Los Angeles County
Biographies
EDWIN W.
SARGENT
The record of Edwin W. Sargent, known as the father of land titles in Los Angeles, has reflected honor on the legal history of California. The magnificent system in vogue in that state of certifying to the accuracy of land titles is based upon the ideas put into effect by this distinguished lawyer.
Mr. Sargent is a native of Wisconsin, and was born in 1848. He attended public schools and studied at the University of Wisconsin, and then moved to Iowa and entered the University of that state, graduating with the LL. B. degree in 1874. In that year he entered the practice of law at Denison, but soon moved to Atchison.
Mr. Sargent early began taking a special interest in title matters, studying closely every angle of this branch of law. In course of time he became recognized as an authority in this connection, and built up an extensive practice. When he located at Los Angeles in 1886 he found that there were no companies guaranteeing titles in this section, and after investigating the situation he organized what was then known as the Los Angeles Abstract Company. As a result of mergers with competing concerns in 1893 the company assumed its present name of the Title Insurance & Trust Company. Two years later Mr. Sargent organized the Title Guarantee & Trust Company.
Both of these concerns are still operating and have grown to large proportions, each occupying its own magnificent office building. Unquestionably the methods inaugurated by Mr. Sargent when he first located in Los Angeles have saved many hundreds of thousands of dollars. Notwithstanding his achievements, and in spite of the fact that he has few, if any, equals in the country in matters pertaining to land titles, there is not a more unassuming man in California. Mr. Sargent married Alma M. Ritchie in 1923.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: "American Blue Book California Lawyers"
by H. James Boswell, Page 33, Produced by H. James Boswell,
1928.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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