Los Angeles County
Biographies
HON.
DANA REID WELLER
Though not a native of California Judge Dana Reid Weller has spent the years of his active life in Los Angeles and has risen to prominence in the legal circles of the state. He was born inOneota, now a part of the city of Duluth, Superior County, Minnesota, march 24, 1874, a son of Levi W. and Cordelia (Woods) Weller who brought their family to Los Angeles in 1875 and from that date until the close of his career Levi Weller was identified with the Golden State. He was a native of Ohio, born October 12, 1835, and received a liberal education, which he completed at Oberlin College. He taught school at Wapello, Iowa, after leaving college and in 1873 moved to Duluth, Minnesota, where he continued teaching until 1875, the year he came to Los Angeles. He purchased land, farmed and taught school until he retired in 1917. On February 22, 1865, he married Miss Cordelia Woods and there were three children born of their union, Mrs. Lulu Hunter, William W., and Dana Reid.
Dana Reid Weller attended the grammar and high schools in Los Angeles and after graduation took courses at the Los Angeles Normal School that stood where the present public library building is located. In 1893, he entered the law office of John T. Jones as a law student, paying his way as a stenographer. In April, 1895, he was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of California and entered into a partnership with his preceptor. In 1899 he was admitted to practice in the Federal courts. As early as 1891 Mr. Weller had joined the National Guard of California and at the time of the Spanish-American war he was major of the Seventh California Infantry, United States Volunteers, from May to December of 1898, and then became captain of the forty-fourth Regiment of Infantry, U. S. V., at the time of the Philippine insurrection, serving from September 16, 1899, to June 30, 1901. He is a member of the United Spanish War Veterans. In 1918-1919 he served as superior judge in Los Angeles county and then was appointed associate justice of the district Court of Appeals May 3, 19209, and served until January 1, 1921, discharging the duties of these high offices with a thorough understanding of the law and with an unbiased mind.
On October 14, 1897, Judge Weller married Jessica Rhodes of Los Angeles and they have a daughter, Katherine. Judge Weller is prominent in Masonic circles; is past master of Southern California Lodge No. 278, F.&A.M.; has taken both the York and Scottish Rites, and is a thirty-third degree Mason and a Shriner. In 1911 he was Grand Master of the State of California. He is also a member of the Elks and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. In whatever position Judge Weller has been placed he has filled it with dignity and honor and is a man of unblemished character.
Transcribed
9-23-12 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: California
of the South Vol. V, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 326-327,
Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPHIES