Los Angeles County
Biographies
ELMER ROOT McDOWELL
McDOWELL, ELMER ROOT, attorney at Law, Los Angeles, California, was born in Freeport, Illinois, July 26, 1869, the son of Elmer Root McDowell and Caroline Elizabeth (Baker) McDowell. Mr. McDowell, who is one of the versatile men in the legal profession, attended the public schools of Illinois and other institutions. In his youth he served as a page in the Illinois State Senate for three sessions, during the years 1881, 1883 and 1885. When not so engaged Mr. McDowell attended school or college. After giving up his position in the Senate he became a messenger for P. D. Armour & Co., packers, of Chicago. He remained with them for a few months only, next becoming a clerk for N. C. Frederickson & Co., western land dealers, whose headquarters were in Chicago. He was with the firm until 1889, when he was compelled, on account of impaired health to resign.
For a year Mr. McDowell was unable to work and when he had recovered his strength sufficiently he took up the study of dentistry.
He entered the College of Dentistry of the Lake Forest University, Chicago. He was associated as Assistant with Dr. J. W. Whipple after graduating and later served in the same capacity with his brother, Dr. F. H. B. McDowell. Ill health again forced him to give up business for a time and when he was able to work again he entered the employ of the United States Government as clerk in the United States Appraiser’s warehouse at Chicago. He held this for about six months and then was promoted through Civil Service to the position of United States Customs Clerk and Storekeeper of the Appraiser’s store, serving under John M. Clark, Collector of the Port of Chicago and General R. N. Pearson, United States Appraiser at the same port. He was compelled to resign this position October 31, 1893, on account of a recurrence of ill health.
Mr. McDowell immediately started to California in search of health and located in Los Angeles. For the first two years afterward he worked as a bookkeeper and then accepted a position with the mercantile firm of T. F. Miller & Co., at Jerome, Arizona. He held that position for about a year and then was placed in charge of the sawmill and brick making plant of the United Verde Copper Co. After six months in this place he was appointed to a clerkship in the general offices of the United Verde & Pacific Railway and within a short time was advanced to Chief Clerk and Assistant Auditor of the Company.
While in Jerome Mr. McDowell took an active interest in the affairs of the town and in 1898 was made Town Clerk, Treasurer, Tax Collector and Assessor. He held these offices for about two years and resigned in June, 1900, to travel. He visited his old home in Illinois, then toured Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and other states, returning to Arizona in December of the same year. He located in Phoenix and at once became Assistant Secretary of the Carnival and Street Fair there.
Mr. McDowell’s stay in Phoenix was brief, for in April, 1901, he moved to Prescott, Arizona. He was in the office of the Tax Assessor there for three months and then engaged in mining in the McCabe mining district. Following this Mr. McDowell organized the mining brokerage firm of McDowell, Biles & Monette and also the Federal Investment Building & Loan Association, of which he was Vice President. He operated in Prescott for about two years and then moved to Los Angeles, where he made headquarters. He continued his brokerage business there, operating mines in Arizona and Calaveras County, California.
In September, 1904, however, Mr. McDowell determined to make law his profession, so sold out his mining interests and enrolled as a student in the University of Southern California College of Law. He was graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1906 and later took a post graduate course, being awarded the degree of Master of Laws June 17, 1909.
Immediately following his admission to the Bar Mr. McDowell opened offices with Charles E. Haas, but the partnership was dissolved a few months later when Mr. Haas accepted appointment as Deputy City Attorney of Los Angeles. Mr. McDowell has continued his practice since then, being associated at various times with some of the leading members of the Los Angeles Bar. These included Arthur L. Veitch, now Deputy District Attorney of Los Angeles County; Kemper B. Campbell and William Hazlett. Since the last of those associations were dissolved he has been associated with E. Earl Crandall.
In addition to his activities in the legal profession Mr. McDowell has other interests, public and private, which make call upon his time. He is President of the Los Angeles Humane Society for Children and Vice President of the State Humane Society, Director of the Sharon Farms Company, member of the Advisory Board of the Pyramid Investment Company and a Director of the New Method Co-operative Laundry Company of Los Angeles.
Mr. McDowell is a Mason, Odd Fellow, Elk and Knight of Pythias. He is a member of Union League Club, the Los Angeles University Club, the Gamut Club, the Celtic Club, the City Club, and the Metropolitan Club, of which latter he is President and Director.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 436,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2010 Joyce
Rugeroni.
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