CHARLES HENRY HOLT

 

Charles Henry Holt. Few men in San Francisco have had a greater experience or success in the handling of land subdivisions than Mr. C. H. Holt, a native son and regarded as a genius in everything concerned with getting the land to the people and the people to the land. His business operations cover an extensive territory around San Francisco.

Mr. Holt was born at Alameda, California, June 23, 1885, son of Charles H. and Abbie (Spinney) Holt. He was only six months old when his father died. Charles H. Holt, Sr., was a newspaper man. He was of Scotch-English descent and of Revolutionary stock. His wife, Abbie Spinney, who also died when her son Charles was a small boy, was born in Maine of English descent.

Charles H. Holt was reared by a foster father, Mr. Cleveland Dam, a pioneer of Alameda County, and one of the ablest and most forceful citizens of that community, greatly loved by all with whom he came in contact. To him Charles Henry Holt owes a lasting debt of gratitude and affection.

Educated in the public schools of Oakland, graduating from high school in 1902, Charles H. Holt soon afterward entered the service of the Anglo-London Paris Bank. He was with that institution ten years, being exchange teller when he resigned in 1913. He gave up a banking career to engage in the real estate business, and he conducted his operations alone under the name of C. H. Holt Realty Company until February, 1922. At that date he formed a partnership with George L. Leonard, under the firm name of Leonard & Holt. Leonard & Holt is one of the two firms that operate on a large scale in the construction business as well as handling the land itself. In some of their enterprises they have had as high as a hundred houses under construction at one time. They sub-divided and sold Ingleside Terraces in San Francisco, and at the present time buildings to the value of about $2,000,000 stand on this property. Their present program is the subdividing of property at Redwood City, Burlingame, Tamalpais Valley and the Cascades at Fairfax, all of these being large properties.

Mr. Holt is a member of the San Francisco Realty Board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Down Town Association and the California Real Estate Association. His offices are at 39 Montgomery Street. Mr. Holt is a member of Mill Valley Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, San Francisco Commandery of the Knights Templar and Islam Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He also belongs to San Rafael Lodge, benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Crystal Spring Country Club, the Emerald Lake Country Club, and is a republican voter.

In August 1919, at Auburn, California, Mr. Holt married Miss Madge Prentiss. She was born in San Francisco, daughter of John Prentiss. She is a member of the Woman’s Civic Club, is organist for her chapter of the Eastern Star, and attends the Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Holt have three children, Cleveland Loring, Jean and Sally.