San Francisco County
Biographies
EMMETT
WESLEY LA TOURETTE
Prominent among citizens of San Francisco engaged in the business of automobile financing and allied enterprises is Emmett Wesley La Tourette, president of the San Francisco Finance Corporation at 1201-07 Van Ness avenue. He was born in Staten Island, New York, August 15, 1890, and is a son of James Wesley and Emma Louise (Kall) La Tourette. The father was also a native of Staten Island, where he was reared and educated and spent his entire life. His ancestral line was traceable to French Huguenots who settled in America in the early part of the seventeenth century. He was an oyster planter by occupation and met with gratifying success in this work. His death occurred in 1904, when he was in the fifty-second year of his age. His wife, Mrs. Emma Louise (Kall) La Tourette, was born in New York city, of German descent, and was the daughter of a professor in Heidelberg University. She still resides in Staten Island, on La Tourette street, which thoroughfare was named in honor of her husband’s family. She was the mother of three sons and one daughter, of whom two survive, Emmett W., and Lucy, the latter the wife of John W. Huber and a resident of Staten Island, New York.
Emmett W. La Tourette acquired his education in the public schools of New York and when a youth of thirteen years began to provide for his own support by working as an office boy in a commission house, which he subsequently represented for eight years as a traveling salesman. He next associated himself with the Elliott-Fisher Company in the capacity of salesman and, coming to San Francisco in 1916, represented the company as Pacific coast manager for a time. He was made European managing director, stationed at the Hague, and maintained headquarters in New York city until November, 1923, when he resigned from the service of the Elliott-Fisher Company to embark in business on his own account in San Francisco. He began operations on a small scale, but his record has been one of steady progress. Mr. La Tourette engages in financing automobile loans to dealers and in various other phases of this department of the automobile business. He is president of the Stockton Acceptance Corporation; president of the La Tourette Finance Corporation; vice president of the San Francisco Acceptance Company; owner of the Sacramento Finance Company; owner of the Watsonville Finance Company; owner of the Resetar garage in Watsonville; owner of the Gilroy Finance Company; a half owner of the Central garage in Gilroy; president of the Automobile Finance Protective Association of California; and president of the California Finance Protective Association.
In Riverside, California, February 4, 1930, occurred the marriage of Mr. La Tourette and Alice (Lyon) Freeman, a daughter of Cyrus and Inez Lyon, of a prominent old Los Angeles family. Her father won note in the history of California by being the captor of Murietta, the notorious bandit of early days. He was a California ranger and is frequently mentioned by the author, Major Horace Bell, in the novel, “Reminiscences of a Ranger.” Mr. and Mrs. La Tourette reside at 2535 Lyon street in San Francisco
The religious creed of Mr. La Tourette is that of the Methodist Church, while his political support has customarily been accorded to the republican party. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to Huguenot Lodge, No. 381, F. & A. M., in Tottenville, New York; King Solomon Chapter, No. 95, R. A. M., of San Francisco; California Consistory, No. 5, A. A. S. R.; and Islam Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is a member of Fostoria Lodge, No. 935, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; the Union League Club; the Public Spirit Club; and is past potentate of Lodge No. 1 of the Illustrious Order of Yoo Hoo in New York city. His favorite diversions are hunting, fishing, swimming and other outdoor sports. Mr. La Tourette deserves the credit which is extended to him for his accomplishments in business life. His success is due entirely to his individual efforts, without outside aid or influence, and thus he is entitled to the highest commendation.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 428-430.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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