San Diego County
Biographies
CLINTON LEWIS BYERS
Clinton Lewis Byers, the capable
city attorney of San Diego, is making an excellent record in office which fully
justifies the confidence and support of his friends and constituents. He was born in Garner, Iowa, June 21, 1898,
his parents being L. D. and Ida (Wood) Byers, natives of Pennsylvania and New
York, respectively. The father is engaged
in the grocery business.
Clinton L. Byers supplemented his
grammar and high school education by three years’ attendance at the State
University of Iowa and received his professional training at Georgetown
University of Washington, D. C., from which institution he was graduated with
the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1923.
He first engaged in law practice at Des Moines, Iowa, for four years and
then in February, 1928, came west to San Diego for the purpose of following his
chosen profession in California. During
the first six months of his residence in this city he worked on the alien Jap
land law, which is now pending.
Subsequently he was appointed deputy city attorney under Judge M. W.
Conkling and two months later was made assistant city attorney, while in July,
1931, he received the appointment of city attorney to succeed Frank H. Heskett. On the 26th
of April, 1932, he was the successful candidate for the office of city attorney
in the city election. We quote from a
newspaper article printed at the time of his campaign and endorsed by hundreds
of his fellow citizens: “By his now
famous water compromise with the La Mesa Irrigation District, Mr. Byers solved
San Diego’s puzzling water problem and saved the taxpayers a minimum of one
million dollars! Add to that million the
$600,000 gas rate cut won by Mr. Byers after he had successfully argued the
case before the courts and the commission.
Then add to that the $350,000 he saved the city when he won the complex
San Pasqual contract suits and the total amounts of nearly two million
dollars! Credit for saving this amount
of money for the city belongs to Mr. Byers. . . . The largest corporation south of Los Angeles
(the incorporated city of San Diego) certainly requires and deserves the
services of the most competent and capable municipal counsel that can be
retained. City Attorney Byers is that
man! For four years he has had actual
experience in San Diego’s municipal litigation!
He brings, not theories, but positive knowledge and practical skill to his
task. His record in office proves him to
be one of the most conscientious and capable city attorneys ever to hold office
in San Diego. No man is better fitted
than he to interpret the new charter, to direct the new city-manager system of
government, to handle the vast amount of important and vitally significant
litigation and negotiations now confronting the city.”
In June, 1930, Mr. Byers was united
in marriage to Miss Alma Kingston, of St. Louis, Missouri, and they are the
parents of a son, Clinton Lewis, Jr.
Politically Mr. Byers is a
Republican. His military record covers
two and one-half years’ service in the World War, during two years of which
period he was overseas with the Second Division, participating in all major
engagements of that unit. He was awarded
the French Croix de Guerre. Mr. Byers is
a member of the American Legion, fraternally is affiliated with the Masons and
in religious faith is a Methodist. His
reputation in social, civic and professional circles of his adopted city is an
enviable one.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 185-186, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S SAN DIEGO BIOGRAPIES