Los Angeles County
Biographies
JOHNSON WYATT SUMMERFIELD
SUMMERFIELD, JOHNSON WYATT, Attorney-at-Law and Justice of the Peace, Los Angeles, California, Cal.(sic), is a native of Indiana, having been born at Vernon, that State, November 20, 1869, the son of Johnson Wyatt Summerfield and Catherine Jane McClaskey. He was married at Santa Ana, Cal., December 5, 1908, to Phoebe F. Labory, daughter of Leonard J. Labory. One child, Catherine Jane Summerfield, has been born to them.
He received a common school education and spent part of his boyhood in Utah, the family moving to Santa Monica in 1883. He finished his preliminary schooling in Los Angeles and in the late eighties entered the University of California College of Law, from which he was graduated in 1891.
He did not immediately enter into the practice of law, but learned shorthand, and in 1895 was engaged as a shorthand reporter. He continued at this until 1898. The next year he became associated with District Attorney James C. Rives, now Superior Judge, and remained with him until 1902.
In that year he took up active practice, and for five years was a pleader, but in 1907 he was elected to Justice of the Peace and has continued in that office since, having been re-elected in 1910.
He is considered one of the best men who has ever occupied the bench in a justice court. He is popular with the public, his associated justices and with the attorneys who practice before him.
Justice Summerfield has been a prominent figure in lodge matters for several years and at the present time is a member of the B.P.O.E., Eagles, Independent Order of Foresters, Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Foresters of America and Free and Accepted masons.
He is a member of the Metropolitan Club and the Jonathan Club.
Transcribed 5-15-10
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 417, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta.
1913.
© 2010 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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