Résumé

Merchant, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1913.

Principal, Alexander B. Rosenthal, Architect, Santa Barbara, CA, c. 1924. On World War I draft registration card of 09/12/1918, Rosenthal indicated that he was "not employed" but that he worked at 127 West 3rd Street in Los Angeles, CA. This may have meant that he was self-employed and had his office at the West 3rd Street address. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/15/2024.)

High School

The 1940 US Census indicated that Rosenthal had completed four years of high school.

Relocation

Alexander B. Rosenthal was born in Chicago, IL. Various sources give differing dates of birth. His World War I draft registration listed it as 07/31/1875. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/15/2024.) A US passport application of 03/27/1913 corroborated the 07/21/1875 date. The California Death Index, however, listed his birth date as 08/15/1875. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Place: Los Angeles; Date: 9 Jan 1945 Source Information: California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000, accessed 04/15/2024.)

In 1908, he resided at 2749 West 9th Street in Los Angeles, CA. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1908, p. 1228.)

On 03/27/1913, Rosenthal applied for a US passport, indicating that he was planning to spend up to two years abroad. As of the date of the application, Rosenthal was eastbound from Hoboken, NJ, (presumably heading toward Europe) aboard the Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL) liner, S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm II, Room #227. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 180; Volume #: Roll 0180 - Certificates: 1576-2475, 01 Apr 1913-11 Apr 1913, accessed 04//15/2024.) He arrived with his younger brother William M. Rosenthal (born c. 1880) in San Francisco, CA, aboard the Toyo Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha Line's SS Tenyo Maru from Yokohama, Japan, on 04/15/1914. A notation on the ship's manifest that indicated the passenger's occupation, listed "retired" for WIlliam and had a check mark for Alexander's line of work. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At San Francisco, California; NAI Number: 4498993; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 04/15/2024.)

He made his residence at 615 South Serrano Avenue in Los Angeles in 09/1918. He lived at this address with a William M. Rosenthal, who was his next-of-kin contact on his draft registration card. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/15/2024.)

In 1920, Rosenthal lived in an apartment at 507 West 5th Street in Downtown Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 64, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_108; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 208, accessed 04/15/2024.)

In 1940, at age 59, Rosenthal lived in Room #114 of the Franconia Apartments at 571 South Coronado Street in Los Angeles. He lived alone, and paid $43 per month in rent. He had resided here in 1935, as well, according to the 1940s US Census.

Parents

Rosenthal's father emigrated from Germany, his mother from Alsace in France.

Biographical Notes

Prior to 04/15/2024, PCAD erroneously named the architect "Alfred" B. Rosenthal. I mixed up Alfred Faist Rosenheim's (1859-1943) first name with that of Alexander B. Rosenthal. Thank you to David Thompson who graciously pointed out this error in an email to the author on 04/15/2024.

At age 37, a US passport application listed Rosenthal as Caucasian with a fair complexion, high forehead, small mouth, medium chin, long face, brown eyes and black hair. He stood 5-feet, 6-and-1/2-inches tall. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 180; Volume #: Roll 0180 - Certificates: 1576-2475, 01 Apr 1913-11 Apr 1913, accessed 04//15/2024.) His World War I draft card listed Rosenthal as Caucasian with brown eyes and brown hair. He was of medium height and build. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/15/2024.)