HomeMy WebLinkAboutSan Luis Obispo Officials 1850-1876 san lugs osispo officials 1850 - 1876
maRch 27, 1850: "An Act to provide for the incorporations of Towns" state legislation
provided the first general law for the incorporation of towns A majority of at least 200 residents
were required to petition the County Court of Sessions (later Board of Supervisors) for township
status The Act required the election of Trustees and a Treasurer. Assessor, and Marshal (who
was also the "Collector of all taxes') The Trustees could appoint all other officers To date,
there has been no record found as to any election
fEBRUARy 19, 1856 "An Act to incorporate the Town of San Luis Obispo- specified the
election of three members to a Board of Trustees elected annually on the first Monday in May
There are no other elected or appointed officials specified in this Act However, any provision of
the 1850 Act not in conflict with this legislation was to apply There is no documentation of
elections
aUCUSt 10, 1858: With the 1856 Act repealed on April 26, 1858, the townspeople reverted to
the provisions of the 1850 legislation Basically, the Board of Supervisors (who had assumed the
legislative functions of the Court of Sessions in 1852) granted incorporation once a majority of at
least 200 residents signed a petition This was done and San Luis Obispo was again incorporated
as a Town Given the small settlement was the County Seat, it is possible there was little
differentiation between the county and community governance
apRll 14, 1863: The Legislature once again passed "An Act to incorporate the Town of San Luis
Obispo" that required five Trustees elected annually on the first Monday in May The Clerk.
Marshal, Assessor. and Treasurer were now appointed positions Trustees received $1 per year
and decided the compensation for the other officers Some form of governance was evident from
a preserved letter in the City Archives dated 1864 responding to a local request for a survey The
earliest Town survey was done by William Rich Hutton in the early 1850s
1867: A Tribune article (April 18. 1902) reports "In 1867 the board of the town trustees of San
Luis Obispo adjourned from May 9 to December 28 On the latter day the board met and
organized by electing C I-I Johnson president The other members of the board were Patnck
Dunn. S B Call. Walter Murray and Abraham Stockman "
There are few records as to any elections or officials before the preserved minutes begin in 1870
but by then Charles H Johnson was a key figure in the town's governance In January of 1868,
he had received a letter from the U S Land Office in San Francisco confirming his official role
in the governance of the Town Besides those mentioned above, Peter A Forester also served
as a trustee Both Thomas Bouton and Charles W Dana were Town Clerks The only
appointment noted was J J. Schiefferly as Marshal in May of 1868 Another article (December
12, 1868) made reference to a Sanitation Committee composed of Patrick Dunne. John J
Simmler, and Juan Cappe
maRch 4. 1872: "An Act to reincorporate the Town of San Luis Obispo" simply reaffirms the
Trustees, officers. election dates. etc of the 1850 Act However. Towns were now allowed to
appoint a Town Surveyor and a Town Attorney
1870 [may 231
Board of Trustees. William W FIays (85)2 (chairman), Horatio Bradshaw Palmer(107). John
Jacob Sunnier(102). Henry Francis (82). Lazare Landeker(78)
Marshal George W Barnes (12/1 William M Farmer night watchman)
Treasurer. William J Marcus
Recorder R H Coate
Assessor Samuel Adams Pollard
Tax Collector George W Barnes
Clerk Charles William Dana
ism [may 13
Board of Trustees William W Hays (chairman), Horatio Bradshaw Palmer, John Jacob
Simmler, Henry Francis. Lazare Landeker
Marshal: John P. Lewelling (David Dunbar declines 6/19)
Treasurer Nathan Goldtree
Assessor Charles W Mauk
Tax Collector George W Barnes
Clerk C. W Dana(8/1/70+ John J. Simmler, deputy)
1872 (may 63
Board of Trustees Lazarus M Kaiser (chairman), George F Sauer, Samuel Porter McDougall.
Ernest Krebs, Antonio Stanusseich
Marshal John P Lewelling (Night Watchman F F Fine)
Treasurer Jose C Ortega
Assessor. Henry M. Little
Recorder John J. Simmler(resigns 3/3/73)
Clerk Victor C Allen
Attorney. Walter Murray: 9/2/72 (6/14/73 office vacant)
1873 (may 5)
Board of Trustees Chauncey H Phillips (chairman), Henry Francis. Edwin Booker Morris(s),
Horatio B Palmer, Robert R Harris
Marshal E D Major(9/27/73• John P Lewelling, night watchman, 10/13/73 Jules Bau_9
night watchman))
Treasurer Jose C. Ortega
Assessor Victor C Allen (d 1773)
Recorder George W Barnes
Clerk Julius Krebs
i Date in parenthesis is election day
2 Number in parenthesis indicates total votes received by each trustee
1874 (may 43
Board of Trustees Chauncey H. Phillips (chairman), Henry Francis, Edwin Booker Moms(s),
Horatio B. Palmer, Robert R Hams
Marshal John P Lewelline (John Waugh deputy, night watchman)
Treasurer Jose C Ortega
Assessor: Henry M Osgood (resigns 2/23/75, J J Simmler)
Recorder George W Barnes (5/5/74 election tie with John J Simmler. selection by Board)
Clerk Julius Krebs
Janitor John Eldon Childs
1875 (may 33
Board of Trustees William L Beebe (chairman). Chauncey H Phillips, Lazare Landeker,
William W. Hays. Robert R. Hams
Marshal Eliot D Major
Treasurer Jose C Ortega
Assessor: John Wrightman
Recorder George W Barnes
Clerk. Julius Krebs
The Town of San Luis Obispo was legislatively abolished when the State Legislature declared
the community a city in 1876
Compiled by Joseph Carotenuti