USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume I > Part 17
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In 1850 also came Wm. G. Dryden and J. Lancaster Brent, the latter with a good library; 1851, I. K. S. Ogier; 1852, Myron Norton, J. H. Lander, Charles E. Carr, Ezra Drown, Columbus Sims, Kimball H. Dim- mick, Henry Hancock, Isaac Hartman; 1853, Samuel R. Campbell; 1854, Cameron E. Thom and James A. Watson (Col. Jack Watson) ; E. J. C. Kewen, W. W. Hamlin, 1856; Alfred B. Chapman, 1858; Volney E. Howard, 1861 ; Andrew J. Glassell and Col. J. G. Howard arrived on the same steamer, November 27, 1865, from San Francisco. M. J. Newmark was admitted to the bar in September, and A. J. King in October, 1859; Don Ignacio Sepulveda, September 6, 1862. Henry T. Hazard, son of Ariel M. Hazard, of Evanston, near Chicago, since when about eight years of age, always resided in this city.
Other attorneys prior to 1860 were Hon. S. F. Reynolds (afterward District Judge of San Francisco), J. R. Gitchell (in April, 1858, appointed district attorney). A. Thomas, William E. Pickett, Sasaneuva & Jones advertised December 13, 1851. This was Wm. Claude Jones, known so well in Missouri. Scott & Hayes were partners from March, 1850, until April 13, 1852; afterward Scott & Granger ; then Scott & Lander.
Between 1852 and 1860 the land questions before the commissioners and United States District Court brought almost as residents such distinguished lawyers as H. W. Halleck, A. C. Peachy, F. Billings, C. B. Strode, Wm. Carey Joney, P. W. Tompkins, Gregory Yale, J. H. Saunders, H. P. Hepburn and others.
J. L. Brent stood high as a lawyer and statesman. He afterwards returned to Louisiana, near New Orleans. Mr. Granger was a fluent speaker ; in 1852-3 partner of Judge Scott and one time a candidate for judge of the First Judicial District. General Drown lost his wife in the stranding of the steamer Independence. He died August 17, 1863, leaving a son-a man much thought of, and very successful in his profession. Hon. K. H. Dimmick, a captain in Colonel Stevenson's regiment, had been a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1849. J. H. Lander was born in 1829 in New York City. He was a graduate of Harvard. He was an excellent office lawyer. For a long time he was court commissioner, with especial approbation of the bar. In 1852 he married Miss Margarita John- son, a daughter of Don Santiago Johnson, so well remembered among the early business men of this coast before 1846. He died June 10, 1873.
S. R. Campbell was born near Nashville, Tennessee, and died in San Bernardino County early in January, 1863, near fifty years of age. His
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memory was most extraordinary. A poem or oration once read to him he could repeat word for word years afterward. He was in the habit, when familiarly illustrating this faculty, to recite in full, page after page of Blackstone's Commentaries. His son, Thornton P. Campbell, was a mer- chant and member of the City Council.
Col. J. A. Watson, in 1855, married Miss Dolores Dominguez. He died at this city September 16, 1869, aged forty-five years. The latter part of his life was devoted to his vineyard and orchard. He had been a skillful politician and was esteemed as a lawyer.
Hon. Myron Norton was born in 1822, at Bennington, Vermont. He studied law in New York, was admitted to the bar in 1844, continued in practice at Troy until 1848, when he was appointed first lieutenant of Cali- fornia volunteers, and in the summer of that year arrived at Monterey. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention from San Francisco ; after- ward judge of the Superior Court of San Francisco. In 1855 he was the democratic candidate for judge of the Supreme Court of this state. He dwelled here in the agreeable family of Don Agustin Olvera.
Don Manuel Clemente Rojo, our first abogado (lawyer), was a native of Peru, of finished education and excellent qualities of the head and heart. He was once sub-political chief of the frontier of Lower California, and practiced his profession with marked distinction. An old emigrant named Williams, throwing out of his wagon almost everything else, saved his son's law library. They reached John Roland's in December, 1849, the ambitious young attorney with his eye to the polar star. Roland, in his usual liberal style, outfitted, complete, son and father.
Sheriff Burrill in 1850 was punctilious, perhaps formal, but affable ; and pleasantly conspicuous by the infantry dress sword which he wore in public through his term, as he said, according to official custom of Mexico, where he had lived a good while. His brother was author of a "Law Glossary." He was the hero of a "scene in court" one bright afternoon in the summer of 1850. Judge Witherby was hearing an application for bail, on a charge of murder against three native Californians. The large room was in the old Bella Union Hotel. Upon a side bench together sat the prisoners. The judge, Thomas W. Sutherland (acting district attorney), Benj. Hayes (county attorney), clerk and counsel, J. Lancaster Brent ; present, none others-save twelve, fierce, determined fellows, "armed to the teeth," huddled up in the far corner of the room. Preliminaries disposed of, calm content smoothed the face of the sheriff, that sword by his side, when appeared eighteen of the First Dragoons at the critical moment. They dismounted, tied their horses to the Celis balcony and fell into line in front of the building. Bond approved, a sergeant led the accused outside, placed them on horseback between his files, and so conducted them home. A pin might have been heard to drop, and, in the stillness, the court adjourned. Maj. E. H. Fitzgerald had encamped the night before on the edge of the town. This was the posse put at the service of the sheriff, and that left him pleased infinitely at its effect, almost like a charm, on this famous "Irving party" in the corner.
California was admitted into the Union September 9, 1850. Some of the principal offices, since 1850, have been filled as follows: District judge -Oliver S. Witherby, three years; Benjamin Hayes, eleven years; Pablo
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de la Guerra, Murray Morrison, R. M. Widney ; Ignacio Sepulveda. County judge-H. K. Dimmick, W. G. Dryden, A. J. King, Ignacio Sepulveda ; Agustin Olvera, four years; Myron Norton, H. K. S. O'Melveny, 1876. County clerk-B. D. Wilson, Wilson W. Jones, C. R. Johnson, John W. Shore, Thomas D. Mott, Stephen H. Mott, A. W. Potts, 1876. Sheriff- G. T. Burrill, David W. Alexander, James R. Barton, W. C. Getman, James R. Barton (murdered Friday, January 23, 1857, while in discharge of official duty), Thomas A. Sanchez, James F. Burns, W. R. Roland; D. W. Alexander, 1876. Wm. Getman died January 7, 1858. County treasurer-Manuel Garfias, now American consul, Tepic, Mexico ; Timothy Foster, Henry N. Alexander, Morice Kremer, T. E. Rowan; Francis P. F. Temple, 1876. District attorney-William C. Ferrel, now a mountain farmer of Lower California; Isaac S. K. Ogier, September 29, 1851 ; Kim- ball H. Dimmick, appointed July 10th, elected November 29, 1852; Ezra Drown, A. B. Chapman, Volney E. Howard, A. B. Chapman, C. E. Thom; Rodney Hudson, 1876. County assessor-Antonio F. Coronel, 1867-1868; 1869-1875, Dionision Beteller; Andrew Ryan, 1876. County recorder- Ignacio del Valle, 1850-1851; J. W. Gillett, March 1, Monday, 1874; Charles E. Miles, March 1, Monday, 1876. Court commissioner (District) -George Clinton Gibbs.
In 1876 the county officers were: Under sheriff-H. Milner Mitchell. Deputy sheriffs-Wm. L. Banning, Emil Harris. Deputy county clerks- E. H. Owen, D. W. Maclellan. Deputy county treasurer-E. M. Spence. Deputy recorder-George E. Gard. Auditor-Andronico E. Sepulveda. Tax collector-Morice Kremer. County surveyor-T. J. Ellis. Deputy assessors-M. Ryan, W. H. A. Kidd. Coroner-Dr. Joseph Kurtz. School superintendent-Thomas A. Saxon. Supervisors-Geo. Hines, Gabriel Allen, Edward Evy, John D. Young, J. C. Hannon. Justices of the peace (city)-John Trafford, Pedro C. Carrilo, William H. Gray.
Don Ignacio Sepulveda, sometime district judge, was a native of this city. He was educated in the East. Oliver Spencer Witherby was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, February 19, 1815 ; Benj. Hayes of Baltimore, Maryland, February 14, 1815; Robert M. Widney, Miami County, Ohio, December 23, 1838.
Don Pablo de la Guerra was born in The Presidio of Santa Barbara, November 29, 1819. He was State Senator four terms from the district of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, and had been a member of the Con- stitutional Convention of 1849. His term of district judge commenced January 1, 1864. He died February 5, 1874, having a short time before resigned the judgeship of the First District in consequence of ill health.
Hon. Murray Morrison was born at Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1820; was admitted to the bar in 1842. In 1862 he married Miss Jennie White, daughter of Dr. Thomas J. White. In 1868, on the creation of the Seven- teenth Judicial District, he was appointed judge by Governor Haight, and elected in 1869. He died at this city in 1871. Within three days a loving wife followed him to the tomb.
Hon. W. G. Dryden, in 1851, married Miss Dolores Nieto. His second wife was Miss Anita Dominguez ; married September 30, 1868. He died at this city, aged 70 years, September 10, 1869.
The board to settle private land claims, organized in this city October,
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1852. The commissioners were Hiland Hall, later governor of Vermont; Harry I. Thornton, Thompson Campbell. It expired in 1855. Robert Greenbow first, then Gen. V. E. Howard, then J. H. McKune, have been law agents of the United States; Cameron E. Thom, assistant law agent in 1854. In some of the subsequent land cases before the United States District Court, Isaac Hartman was special attorney, in 1857, under At- torney-General Black, and in 1861, under Attorney-General Bates. The United States District Court for the Southern District of California was instituted in 1855 with Hon. John M. Jones, judge; Pablo de la Guerra, marshal ; Alfred Wheeler, district attorney; Samuel Flower, clerk. Judge Jones died November 14th, of that year. In September, 1854, Edward Hunter was appointed marshal in place of Pablo de la Guerra, resigned. Judge Ogier succeeded Judge Jones. Hon. Fletcher M. Haight succeeded Wheeler ; then Pacificus Ord ; then J. R. Gitchell.
Hon. Isaac Stockton Keith Ogier, for several years judge, was born at Charleston, South Carolina, May 24, 1817. He came to California in the year 1849. He died at Holcombe Valley, May 21, 1861.
CHAPTER X THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY
To give a detailed history of the various newspaper publications in this county, from its Spanish and English settlement, would require a large volume, hence only a glimpse into local journalism will here appear.
To preface these press paragraphs it may be said that the great West has been accompanied in its wonderful growth by the establishing and cir- culation of the newspaper press. No sooner has a new town or county been established than someone has seen an opening for a "live, local paper," and established such an organ, for either political or commercial purposes. The first newspaper started in California was issued at Monterey August 15, 1846-eight days after the Territory was taken possession of in the name of the United States. This paper was styled the Californian, and was published by Semple & Colton. The type and press used had been brought from Mexico in 1834, and was sold to and used by the government for printing job work and publishing legal notices. The only paper obtainable was that used for making cigarettes, which came in sheets about the usual foolscap size. After the 1849 gold discovery, newspapers multiplied rap- idly. The first attempt in Los Angeles was October 16, 1850, when "Theodore Foster petitioned for a lot at the northerly corner of the jail for the purpose of erecting thereon a house to be used as a printing, estab- lishment." He was given the lot because he was the first to establish a paper, and the lot in question was to be built upon and occupied for pub- lishing purposes and no other, within one year. Its location was on what later was named Canal street. There a small two-story building was erected, the first floor being for the printing office, while the second floor was used as the owner's residence. Over the doorway was a sign reading "Imprenta" (printing office). On May 17, 1851, was issued the first paper. It was known as the Star of Los Angeles. It was a four-page. five-column paper, 18 by 12 inches. Two pages were printed in Spanish and two in English ; subscription rate, $10.00 per year, payable in advance. Adver- tising notices were inserted at the rate of two dollars per square. The publishers were John A. Lewis and John McElroy, Foster having dropped out of the enterprise before the issue of No. 1 of Vol. 1. The press on which this pioneer paper was printed was an old type of the Washington Hoe-a hand press of course. The circulation of the publication was a little less than three hundred. The Spanish name of this paper was The Estrella. After several changes in ownership, it went into the hands of Henry Hamilton, a Scotch-Irishman whose over-zeal and Southern sym- pathy during Civil war times, got him into trouble, and he was arrested. The office was closed for a time, but later he took the oath of allegiance; yet his paper went under a cloud and its last number was issued October 1, 1864. The press and material were sold to Phineas Banning, who started a news-
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paper known as the Journal, in his new town of Wilmington. But in 1868 another Star publication arose in the city of Los Angeles, and was owned and conducted by its old editor, Hamilton. In June, 1870, Hamilton & Barter established the first daily paper of the county, The Daily Star, and in 1879 it went the way of all the earth !
The Southern Californian, published by C. N. Richards & Company, was first issued in Los Angeles, on July 20, 1854, with William Butts as its editor. The paper continued until sometime in 1857, when it was discon- tinued and a year later the material used in the publication was utilized by the proprietors of the Southern Vineyard.
In 1855 came the founding of El Clamor, a Spanish publication, by Francisco P. Ramirez. This was a weekly paper and only survived until December 31, 1859, when the material used by it was turned over to the Los Angeles News.
The Southern Vineyard (above mentioned) was established by Colonel J. J. Warner, on March 20, 1858, as a four-page weekly, 22 by 30 inches in size. It was issued every Saturday morning. In December of the same year it was changed into a semi-weekly paper and was then issued Tuesday and Friday mornings. June 8, 1860, its material was transferred to the Los Angeles News.
The Christian Church was the title of another Los Angeles paper that was started by William Mooney as a religious publication, April 10, 1859. It was issued from the presses of the El Clamor office in both Spanish and English. It was short lived and died for lack of support.
The Los Angeles Semi-Weekly and Daily News, independent, issued every Wednesday and Friday, was first published by C. R. Conway and Alonzo Waite, January 18, 1860. It was several times enlarged and improved. On October 8, 1862, the paper was styled the Los Angeles Semi- Weekly News, and continued thus until January 12, 1863, when it appeared as the Los Angeles Tri-Weekly News-issued Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On January 1, 1869, the semi-weekly was discontinued, and the Los Angeles Daily News appeared, published by King & Offutt. It was enlarged in 1870. In October, 1872, the property was sold to Charles E. Beane, who conducted the publication a few months longer, when it was suspended.
The Amigo Del Pueblo, a Spanish newspaper, published by Jose E. Gonzalez & Company, made its appearance November 15, 1861; was a weekly paper and independent in politics. It was discontinued in 1862 on account of non-support.
The Los Angeles Chronick, a German paper, was established May 19, 1869, by F. G. Walther. It continued about one year and "winked out," its editor announced in his last issue.
In 1889 the only German paper published in Southern California was the Sued Californische Post, which was started July 25, 1874, by Conrad Jacoby. It was a successful publication for many years.
The Evening Republican was founded in June, 1876, by W. W. Creigh- ton. In 1877 this office was purchased by the republicans, and the paper published by Allison, Berry & Co., who in a few months turned it over to the Republican Printing Company. It was discontinued in 1879.
The School-master was established in 1876; it was edited by Dr. W. T.
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Lucky, then superintendent of the city schools. It was a valuable paper, and well supported by the professional teachers of the county. Upon the death of its founder the paper was discontinued.
The Southern California Horticulturist, a magazine, was established in September, 1877, at Los Angeles, by the Southern California Horticultural Society ; L. M. Holt, editor. It was sent free to every member of the society, but outsiders were charged two dollars per year. It was, in size, six by nine inches. After 1880 it appeared as the Semi-Tropic California and Southern California Horticulturist. It was enlarged and later changed to the well-known Rural Californian.
The Los Angeles Daily Commercial was established by W. H. Gould in 1879. It was republican in politics and a great booster for the Pacific Coast country. D. M. Berry was its able editor. After a number of years it went down.
The Daily and Weekly Journal was started by J. C. Littlefield and R. H. Hewitt, in 1879. It was soon changed from a morning to an evening paper. Politically, this was also a republican organ and did not last very long.
The Weekly Rescue, an eight-page sheet, devoted to temperance, litera- ture and general news, as well as being the official organ of the Grand Lodge of Good Templars for the State, was printed at different times at Sacra- mento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It was printed, while located in Los Angeles, at the Mirror office.
A third of a century ago, 1889-90, the press of Los Angeles was repre- sented as follows: The Los Angeles Evening Express had the distinction of being the next to the oldest daily paper in Southern California. H. Z. Osborne was president of the first organization which published this excellent paper. The Weekly Express was also published from the same office.
The Evening Express was founded and first published by an association of practical printers. The first number appeared March 27, 1871. It was bought in 1875 by Colonel J. J. Ayres and Joseph D. Lynch, who greatly enlarged and improved the paper.
The Times and Mirror, two great papers of Southern California, have altogether too long a history to be given in this chapter. Suffice here to state that the Weekly Mirror first appeared February 1, 1873. It was then isued in connection with a small job office and its size was ten by thirteen inches. It had four pages with three columns to each page. Yarnell & Caystile, founders, distributed the same each Saturday, free of charge to the reader. The office was at No. 14 Commercial Street. Month after month the paper grew in importance and size until in 1875 it was made a seventeen by twenty-two inch and twenty columns. The subscrip- tion rate remained at one dollar, however. In August, 1880, it was known to be the largest paper in Southern California.
The Los Angeles Times was started in December, 1881, its first issue being December 4th that year. It was then a seven-column folio. Cole & Gardiner were proprietors. This property was soon taken over by the Weekly Mirror. It grew rapidly and increased in power and financial ability. Colonel Otis became a partner in August, 1882. In October, 1884, the Times-Mirror Company was incorporated with $40,000 capital stock,
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which two years later was increased to $60,000, for the purpose of erecting the Times Building. This plant cost $80,000.
The Los Angeles Daily Tribune had its first issue rolled from its presses October 4, 1886, by H. T. Payne and Edward Records, publishers and proprietors. It was then a seven-column four-page paper. This was the first paper to start the plan of publishing a newspaper every day in the year-Sunday and holidays included. Able talent was secured for every department and success crowned every effort of these excellent publishers.
Other papers of the last thirty years and less include: The East Side Champion, established in 1885 ; the California Post, a German publication established in 1874 by Conrad Jacoby ; L'Union Nouvelle, a French publi- cation founded in 1879 at Los Angeles by P. Ganee. The Porcupine, a weekly, was established at Los Angeles by Horace Bell in 1882.
The Los Angeles Herald the oldest morning daily paper in Southern California, was founded by C. A. Storke, on October 3, 1873. Two years later the property was sold to James M. Bassett, who, the same season, disposed of the paper to John M. Baldwin, and within a few months, Joseph W. Lynch became its proprietor. He had been connected with newspapers since boyhood and had held important positions on many large daily and weekly publications in the East, including those in New York City. He edited and owned the Herald until the autumn of 1886, when he sold a half interest to Colonel James J. Ayers, who had been active in newspaper work in California since 1849. He it was who founded the San Francisco Call. At all times the Herald was an uncompromising Democratic newspaper. But few men wielded a more potent pen in editor- ial work than did Mr. Lynch, who had much to do with the development of Los Angeles City and County, as well as all Southern California. The paper upon which he labored and gave the best years of his professional career still comes forth to greet the public daily. It is recognized as being among the great newspapers of the country.
The Los Angeles Weekly Cactus, an illustrated weekly paper, was estab- lished by Carle Browne, February 11, 1883. As a potent political factor this paper had no superior. The Court Journal published every weekday morning in the year, gives all the court news of the previous day. It had its birth in 1888, and its author was Charles W. Palm. A few days later it was in the hands of a company. It failed, succeeded, and again failed several times, but always managed to please the lawyers pretty well.
Los Angeles Life, a weekly paper was established as a Saturday paper devoted to gossip, criticism, literature, music and drama, and was non- political. The date of starting was December 8, 1888, and the founder was J. M. Shawhan, who had run the paper at Pasadena a short time. It had also been styled the Critic.
The Social World, Commercial Bulletin, Exponent, Rural Californian, Pacific Coast Poultry Journal, Southern California Christian Advocate, Los Angeles Churchman, California Baptist, The Pentecost, Southern California Practitioner, a medical paper, and several other publications have been printed in the city and county whose history is unknown.
Outside of the city of Los Angeles, among the newspapers may be mentioned the Pomona Daily Times and the Pomona Times-Courier, the former being established in 1882 by Messrs. Short & Morton. In Decem-
LOS ANGELES COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS
OLOHA MEHSEHA
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ber, 1883, appeared the first number of the Pomona Weekly Courier, by John H. Lee, editor and publisher. These two journals were merged into the Times-Courier.
The Pomona Progress was established in January, 1885. It was under the ownership of Edward E. Stowell. It forged its way to the front in a 1,500 town until it was its leading paper. It purchased the Pomona Tele- gram in 1886. It was in many men's hands, but grew with the expansion of the field in which it operated.
The sub-joined is supposed to be a complete list of the various news- paper and other publications of Los Angeles County, outside the City at the close of the year 1920-21: Arcadia Journal, Artesia News, Burbank Pathfinder, Cataline Islander, Claremont Courier, Claremont Journal, Compton Enterprise, Covina Argus, Covina Citizen, Downey Champion, Eagle Rock Condor, Eagle Rock Sentinel, El Monte Gazette, Fernando Valley Press, Gardena Reporter, Glendale News, Glendale Press, Glendale Sentinel-Progress, Glendora Gleaner, Hermosa Beach Review, Highland Park Herald, Lankershim Laconic, La Verne Leader, Long Beach, East Beach News, Labor News, Long Beach Press, Long Beach Telegram, Long Beach Worth While, Manhattan News, Monrovia Messenger, Monrovia Monravian, Montebello News, Norwalk Call, Ocean Park Bay District News, Ocean Park Bulletin, Owensmouth Gazette, Pasadena California Life, Pasadena Post, Pasadena Press, Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena Tech, Pomona Bulletin, Pomona Progress, Redondo Beach The Breeze, Redondo Reflex, Review Democrat, San Dimas Press, San Fernando Demo- crat, San Gabriel Sun, San Pedro News, San Pedro Pilot, Santa Monica Bay District News, Santa Monica Outlook, Sawtelle Tribune, Sawtelle Veteran Enterprise, South Pasadena Courier, South Pasadena Federated News, The Record, Van Nuys News, Venice News, Venice Vanguard, Whittier News, Whittier Pacific Friend, Wilmington Express, Wilmington Journal. The score of newspaper and periodical publications in Los Angeles City proper, are too numerous to be named at this point. Many of them have already been mentioned.
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