Los Angeles County
Biographies
HON. LESLIE R. HEWITT
As a member
of the legal profession of Los Angeles,
Judge Leslie R. Hewitt has distinguished himself by his successful practice and
his consummate knowledge of the law, and in public office, as city attorney and
on the superior court bench, he has achieved a record of outstanding merit.
Judge Hewitt was born in Olympia, Washington,
September 12, 1867 and is a son of Randall H. and Ellen L Hewitt. The father was a native of Seneca Falls, New York,
and in the year 1862 crossed the western plains in a covered wagon in the same
party of which his wife was a member. He
settled in Olympia,
and in that community was engaged for many years in newspaper work. In March, 1876, he brought his family to Los Angeles and here he continued
in journalistic work until his death on April 16, 1916.
Judge
Hewitt was only about nine years of age when he accompanied his family to Los Angeles. He attended the grade schools and the high
school, having graduated from the latter in 1885. Having completed his common school training,
he then took up his advanced studies at the University of California
and in 1890 this institution conferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of
Letters. The law as a life’s work was
his ambition. As a young lad, he had
been employed in the office of the Los Angeles Express and had learned of
newspaper work through his growing years, but nevertheless the appeal of the
professional career was too strong and the accordingly took up the study of law
in the office of Wills, Monroe and Lee, and completed his work with the firm of
Houghton, Silent and Campbell. He was
admitted to the bar in San Francisco in August,
1893 and in 1895 started alone in the active practice in the city of Los Angeles. His progress was rapid and he quickly
acquired a most favorable reputation.
Very soon after he opened his office he was appointed deputy city
attorney under Walter F. Haas and continued in the same capacity under W. B.
Mathews until 1906, when he was himself elected city attorney. Judge Hewitt’s discharge of his responsible
duties in this position was most creditable and inspired much favorable
criticism. Two most important issues
came under his legal attention during his incumbency, issues which were
especially concerned with the development of the municipality. One was the construction of the Los Angeles aqueduct and
the other was the development of the San Pedro harbor, the success of each of
which is well known to every citizen. In
connection with the harbor development he resigned as city attorney in 1911 to
accept the appointment as special counsel for the first board of harbor
commissioners and served until the conclusion of the litigation of the
tidelands in San Pedro in 1913.
In
November, 1910, Judge Hewitt was chosen at the polls to represent his district
in the state senate. He served four
years in this law-making body and during that time was a member of several
important committees. He worked
faithfully for the interests of his constituents and held marked influence
amount his contemporaries of the senate.
In
November, 1913 Judge Hewitt was appointed to the superior bench in Los Angeles, and until
1924 he occupied this dignified position.
He was known as a fair and conscientious judge, who displayed real
intelligence and judgment in his decision and in the conduct of his court. The public respect which he gained by his
tenure of office was well-merited, and not a blemish appears on his record as a
jurist. As noted, in 1924 the judge
retired from the bench in order to resume the private practice of law, which he
continues at this writing.
On April
30, 1901, in San Francisco, Judge Hewitt was
married to Miss Mable Eastwood of New
Castle, California,
and to them have been born three children.
Beatrice, the eldest of the three, was educated in the University of California
and is now teaching in the kindergarten department of the Los Angeles county public schools. Asa R., second in the order of birth, is
connected with the California Fruit Growers’ Exchange. Emily Ellen, the youngest, is a graduate of
the University of Washington at Seattle.
Judge
Hewitt is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the California
State Bar Association. He is a
thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to Pentalpha Lodge, No. 202, Free and
Accepted Masons; Los Angeles Consistory of the Scottish Rite; and Al Malaikah
Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He also is
affiliated with Los Angeles Lodge, No. 2, Knights of Pythias; the University club,
and the Army and Navy Club.
Not alone
in the law or on the bench has Judge Hewitt won recognition, but as a business
man of find capabilities, and as one interested in city affairs. His many friends attest to his democratic
personality. He resides at San Marino.
Transcribed
By: Michele Y. Larsen on July 4, 2012.
Source: California
of the South Vol. V,
by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 114-116,
Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Michele
Y. Larsen.
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