Los
Angeles County
Biographies
LEWIS ERVING
DADMUN
Many of the men who have achieved
prominence in the business and professional life are self-made, and in this
classification belongs Lewis Erving Dadmun, a Los Angeles lawyer whose
successful handling of important cases has made him nationally known. He was born in Charleston, Illinois, July 23,
1872, a son of Daniel and Mary Jane (Russell) Dadmun, and pursued his education
there until the family removed to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
When very young Mr. Dadmun left
school to earn a livelihood, and in 1889 joined his parents in San Diego,
California. A few months later he went
to Chicago, where he began the study of law and on returning to San Diego in
1892 passed the bar examination. In
August, 1893, he was admitted to practice in the California courts. Mr. Dadmun has practiced in California since
with the exception of a short period when he followed his profession in
Arkansas and in Colorado. In 1901 he
made a tour, going to the Philippines with the intention of opening a law
office in Manila, but the outlook was discouraging as the rebellion was still
going on, and he then visited Hawaii, China and Japan. He returned to San Diego from the Orient in
1902 and practiced there until 1923, when he removed to Los Angeles. His progress was rapid. He soon established his position among the
leading attorneys of southern California and was accorded the large and influential
clientele. He has been retained as
counsel in many important cases. One of
these, noted for its bearing on the rights of farmers injured by the damming of
a river, was that of Benders et al vs. the Southern California Mountain Water
Company, in which he represented the farmers in a way that won him wide
acclaim. In another case, that of the
United States vs. the Schooner Lou, Mr. Dadmun represented the vessel owners
whose schooner had been seized by the customs collector, who had also imposed a
fine upon the owners. In this
controversy also Mr. Dadmun was victorious, securing a decision that collectors
of ports have not authority to impose fines on vessels. As the practice thus condemned had been
followed for many years, this case became a precedent of great importance in
admiralty law. Another noteworthy case
was that of the People vs. Sprague, in California, in 1927, which in itself
also established a precedent in law. At
various times he has represented the city or state in special cases, and in
1907, as prosecuting attorney, successfully carried on a campaign for civic
reform in National City, where he resided.
Mr. Dadmun specializes in civil law, but has conducted many big criminal
cases. He has never sought political
office, but one time at the request of his friends, he allowed his name to be
presented at the primary as the Republican candidate for district
attorney. His law office is in the Chapman
Building of Los Angeles. He has large
real estate holdings in this area, is interested in poultry, and has raised
some of the finest cattle and horses bred on the Pacific coast.
On the 3rd of April,
1895, Mr. Dadmun was married in National City to Miss Mary E. Annis and of the four children born to them, three are now
living, Erving E., Dorothy and Sarah Elizabeth.
Mr. Dadmun has always been on the side of the underdog, fighting his
battles and exerting every effort to secure the triumph of right and
justice. He is a loyal Californian and
his influence and cooperation can at all times be counted upon in the
furtherance of movements for the upbuilding and benefit of this part of the
state.
Transcribed
by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South Vol.
IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 729-730,
Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V.
Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPHIES