Los
Angeles County
Biographies
HON. JAMES WILFRED McKINLEY
Hon. James Wilfred McKinley is a
representative and successful attorney and native son of Los Angeles, where he
was born July 8, 1891, the only son of Judge James Wilfred and Lillian (Elder)
McKinley. Both parents were natives of
New Castle, Pennsylvania, and members of prominent old pioneer families of that
state. The father, born April 24, 1857, acquired
a liberal education, spending one year as a student at the University of
Pennsylvania and two years at the University of Michigan, where he graduated in
the literary course in 1879. After his
university career he returned to the Keystone state, studied law, and in 1883
arrived at Los Angeles, California, well equipped for the work of his
profession. He was admitted to the bar
of this state and at once entered upon the practice of law. In `1884 he was elected city attorney,
serving two years and then declining renomination. In 1889 he was appointed to the bench of the
superior court to fill an unexpired term and in 1890 was elected for the full
term of eight years. Having given nine
years to his public duties as a judge, on retiring from the bench in January,
1897, he felt justified in devoting all his energies to his extensive private
practice. He was attorney for the
Southern Pacific Railway from 1901 to 1918 and chief counsel for the Pacific
Electric Company from 1911 to 1914.
These connections indicated his prominence as an attorney. He was also an attorney in many cases vested
with a public interest, including some of the most important cases of water
litigation in Southern California. He
continued in active practice until his death in Los Angeles on May 11, 1918, at
the age of sixty-one years. Judge
McKinley was chairman of the California delegation to the Republican National
Convention of 1904, which nominated Colonel Roosevelt for the presidency. In 1906 he was chairman of the Republican
State Convention. From 1902 to 1918
Judge McKinley was a member of the board of regents of the University of
California. His social connections
included membership in the University Club, California Club, Los Angeles
Country Club, Sunset Club, of which he was one of the
founders, the Masonic fraternity and the Phi Kappa Psi college fraternity. His name was also on the membership rolls of
the various bar associations. The widow
of Judge McKinley resides at 508 West Adams Street in Los Angeles.
James W. McKinley of this review
attended the Los Angeles public schools, graduating from high school, and then
entered the University of California, which institution conferred upon him the
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1913. He
prepared for his life work in the Harvard Law School, from which he received
the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1916, and at once returned to Los Angeles,
was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law with his father. In 1917 when the United States became
involved in the World War, he promptly enlisted and entered an officers’
training camp. He was commissioned a
second lieutenant and was sent overseas, where he served thirteen months. At the close of the War he returned home, was
honorably discharged and resumed his professional work, in which he is still
engaged, having his offices at 621 Security Building.
Senator McKinley supports the
Republican Party, his first conspicuous political activity being as chairman of
the Republican Veterans League, which contributed to the election of Calvin
Coolidge in 1924. He was alternate
delegate in 1928, and in 1932 delegate to the National Republican
conventions. In 1926 he was elected to
represent his district in the state senate.
In 1930 the system of electing the
senator having been changed, he was elected the senator from Los Angeles
County. In 1931 he was made chairman of
the reapportionment committee of the state senate and played an important part
in handling all reapportionment bills of both the senate and assembly. Since 1922 Senator McKinley has served as
president of the Seamen’s Church Institute of Los Angeles. He is a member of the University Club, the
California Club, Ramona Parlor, No. 109, Native Sons of the Golden West and
other social organizations. In line with
his profession, Mr. McKinley is a member of the Los Angeles County, the
California and American Bar Associations.
Motoring is his favorite diversion from the routine of professional life
and he has driven to practically every part of California.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 99-101, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis.
1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES