Julian A. Chavez

Julian A. Chavez (1810 - July 25, 1879), aged 70. Early prominent California rancher and elected member of the Los Angeles Common Council (1846-1847, 1865, 1870-1871, 1873), forerunner to the Los Angeles City Council. Elected to first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in June 1852. Served as County Supervisor in 1852, 1858, and 1861.

Pioneer to Los Angeles in the early 1830s when it was a pueblo (very small town) and part of Mexico.

Born in Aliquot, New Mexico to Francisco Chavez and Francesca Rosa Verlarde. He purchased many tracts of land, including a large piece near downtown Los Angeles. That acreage became known as Chavez Canyon, later renamed to Chavez Ravine. The Los Angeles Dodger Stadium is located here today. Married to Maria Luisa Machado on November 04, 1865. Married by Fr. Francis Mora (Francisco Mora y Borrell), then a priest, who later became the Bishop of the Los Angeles-Monterey Diocese of the Catholic Church.

His first political office was that of Assistant Mayor (suplente alcalde) of Los Angeles in 1838. He served also as a "Judge of Waters" and later a "Judge of the Plains", as part of the Court of Sessions which handled legal matters mostly on water and cattle disputes.

The first board of County Supervisors in 1852 for Los Angeles were Jefferson Hunt, Julian A. Chavez, Francisco P. Temple, Manuel Requena, and Samuel Arbuckle. He served on the 7th board in 1858, and the 10th board in 1861.

During his final term in 1873 as a member of the Los Angeles Common Council he worked closely on issues with Prudent Beaudry, Henry Dockweiler (Heinrich Dockweiler), and Henry Workman.

References

* "History of California", by Hubert Howe Bancroft, Volume 22 of "The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft", The History Company - Publishers, San Francisco, 1886.
* "A History of California and An Extended History of Los Angeles and Environs", by James Miller Guinn, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1915, Volume 1 (of 3).