Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

JOHN DOWNEY WORKS, Los Angeles
 
Born in Ohio Co., Ind. March 29, 1847, son of James Alexander and Phoebe Downey. 
Early education in public schools of Ind., with special instruction in Latin. 
Served from Sept., 1863, to end of Civil War as private in Tenth Indiana Cav.; 
studied law with uncle, Alexander Downey, ex-Justice of the State Supreme Court, 
and was admitted to Indiana bar in 1868; prac. with his father and served a term 
in lower house of the legislature, before moving to San Diego, because of ill 
health in 1883. Has carried on large practice, under different firm names, being 
now senior member of Works & Works, his partner being his son, Lewis H. Moved to 
Los Angeles in 1896 and is again practicing with his son. Judge of Superior 
Court, 1886-7; Justice of Supreme Court 1888�91; Councilman in 1909-10 (Pres. at 
time of resignation, Mar., 1910). Prominent in work of Municipal League; Pres. 
of various industrial companies; Mem. of the G. A. R. Carried popular vote for 
United States Senator from California at primary election March 16, 1910. 
Married, Nov. 8, 1868, Alice Banta; six children.
 
SOURCE: Greater Los Angeles & Southern California Portraits & Personal 
Memoranda, Lewis Publishing Company, 1910, P.174
 

UNITED STATES SENATOR
JOHN DOWNEY WORKS (Republican) was born in Ohio County, Indiana, March 20, 1847; 
was reared on a farm until sixteen and a half years of age; when he enlisted in 
the army of the Civil War, serving eighteen months and until the close of the 
war; was educated in the common schools on Indiana; was married to Alice Banta, 
November 8, 1868, and has six children; is a lawyer and practiced his profession 
for fifteen years at Vevay, Indiana; in 1883 removed to California; served one 
term as a member of the Legislature of Indiana in 1879; was Judge of the 
Superior Court of San Diego County, California, and a Justice of the Supreme 
Court of this State; was for a short time in 1910 a member of the City Council 
of the City of Los Angeles, California, and its president; has been a member of 
the American Bar Association for more than twenty years; in 1911 was elected 
United States Senator for California by the Legislature of this State, on the 
first ballot, receiving ninety-two votes out of one hundred and twenty. His term 
expires March 4, 1917. 

Source: California Blue Book, or State Roster, 1911
Compiled by Frank C. Jordan, Secretary of State
Friend W. Richardson, Superintendent of State Printing, Sacramento, CA, 1913

Submitted by Nancy Pratt Melton