Byron B. Brainard
Encyclopedia
Byron B. Brainard was an electrician, auto mechanic, auto salesman, real estate broker and community newspaper editor who was also a Los Angeles City Council member between 1933 and 1939.
| |}>
Brainard, whose parentage and birthplace are not listed in the public record, was brought to Los Angeles in 1899 at the age of five. He left high school to work as a car washer for the Southern Pacific and the Pullman Company
but acquired his first piece of real estate
through his parents while still a minor. He continued his education through night school
and extension courses
. He worked up to chief mechanic for an automobile company, then turned to real estate and, before his election to the council in 1933, he edited and published the Southwest News-Press, a community newspaper
. He maintained a semiwieekly column called "Column Right" while a council member and after.
Brainard was stricken while eating dinner with his wife, Blanche, in their home at 2942-1/2 South Normandie Avenue. He could not be revived at Georgia Street Receiving Hospital. Funeral services were conducted at Inglewood Park Cemetery
by the Golden Gate Masonic Lodge
and the Order of Druids, of which Brainard had been Noble Grand Arch. Besides his wife, he left a son and a daughter.
A month after his death, an autopsy report revealed that Brainard had died of strangulation when a piece of meat lodged in his throat.
Brainard ran for the 5th District seat in 1929 and 1931, each time failing to be nominated in the first round. In 1933, however, he ousted incumbent Roy Donley
, and he was reelected in 1935 over the End Poverty in California candidate, Charles W. Dempster. He was reelected in 1937 and 1939, but lost to Arthur E. Briggs
in 1941.
In 1935, District 5 was bounded on the east by Vermont avenue, on the north by Wilshire Boulevard, on the west by La Brea avenue and on the south by Exposition Boulevard.
Biography
Brainard, whose parentage and birthplace are not listed in the public record, was brought to Los Angeles in 1899 at the age of five. He left high school to work as a car washer for the Southern Pacific and the Pullman Company
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
but acquired his first piece of real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
through his parents while still a minor. He continued his education through night school
Night School
Night School is a school that holds classes in the evening or at night, and is usually intended for continuing and adult learning and to accommodate people who work during the day.Night School may also refer to:...
and extension courses
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
. He worked up to chief mechanic for an automobile company, then turned to real estate and, before his election to the council in 1933, he edited and published the Southwest News-Press, a community newspaper
Community journalism
Community journalism is locally oriented, professional news coverage that typically focuses on city neighborhoods, individual suburbs or small towns, rather than metropolitan, state, national or world news....
. He maintained a semiwieekly column called "Column Right" while a council member and after.
Brainard was stricken while eating dinner with his wife, Blanche, in their home at 2942-1/2 South Normandie Avenue. He could not be revived at Georgia Street Receiving Hospital. Funeral services were conducted at Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery was founded in 1905 in Inglewood, California. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed here.-List of notable and celebrity interments at Inglewood Park:...
by the Golden Gate Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
and the Order of Druids, of which Brainard had been Noble Grand Arch. Besides his wife, he left a son and a daughter.
A month after his death, an autopsy report revealed that Brainard had died of strangulation when a piece of meat lodged in his throat.
Elections
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1929–41Brainard ran for the 5th District seat in 1929 and 1931, each time failing to be nominated in the first round. In 1933, however, he ousted incumbent Roy Donley
Roy Donley
Roy L. Donley was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from the Fifth District in 1931 and 1932. He was also deputy United States Internal Revenue collector....
, and he was reelected in 1935 over the End Poverty in California candidate, Charles W. Dempster. He was reelected in 1937 and 1939, but lost to Arthur E. Briggs
Arthur E. Briggs
Dr. Arthur Elbert Briggs was a teacher and law school dean who was a Los Angeles, California, City Council member from 1939 to 1941 and the leader of the Ethical Society of Los Angeles in 1953.-Biography:...
in 1941.
In 1935, District 5 was bounded on the east by Vermont avenue, on the north by Wilshire Boulevard, on the west by La Brea avenue and on the south by Exposition Boulevard.
Highlights of his term
- He was one of five Council members on Mayor Fletcher BowronFletcher BowronFletcher Bowron was the 35th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from September 26, 1938 until June 30, 1953. Until Thomas Bradley passed his length of service during the 1980s, Bowron held the distinction of having the longest tenure in that position in city history.Bowron was born in Poway,...
's "purge list" in advance of the 1939 elections.
- When Mayor Bowron vetoed the surfacing of Amalfi and Warren drives with Warrenite bitulithic pavement on the grounds that the substance was part of a "patent paving racket" not worth the additional cost, Brainard called the veto message "the most asinine statement I ever heard given out by any man in public office."
- He and John W. BaumgartnerJohn W. BaumgartnerJohn Walter Baumgartner was a civil engineer who was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1933 to 1945.-Biography:...
obtained the original allocation of $175,000 from the state to begin the project that opened 10th Street and turned it into Olympic Boulevard without having to assess local property owners for the improvements.
- In May 1939 he cast the only negative vote against Bowron's request for an additional $2,000 for the police secret service fund.