William Burgess Mathews (1865–1931)[1] was a "pioneer figure in the water development program of Los Angeles" and chief counsel for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. He was also city attorney of Los Angeles.[2]
Matthews was born in Ohio in 1865, and the family moved to Kentucky a year later, where he grew up. He was graduated from Centre College. He moved to Los Angeles in 1889.[2]
He died in Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, on December 9, 1931, after an operation for intestinal trouble. He left his widow, Susan (died December 22, 1946); two daughters, Margaret Abbott of San Francisco and Caroline Mathews; and three sons, John H. Mathews, William W. Mathews and Samuel S. Mathews.[2] A funeral service was conducted by the Reverend Herbert Booth Smith in Immanuel Presbyterian Church, and burial followed in Inglewood Cemetery.[3][4]
Vocationedit
Water lawedit
Mathews became known as "one of the outstanding water law attorneys of the West".[2]
He was admitted to the bar in Kentucky in 1888[2] and in California in 1889,[5] when he was associated with LeCompte Davis and later with Thomas J. Curran.[2] Mathews was one of the incorporators of the Johnhub Water Company of Colton, California, in 1897. He was elected Los Angeles city attorney in 1900 and was reelected twice, serving until 1909.[1] He was then named general counsel of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, a position he held until 1929.[2][6][7]
It was under the direction of Mr. Mathews that the city consummated the purchase of the City Water Company, a step that started the city on its long march toward obtaining an adequate water supply. He also directed the legal battle that resulted in the city acquiring the right to the water in the Los Angeles River. He bore the brunt of the legal work in the city's water development program in the Owens Valley . . . .[2]
In July 1906 Mathews announced his candidacy for nomination on the Republican ticket for Congress,[8] but in August he dropped out because, he said, the committee in charge had not allowed enough time for campaigning.[9]
mathews, william, burgess, mathews, 1865, 1931, pioneer, figure, water, development, program, angeles, chief, counsel, metropolitan, water, district, southern, california, also, city, attorney, angeles, 28th, angeles, city, attorneyin, office, 1900, 1906mayorw. William Burgess Mathews 1865 1931 1 was a pioneer figure in the water development program of Los Angeles and chief counsel for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California He was also city attorney of Los Angeles 2 W B Mathews28th Los Angeles City AttorneyIn office 1900 1906MayorWalter F HaasPreceded byLeslie R HewittPersonal detailsBorn1865 1865 OhioDied1931 1931 00 00 aged 65 66 Political partyRepublicanEducationCentre CollegePersonal editMatthews was born in Ohio in 1865 and the family moved to Kentucky a year later where he grew up He was graduated from Centre College He moved to Los Angeles in 1889 2 He died in Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles on December 9 1931 after an operation for intestinal trouble He left his widow Susan died December 22 1946 two daughters Margaret Abbott of San Francisco and Caroline Mathews and three sons John H Mathews William W Mathews and Samuel S Mathews 2 A funeral service was conducted by the Reverend Herbert Booth Smith in Immanuel Presbyterian Church and burial followed in Inglewood Cemetery 3 4 Vocation editWater law edit Mathews became known as one of the outstanding water law attorneys of the West 2 He was admitted to the bar in Kentucky in 1888 2 and in California in 1889 5 when he was associated with LeCompte Davis and later with Thomas J Curran 2 Mathews was one of the incorporators of the Johnhub Water Company of Colton California in 1897 He was elected Los Angeles city attorney in 1900 and was reelected twice serving until 1909 1 He was then named general counsel of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power a position he held until 1929 2 6 7 It was under the direction of Mr Mathews that the city consummated the purchase of the City Water Company a step that started the city on its long march toward obtaining an adequate water supply He also directed the legal battle that resulted in the city acquiring the right to the water in the Los Angeles River He bore the brunt of the legal work in the city s water development program in the Owens Valley 2 In 1929 Mathews took on a similar job with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and he was a member of the Colorado River Commission 2 Politics edit In July 1906 Mathews announced his candidacy for nomination on the Republican ticket for Congress 8 but in August he dropped out because he said the committee in charge had not allowed enough time for campaigning 9 Legacy edit nbsp Lake Mathews Mathews was memorialized in the name of Lake Mathews previously the Cajalco Reservoir in Riverside County the western terminus for the Colorado River Aqueduct It was dedicated to him in November 1940 10 References edit a b Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials 1850 1938 Municipal Reference Library March 1938 reprinted 1946 a b c d e f g h i W B Mathews Succumbs Los Angeles Times December 10 1931 page A 1 Last Rites Conducted for Lawyer Los Angeles Times December 12 1931 page A 3 Mrs W B Mathews Succumbs at 79 Los Angeles Times December 23 1946 page 5 Supreme Court Los Angeles Times October 18 1889 page 3 Articles of Incorporation Sacramento Daily Union September 30 1897 W B Mathews Estate Willed to His Widow Los Angeles Times January 12 1932 page A 1 Mathews Out for Congress Los Angeles Times July 13 1906 page II 1 Mathews Drops From the Race Los Angeles Herald August 1 1906 Gene Sherman Aqueduct Reservoir Christened Lake Mathews Los Angeles Times November 17 1940 page A 1 Preceded byWalter F Haas Los Angeles City AttorneyW B Mathews1900 06 Succeeded byLeslie R Hewitt Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title W B Mathews amp oldid 1194226435, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
