Alexander Sondheimer, banker and merchant, recognized as one of the representative and progressive business men of Muskogee, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, May 11, 1873, and is a son of Joseph and Johanna Sondheimer. His youthful days were spent in St. Louis and in Muskogee, for he was but six years of age when brought by his parents to this city. His father had first visited Muskogee in 1867 and, pleased with the city and its prospects, he brought his family here in 1879, so that Alexander Sondheimer pursued a part of his education in the schools of Muskogee. He finished his studies in the high school of St. Louis, where he also pursued a business course.
When his textbooks were put aside he worked for the Cotton Belt Railroad at Tyler, Texas, where he continued for a year and then came to Muskogee, where he became court reporter, being one of the first court reporters of the state. He also reported the first democratic convention in the state, held at McAlester in 1892. He continued to engage in court reporting for two years and afterward became associated with his father in the buying of hides, wool and furs, the business being carried on under the firm name of the Joseph Sondheimer Sons Company. The business has been developed to notable proportions, being now the largest of the kind in the southwest, and since the death of the father Alexander Sondheimer has continued in the business, having one of the oldest houses of the kind in Muskogee. He possesses sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise and his close application, thoroughness and industry have been. most potent forces in the attainment of his present-day success.
He also figures prominently in financial circles, being one of the stockholders and a director of the First National Bank of Muskogee, also of the Citizens National Bank of Okmulgee and the First National Bank of Stigler, Oklahoma. He likewise owns a large amount of stock in the Muskogee Wholesale Grocery Company and in the Ratcliff-Sanders Wholesale Grocery Company of Tulsa. He also has important farming interests and oil leases and is today regarded as one of the foremost business men of his section of the state.
On the 1st of October, 1895, Mr. Sondeimer was united in marriage to Miss Eudora. L. Cobb, a daughter of John O, Cobb, a native of Tennessee, who came to the Indian Territory in the late 1860 and who was a friend of Mr. Sondheimer. Mr.Cobb engaged in merchandising here and at the time of his death was a druggist of Muskogee. He served as an officer in the Union army during the Civil war and had a brother who served in the Confederate army.
In religion Mr. Sondheimer holds to the faith of his fathers. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, of which he is a life member, and he also has membership connection with the United Commercial Travelers. His political endorsement is given to the Democratic Party, but the honors and emoluments of office have never had attraction for him. He has always preferred to concentrate his energies and attention upon his business affairs and the thoroughness with which he has directed his interests has made him one of the most prosperous merchants and financiers of this section of the state.