Los Angeles Common Council

Los Angeles Common Council
Los Angeles Common Council
History
Founded	1850
Disbanded	1889
Succeeded by	Los Angeles City Council
Leadership
First president	David W. Alexander
Last president	Jacob Kuhrts
Structure
Seats	7 seats (until 1867) ; 10 seats (until 1870) ; 3 wards (until 1877) ; 5 wards (1878 onwards)
Length of term	About 1 year
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post voting

The Los Angeles Common Council was the predecessor of the Los Angeles, California, City Council. It was formed in 1850 under state law, when the city had only 1,610 residents, and it existed until 1889, when the city had about 50,400 residents and a city charter was put into effect. It succeeded the council of the Ciudad de Los Angeles.

From 1850 through 1869, council members were elected at large under a first-past-the-post voting system, in which the top vote-getters were seated. From 1870 they were elected by electoral districts called wards.

History

Actors recreating the first meeting of the Los Angeles Common Council in 1948.

The Los Angeles Common Council was created in 1850 as the city of Los Angeles grew from a remote town of 5,000 residents to a city of 15,000 residents.^[1] Between 1850 and 1858, the council had 7 seats and for two years after had 10 seats drawn by lots.^[2] From 1870 to 1889, the council had a ward system with three (until 1877) and five (1877 onwards) seats.^[3]

The Council had various responsibilities for governing the city, including the responsibility of governing the school system as several members were appointed to serve on a committee for the governance of schools.^[4]

In 1857, the officials that were elected on May 6 were deposed and the officials from the previous year were reinstated, though they never took office.^[5]

Members

At-large (1850–1870)

Year	President
1850	David W. Alexander	David W. Alexander	Cristobal Aguilar	Alexander Bell	Julian Chavez	Morris L. Goodman	Manuel Requena	Juan Temple	Vacant
1850			Wilson W. Jones	Alexander W. Hope	Benjamin Davis Wilson	Jose Vicente Guerrero		Stephen Clark Foster
1851			Ygnacio Coronel	Alexander W. Hope	Agustín Olvera	Tomas Avila Sanchez
1851	Joseph Lancaster Grant	Joseph Lancaster Grant		John Ozias Wheeler	Agustín Olvera	Tomas Avila Sanchez
1852	Manuel Requena	John G. Downey		Myron Norton	Mathew Keller	Ygnacio del Valle		Narciso Botello
1853		John F. Jones	William Taylor Barnes Sanford	Arnold Jacobi	Pio Pico*	William R. Rand		Jose Maria Doporto
1853		Henry R. Myles	William Taylor Barnes Sanford	Ezra Drown	Juan Maria Sepulveda	Collins Wadhams		Jose Maria Doporto
1854	Francis Mellus	Francis Mellus	Lewis Granger	Solomon Lazard	Collins Wadhams	Antonio F. Coronel		Vacant
1854	Manuel Requena	Obed Macy	Alexander W. Hope	Ezra Drown	Collins Wadhams	Vacant
1855	John G. Nichols		John G. Nichols		Ira H. Stuart	Horace Z. Wheeler	J. W. Ross	Will Lloyd
	Ezra Drown		Henry Uhrbrook		Cristobal Aguilar	Robert Glass	Paul R. Hunt	Timothy Foster
	Ezra Drown		Henry Uhrbrook		Cristobal Aguilar	Robert Glass	Paul R. Hunt	John Schumacher
1856	Manuel Requena	Ygnacio del Valle	John Gately Downey		Nehemiah A. Potter	August Ulyard	Manuel Requena	Ira Gilchrist
1856	Manuel Requena	Myron Norton	George Henry Carson		Nehemiah A. Potter		Manuel Requena	Ira Gilchrist
1857	Antonio F. Coronel	Antonio F. Coronel		Joseph Mullaly	John Frohling		Hiram McLaughlin	John Barre
1857				Joseph Mullaly	John Frohling	George N. Whitman	Hiram McLaughlin	John Barre
1858			John Strother Griffin	John Goller	Cristobal Aguilar	Phineas Banning	David M. Porter	Stephen Clark Foster
1859	Nehemiah A. Potter	Nehemiah A. Potter	Ezra Drown	James Baldwin	Geronimo Ybarra	Arthur McKenzie Dodson	David M. Porter	Wallace Woodworth
1859	Nehemiah A. Potter	Nehemiah A. Potter	Ezra Drown	James Baldwin	Geronimo Ybarra	Arthur McKenzie Dodson	Vincent A. Hoover	Wallace Woodworth
1860	Abel Stearns	Abel Stearns	Damien Marchesseault	T.B. Collins	Elijah Moulton	James Edwards		Peter Baltz
	James Edwards	William Moore	Joseph Huber Sr.	William H. Peterson		James Edwards		David Anderson
	Wallace Woodworth	William Moore	Joseph Huber Sr.	William H. Peterson		Wallace Woodworth		David Anderson
1861	Nehemiah A. Potter	Nehemiah A. Potter	Solomon Lazard	Antonio F. Coronel	Cristobal Aguilar	Ezra Drown	Arthur McKenzie Dodson	James Brown Winston
1862	Nehemiah A. Potter	Nehemiah A. Potter	Augustine Poulain		John Turner	Jacob Weizel	Philip Sichel	Joseph Huber Sr.
1863	Joseph Huber Sr.	James Brown Winston	Eli Taylor		Felix Signoret	Jacob Weizel
1864	Joseph Huber Sr.	Manuel Requena	Jose Mascarel		Wallace Woodworth	Vincent A. Hoover
1865	William H. Perry	William H. Perry	Julian A. Chavez	John Goller	Harley Taft	John Jones	Juan C. Vejar	W. S. Van Dusen
1866	Murray Morrison	Murray Morrison	Elijah H. Workman	Louis Roeder	John Schumacher	Moritz Morris	John King	Vacant
1866						Jose Mascarel		Vacant
1867								Antonio F. Coronel
1867	John King	Dionisio Botiller	Andrew A. Boyle					George Dalton
1868			Caro W. Childs		Henry Wartenberg			Mathew Keller	Moritz Morris	William H. Perry	Jacob Metzger
1869			Ozro W. Childs					Samuel Bradford Caswell		Elijah H. Workman	Vacant
1869		Andrew A. Boyle	James R. Toberman	Vacant		Luis B. Martinez		Samuel Bradford Caswell		Elijah H. Workman	Juan C. Vejar

Wards (1870–1889)

Year	President	Ward
Year	President	1				2				3				4			5
1870	John Jones	Julian A. Chavez	Bernard Dubourdin	John Jones	Vacant	William Ferguson	George Fall	Matthew Teed	Vacant	Heinrich Dockweiler	William S. Hammel Sr.	John Osborn	Vacant	Vacant			Vacant
1870	John Jones	Julian A. Chavez	Bernard Dubourdin	John Jones			George Fall			Frank Sabichi	William S. Hammel Sr.	John Osborn	Vacant
1871	H.K.S. O'Melveny	Thornton P. Campbell	Oscar Macy	Julian Valdes			Prudent Beaudry				H.K.S. O'Melveny	William H. Dennison	Elijah H. Workman
1872	Frank Sabichi	Joseph Mullaly	George R. Long			William H. Workman					Eulogio F. de Celis	William Osborn	Heinrich Dockweiler
1873	Frank Sabichi	Julian A. Chavez	Jacob F. Gherkins			William H. Workman		Jose Mascarel			Eulogio F. de Celis	Charles E. Huber	Heinrich Dockweiler
1874	Prudent Beaudry	Joseph Mullaly	Thornton P. Campbell	Ramon R. Sotelo	Joseph G. Carmona	William Whipple Robinson	Matthew Teed		Louis Lichtenberger	Louis Wolfskill	Thomas Leahy		Elijah H. Workman
			Vacant
			Thornton P. Campbell
1875			Thornton P. Campbell		Jacob F. Gherkins	Jacob Kuhrts		William H. Workman					D.V. Waldron
1876	Frederick A. MacDougall	F. Tamiet	B. Valle		Jacob F. Gherkins	Jacob Kuhrts	John S. Thompson	William H. Workman	Bernard Cohn	Elisha K. Green		John B. Thompson	D.V. Waldron
1877	Bernard Cohn	F. Tamiet	B. Valle	Joseph Mullaly	Cayetano Apalblasa	John Edward Hollenbeck	C. C. Lips	James W. Potts	Bernard Cohn	John S. Thompson	John H. Jones	Albert Fenner Kercheval	Elisha K. Green
1878	Samuel J. Beck	Ezra Hamilton	Louis Meinzer	John Schaeffer	Vacant	Richard Molony	Jesse Houston Butler	John Bobenreith	Vacant	Charles Brode	Simon A. Francis	S.H. Buchanan	Vacant	Samuel J. Beck	Samuel Marshall Perry	William H. Workman	Nathan R. Vail	William B. Lawlor	James Greer McDonald
1879	William B. Lawlor	R.L. Beauchet	Louis Meinzer	William Norton Monroe	Jacob Kuhrts	H. Schumacher	Jesse Houston Butler	Richard Molony	Edward Falles Spence	Elisha K. Green	S.H. Buchanan	O.H. Bliss	John P. Moran	Samuel J. Beck		William H. Workman		William B. Lawlor
1880	Edward Falles Spence	R.L. Beauchet	J.G. Bower	William Norton Monroe		Matthew Teed	Jose Mascarel	George Gephard	Edward Falles Spence	Elisha K. Green	Vacant	O.H. Bliss		Bernard Cohn	Burdette Chandler	Walter Scott Moore
1881	John P. Moran	Joseph Mullaly	J.G. Bower	Clinton S. Scheiffelin		Matthew Teed	Jose Mascarel	Andrew S. Ryan	Robert Steere	J.B. O'Neil	George Kerckhoff	Otto G. Weyse		Bernard Cohn	Burdette Chandler
1882	John P. Moran	Joseph Mullaly	Charles W. Schroeder	Clinton S. Scheiffelin		Pascal Ballade	Henry Hammel	Andrew S. Ryan	Robert Steere	Charles Gassen	George Kerckhoff	Otto G. Weyse		Alfred Louis Bush	Joseph W. Wolfskill
1883	Walter Scott Moore	Ezra Hamilton	Charles W. Schroeder	William Thomas Lambie	Frank R. Day	Pascal Ballade	Henry Hammel	Charles H. Johnson	Loring A. French	Charles Gassen	D.E. Miles	Frank Sabichi	Daniel Michael McGarry	John B. Niles	Joseph W. Wolfskill
1884	D.E. Miles	Ezra Hamilton	James Velsir	William Thomas Lambie	Frank R. Day	John Frederick Holbrook	Martin V. Biscailuz	Charles H. Johnson	Loring A. French	Albert Brown	D.E. Miles	Milton Santee	Daniel Michael McGarry	John B. Niles	James D. Bullis	Hiram Sinsabaugh
1885	Hiram Sinsabaugh	Thomas Goss	James Velsir	George L. Stearns	Jacob Kuhrts	John Frederick Holbrook	Martin V. Biscailuz	Levi Newton Breed	Edward Wadsworth Jones	Albert Brown	Samuel Marshall Perry	Milton Santee	Cyrus Willard	Jacob Frankenfield	James D. Bullis	Hiram Sinsabaugh
1886	Levi Newton Breed		William Thomas Lambie			Michael Thomas Collins	Matthew Teed		Charles R. Johnson	Edward Wadsworth Jones	Samuel Marshall Perry	John Lovell			Joseph Hyans	Horace Hiller
1886	Levi Newton Breed		Edward A. Gibbs							Edward Wadsworth Jones					Joseph Hyans
1887	John F. Humphreys	James Hanley		Newell Mathews	Thomas J. Cuddy			Edward C. Bosbyshell		John F. Humphreys	Bernard Cohn		Burdette Chandler	Hiram Sinsabaugh	A.W. Barrett
1887	John F. Humphreys			Newell Mathews	John Moriarty				J.H. Book				Burdette Chandler
1888	Jacob Kuhrts		George O. Ford	C.N. Earl	John Moriarty	Jacob Kuhrts	H.T.D. Wilson		John Henry Bryant			Anthony McNally	Edward R. Threlkeld			Austin Conrad Shafer

References

^ Spitzzeri, Paul R. (2005). "Judge Lynch in Session: Popular Justice in Los Angeles, 1850-1875". Southern California Quarterly. 87 (2). University of California Press: 83–122. doi:10.2307/41172258. JSTOR 41172258.
^ Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, 1868-1869 section, page 11
^ "Gerrymandering by Number: The Los Angeles City Council". Atlas After Dark.
^ Splitter, Henry Winfred (1951). "Education in Los Angeles: 1850-1900". The Historical Society of Southern California Quarterly. 33 (2). University of California Press: 101–118. doi:10.2307/41169019. JSTOR 41169019.
^ Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, 1867-1868 section, page 1, second iteration

Notes

Except for the population figures (see below), all data is from Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, compiled under direction of Municipal Reference Library, City Hall, Los Angeles (March 1938, reprinted 1966). "Prepared ... as a report on Project No. SA 3123-5703-6077-8121-9900 conducted under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration."
Population figures are from Moffatt, Riley (1996). Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850–1990. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow. p. 41."Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places Over 100,000, Ranked by July 1, 2009 Population: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. July 1, 2009. Archived from the original (CSV) on June 29, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2010.

[1] Spitzzeri, Paul R. (2005). "Judge Lynch in Session: Popular Justice in Los Angeles, 1850-1875". Southern California Quarterly. 87 (2). University of California Press: 83–122. doi:10.2307/41172258. JSTOR 41172258.

[2] Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, 1868-1869 section, page 11

[3] "Gerrymandering by Number: The Los Angeles City Council". Atlas After Dark.

[4] Splitter, Henry Winfred (1951). "Education in Los Angeles: 1850-1900". The Historical Society of Southern California Quarterly. 33 (2). University of California Press: 101–118. doi:10.2307/41169019. JSTOR 41169019.

[5] Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, 1867-1868 section, page 1, second iteration

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