Los Angeles County
Biographies
HENRY W. O’MELVENY
Henry W. O’Melveny, attorney (now deceased), was born in Central City, Illinois, on August 10, 1859. He was the son of H. K. S. and Anna Wilhelmina (Rose) O’Melveny.
After attending the public grammar school in Illinois he was a student at the Los Angeles, California High School, where he was a member of the first graduating class in 1875; then studied law at the University of California, 1875-1879, graduating with the A.B. degree (honorary LL.D. degree, 1932); also receive an LL.D. degree from Occidental College (Los Angeles) in 1929; admitted to the State Bar of California in October of 1881; member of Phi Beta Kappa fraternity.
The most important work in Mr. O’Melveny’s life was in connection with the development to hydro-electric power in Southern California. Beginning in 1891 with the incorporation of the San Gabriel Power Company, his professional services continued for many years thereafter and were devoted very largely to the duties of sole counsel for the following corporations in their successive order: San Gabriel Power Company, San Gabriel Electric Company and Pacific Light and Power Company. He also held the position of counsel for the following subsidiary corporations: Ontario Power Company, Mentone Power Company, Fresno Light and Power Company, San Joaquin Power Company, San Joaquin Light and Power Company and San Joaquin Light and Power Corporation; also, in addition to the above, was employed as counsel for various trust companies and banks.
Mr. O’Melveny was active in civic park and relief work, being City Park Commissioner in Los Angeles for four years; served as Los Angeles Library Commissioner for six years, and as State Park Commissioner for four years; trustee of California Institute of Technology; and was founder of Civil Service Commission (president for two years).
Was a member of the Los Angeles Bar Association since 1888 (president, 1919), State Bar of California, American Bar Association; and belonged to the following clubs: California (charter member), Sunset (charter member), and Los Angeles Country.
Mr. O’Melveny married Maria Antoinette Schilling on May 28, 1887; children: Stuart, born in 1888; Donald, born in 1890; and Jack (John), born in 1894.
Mr. O’Melveny was in law practice in Los Angeles, California, until the time of his death.
Transcribed
By: Michele Y. Larsen on August 24, 2013.
Source: Eminent Californians 1953, by Lee
E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Pages 53-54, C. W. Taylor
Publ., Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2013 Michele Y. Larsen.
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