Julian A. Chavez
Encyclopedia
Julián Antonio Chávez was a rancher, landowner and elected official in early Los Angeles, California
, who served multiple terms on the Los Angeles Common Council
(the forerunner to the present-day City Council
) and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
. His land holdings included the area later known as Chavez Ravine
.
on January 7, 1808, son of Francisco Chavez and Francesca Rosa Verlarde. He is thought to have arrived in Los Angeles in the early 1830s, possibly with one of many trapping parties from New Mexico. The city census of 1836 listed Julian Chavez, aged 27, with a stated occupation of "laborer."
, which could be done by simply petitioning the Ayuntamiento (a local body similar to a city council) for permission to take possession of unoccupied tracts. In 1844 he was granted a plot of 83 acres (335,889.4 m²) about 1½ miles north of downtown Los Angeles, which would become known as Chavez Canyon. During local smallpox
outbreaks in 1850 and 1880, the canyon housed an isolation hospital to care for the afflicted. Later renamed Chavez Ravine
, it is today the location of Dodger Stadium
.
) 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. 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, and William H. Workman
.
Chavez was elected to first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
in June 1852. 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.
Chavez died of a heart attack on July 25, 1879.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, who served multiple terms on the Los Angeles Common Council
Los Angeles Common Council
The Los Angeles Common Council was the predecessor of the Los Angeles City Council which serves the City of Los Angeles, California today.The Los Angeles Common Council was formed in 1850 and existed until 1889 when a new charter was established....
(the forerunner to the present-day City Council
Los Angeles City Council
The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...
) and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five-member nonpartisan governing board of Los Angeles County, California. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:*District 1: Gloria Molina...
. His land holdings included the area later known as Chavez Ravine
Chávez Ravine
Chavez Ravine is an area in Sulfir Canyon that is the current site of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.It was named after Julian Chavez, a Los Angeles Councilman in the 19th century.-History:...
.
Origins and arrival in Los Angeles
Julian Antonio Chavez was born in Abiquiu, New MexicoAbiquiú, New Mexico
Abiquiú, or Abiquiu is a small unincorporated town located in Rio Arriba County, in northern New Mexico in the southwestern United States, about 53 miles north of Santa Fe. In the 1730s, it was the third largest settlement in the New Mexico Territory...
on January 7, 1808, son of Francisco Chavez and Francesca Rosa Verlarde. He is thought to have arrived in Los Angeles in the early 1830s, possibly with one of many trapping parties from New Mexico. The city census of 1836 listed Julian Chavez, aged 27, with a stated occupation of "laborer."
Land acquisition
Around that same time he began to acquire real estateReal 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...
, which could be done by simply petitioning the Ayuntamiento (a local body similar to a city council) for permission to take possession of unoccupied tracts. In 1844 he was granted a plot of 83 acres (335,889.4 m²) about 1½ miles north of downtown Los Angeles, which would become known as Chavez Canyon. During local smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
outbreaks in 1850 and 1880, the canyon housed an isolation hospital to care for the afflicted. Later renamed Chavez Ravine
Chávez Ravine
Chavez Ravine is an area in Sulfir Canyon that is the current site of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.It was named after Julian Chavez, a Los Angeles Councilman in the 19th century.-History:...
, it is today the location of Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
.
Political career
Chavez first political office was that of Assistant Mayor (suplente alcaldeAlcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
) 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. During his final term in 1873 as a member of the Los Angeles Common Council
Los Angeles Common Council
The Los Angeles Common Council was the predecessor of the Los Angeles City Council which serves the City of Los Angeles, California today.The Los Angeles Common Council was formed in 1850 and existed until 1889 when a new charter was established....
he worked closely on issues with Prudent Beaudry
Prudent Beaudry
Prudent Beaudry served as the 13th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1874 to 1876. A native of Quebec, he was the second French Canadian, and third French American mayor of Los Angeles.-Early life:...
, Henry Dockweiler, and William H. Workman
William H. Workman
William Henry Workman was an American politician, banker and businessman. He served two terms as the 18th Mayor of Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
.
Chavez was elected to first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five-member nonpartisan governing board of Los Angeles County, California. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:*District 1: Gloria Molina...
in June 1852. The first board of County Supervisors in 1852 for Los Angeles were Jefferson Hunt
Jefferson Hunt
Jefferson Hunt was a U.S. western pioneer, soldier, and politician. He was a captain in the Mormon Battalion, brigadier general in the California State Militia, a California State Assemblyman, and a representative to the Utah Territorial Legislature.-Early years:Hunt was born to John Hunt and...
, Julian A. Chavez, Francisco P. Temple
Francisco P. Temple
Francisco P. Temple served on the first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1852.-Biography:...
, Manuel Requena
Manuel Requena
Manuel Requena served as Acting Mayor of Los Angeles, California for twelve days during 1856. A Los Angeles pioneer, Mequena served the city in both the Mexican and American periods.-Early life:...
, and Samuel Arbuckle
Samuel Arbuckle
Samuel Arbuckle was an early California politician and pioneer to Los Angeles. He served on the first Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1852....
. He served on the 7th board in 1858, and the 10th board in 1861.
Family and death
Chavez was a widower in 1865, until he was remarried to Maria Luisa Machado on November 4 of that year. She was 22 years his junior, and as a daughter of Ygnacio Machado came from a long-established family of Los Angeles rancheros.Chavez died of a heart attack on July 25, 1879.