Los Angeles County
Biographies
GEORGE ALEXANDER
ALEXANDER, GEORGE, Mayor of Los Angeles, California, was born near Glasgow, Scotland, September 21, 1839, the son of William Alexander and Mary (Cleland) Alexander. The family came to America in 1850, first settling in Chicago, Illinois. There they lived for about five years, and early in 1856 journeyed to Iowa, where the elder Alexander purchased a large acreage of government land and began work as an agriculturist. Mr. Alexander married Annie Yeiser in Iowa in April, 1862, and to them were born three children, two of whom, Lydia A. and Frank A. Alexander, are still living. The son is a prominent merchant of Redlands, California.
Mr. Alexander’s educational opportunities were extremely limited and he began life as a newsboy in Chicago at the age of twelve years. This occupation held him until the family went to Iowa, and then he became a farmer, helping his father with his crops. He remained on the farm until about the time of his marriage, and four months after his wedding he volunteered for service in the Civil War, enlisting in the Union Army.
He served in numerous battles and remained under arms until the conclusion of the War, in 1865. He was with General Grant’s army in the campaign around Vicksburg and was under General Banks in the Red River campaign. His regiment was then transferred to the East and placed in General Sheridan’s command, serving throughout the Shenandoah Valley campaign. Mr. Alexander was a witness of Sheridan’s famous ride from Winchester to Cedar Creek.
When he was mustered out of service Mr. Alexander had to start life over again, and his first position was in a grain warehouse, where he received wages of $40 per month. He stayed with the firm for five years and during that time became an expert in the grain business, drawing a salary of $100, when he quit to go into the grain warehouse business for himself. In 1874 he went to Toledo, Iowa, establishing a business there, and a year later took up a similar enterprise at Dysart, Iowa. In 1886, when he had four large warehouses and a great shipping business under his control, he and his wife visited California and he decided to make his future home there.
Returning to Iowa, he sold out his interests and went to Los Angeles. He spent some time looking over the business field and finally built a feed mill. This he conducted approximately two years, and then, in 1890, entered the political field.
His first public office was that of Inspector in the City Street Department, under E. H. Hutchinson. His ability won him rapid promotion, and in 1893 he was made Chief Deputy. Two years in this position and he entered the County Recorder’s office as a clerk, but by the time he left that office, in 1898, he was Chief Deputy Recorder. In 1899 he returned to the Street Dept., and remained there until elected to the Board of County Supervisors, in January, 1901, a position he held eight years. During that time he made a record for honest service and protection of the people’s interests. He won a great fight in 1902, against the majority of the Board of County Hospital contracts. He carried the matter successfully through the courts. He made another notable battle when he took a stand, advocated by the Los Angeles Examiner, against the award by private bid of $3,500,000 for building County good roads.
In 1909 he was chosen Mayor of Los Angeles when the people had recalled the former Mayor from office. At the regular election the following fall he was retained in that office and has filled it down to date. He is a Mason, K. T., member G. A. R., Municipal League, City Club, Chamber of Commerce, Moose Lodge and Union League of L. A.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 442,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2010 Joyce
Rugeroni.
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