexton has built up a practice of extensive and gratifying proportions. He is an able lawyer, strong in argument, logical in his deductions and forceful in the presentation of his cause before the courts, while at times his devotion to his clients’ interest is proverbial. He has membership in the San Bernardino County Bar Association and the State Bar of California, Inc.
In 1904 Mr. Sexton was united in marriage to Mary A. Pray, daughter of Dr. George Pray. They are the parents of two children: Grace, who was graduated from high school in 1932; and Frank, a high school student. Mrs. Sexton is active in club and church affairs and figures prominently in the social life of the community in which she resides. A worthy exemplar of the teaching sand purposes of the Masonic fraternity, Mr. Sexton has passed through all bodies of both the York and the Scottish Rites and is a member of Redlands Lodge, No. 300, F. & A. M.; Redlands Commandery, No. 45, K. T., San Diego Consistory, A. A. S. R., of San Diego, and Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 583.
Transcribed
By: Michele Y. Larsen on April 25, 2012.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II,
by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
281-282, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
Jay C. Sexton, widely known banker and attorney, is successfully engaged in law practice at Redlands, with offices in the Security-First National Bank building. He was born in Minneapolis, Kansas, February 6, 1880, his parents being Frank M. and Alice M. (Elder) Sexton, the latter now a resident of Long Beach, California. Frank M. Sexton, who was born near Syracuse, New York in 1850, removed to Kansas in the ‘70s and became a prominent banker of the Sunflower state. He passed away in 1913 at San Diego, California, in the faith of the Presbyterian Church. To him and his wife were born four children, two of whom survive.
Jay C. Sexton acquired his early education in the schools of Kansas and subsequently entered in the University of Michigan, from which institution he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Law in 1904, being admitted to the Michigan bar the same year. It was in 1912 that he came to California, locating in San Diego, where he continued active in law practice for four years. On the expiration of that period, in 1916, he removed to Brea, Orange County, this state, where he was manager of a bank for five years or until 1921. Mr. Saxon was also the first mayor of Brea, California, serving from 1917 – 1922. After serving as mayor, he came to Redlands, where in 1922 he was one of the organizers of the First National Bank, which was later merged with the Bank of America. As an attorney of Redlands, Mr. Sexton has built up a practice of extensive and gratifying proportions. He is an able lawyer, strong in argument, logical in his deductions and forceful in the presentation of his cause before the courts, while at times his devotion to his clients’ interest is proverbial. He has membership in the San Bernardino County Bar Association and the State Bar of California, Inc.
In 1904 Mr. Sexton was united in marriage to Mary Adele Pray, daughter of Dr. George Pray and Elen Adele Comstock. They are the parents of four children: Bobby, and Janet, who was adopted from Orphans Home in Los Angeles, Grace Kathryn, who was graduated from high school in 1932; and Frank L., a high school student. Janet Sexton passed away unexpectedly on January 20, 1920, and Bobby passed away 6 months after Janet from drowning. They are both buried at Loma Vista Cemetery in Orange County. Grace’s married name is Mrs. Clarence Robert Beck of Redlands, and Frank L. Sexton lived in National City at the time of their father’s death in 1943. Mrs. Sexton is active in club and church affairs and figures prominently in the social life of the community in which she resides. Mr. and Mrs. Saxon have four grandchildren: Robert J. Beck, Sue Ellen Beck, Frank Edwin Sexton, and Carolyn Adele Sexton. Mrs. Sexton passed away in September 1973, and is buried at Loma Vista Cemetery. A worthy exemplar of the teachings and purposes of the Masonic fraternity, Mr. Sexton has passed through all bodies of both the York and the Scottish Rites and is a member of Redlands Lodge, No. 300, Free & Accepted Masons (F. & A. M.); Redlands Commandery, No. 45, Knights Templer (K. T.), San Diego Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Mason (A. A. S. R.), of San Diego, and Al Malaikah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A. A. O. N. M. S). He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 583. Mr. Saxton passed away May 2, 1943, Redlands, CA and is also buried at Loma Vista Cemetery.
Sources used to update Bio: http://breamuseum.org/Portals/3/OldNewsletters/nov2001.pdf
http://weblink.cityofbrea.net/weblink8/0/doc/25395/Page1.aspx
© 2012 Michele
Y. Larsen.
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