Robert S. MacAlister
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with James G. McAllister
, Los Angeles City Council member 1928–33
Robert Stuart MacAlister (1897–1957), who went by Robert S. MacAlister, was an oil-well-supplies salesman and a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council between 1934 and 1939.
, the son of Alexander and Sarah R. MacAlister. He went to Camden High School
and to Swarthmore Preparatory School
in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
, and to Lafayette College
in Easton, Pennsylvania
. In 1917 he left school and enlisted in the Army, seeing service with the 29th Division of the American Expeditionary Force
during World War I. He was demobilized and worked his way westward across the country, arriving in Los Angeles in 1920. His first position there was as billing clerk, bookkeeper and collector for eighteen months with the Los Angeles Gas and Electric Corporation, then for six years as sales manager for the Hercules Trailer Manufacturing Company. He was with the Fager Hydraulic Hoist and Body Company until 1933. Afterward, until his seating on the City Council in 1936, he was with the Petroleum Equipment Company and with the insurance firm of Osterloh and Durham. After his City Council service ended in 1939, he was in sales for the Premier Metal Products Company, 929 East Slauson Avenue.
MacAlister was married to Iris G. Doman on July 26, 1922. They had two sons, Robert Jr. and Glen Allan. He moved to California in June 1930. They later divorced.
In October 1940, MacAlister was chairman of the California State Democratic [Party] Federation.
On July 1, 1943, MacAlister was arrested and charged with drunk driving when he made a U-turn in front of a police car, and his then wife, Clara Blaz MacAlister, was charged with being drunk in an automobile. They were acquitted by a jury of the charges of intoxication, and the jury was hung
on the charge against MacAlister of drunk driving.
A Democrat and an Episcopalian, MacAlister was a member of the Jonathan Club
, the American Legion
, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
and the Arnama Club, a service club composed of ex-servicemen. For recreation, he played bridge.
MacAlister, who lived at 1115 S. Curson Avenue, died of a seizure on January 15, 1957, while on a luncheon engagement with a family friend, Harriet Ravey, in her home at 1028 Meadowbrook Avenue. He had undergone an operation at the Sawtelle Veterans Hospital
for removal of a blood clot in the brain. He was buried in Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery
.
MacAlister was appointed by the City Council on May 8, 1934, to the 11th Councilmanic District seat to take the place of Charles W. Breedlove, who had died in office; he was to serve until the next election, in 1935. MacAlister immediately ran into trouble, though, when it was determined that he had recently moved from 1643 South Hayworth Avenue, within the 11th District, to 1601 Stearns Drive, within the 3rd District.
The council attempted to reconsider its appointment, and a court action was taken: On June 8, a Court of Appeals decision written by Justice Albert Lee Stephens held that MacAlister had been legally appointed and the council could not change its mind.
MacAlister won the race for a full two-year term in the 1935 election, besting the End Poverty in California candidate, Howard B. Rose. He was reelected in 1937, but he lost the 1939 vote to Harold Harby
.
In the mid-1930s, the 11th District represented Venice, Palms and the coastal area, as it does now, with the east boundary at Rimpau and Crenshaw boulevards.
1939 He and Councilman James M. Hyde
issued a joint statement "flatly denying the imputation in certain newspapers that 45 workmen employed in the street traffic engineering bureau" were relatives of council members.
1939 He and other council members were on a "purge
list" of Mayor Fletcher Bowron
, who urged their defeat in the 1939 election.
James G. McAllister
Not to be confused with Robert S. MacAlister, Los Angeles City Council member 1934–39James G. McAllister was a 20th century rancher and miner who was on the Utah Board of Equalization and later was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1928 to 1933.-Biography:McAllister was...
, Los Angeles City Council member 1928–33
Robert Stuart MacAlister (1897–1957), who went by Robert S. MacAlister, was an oil-well-supplies salesman and a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council between 1934 and 1939.
Biography
MacAlister was born on May 11, 1897, in Camden, New JerseyCamden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, the son of Alexander and Sarah R. MacAlister. He went to Camden High School
Camden High School (New Jersey)
Camden High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from the city of Camden, New Jersey, United States. The school is part of the Camden City Public Schools, which is classified as an Abbott District. The school,...
and to Swarthmore Preparatory School
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Swarthmore is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Swarthmore was originally named Westdale in honor of noted painter Benjamin West, who was one of the early residents of the town. The name was changed to Swarthmore after the establishment of Swarthmore College...
, and to Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
in Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
. In 1917 he left school and enlisted in the Army, seeing service with the 29th Division of the American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
during World War I. He was demobilized and worked his way westward across the country, arriving in Los Angeles in 1920. His first position there was as billing clerk, bookkeeper and collector for eighteen months with the Los Angeles Gas and Electric Corporation, then for six years as sales manager for the Hercules Trailer Manufacturing Company. He was with the Fager Hydraulic Hoist and Body Company until 1933. Afterward, until his seating on the City Council in 1936, he was with the Petroleum Equipment Company and with the insurance firm of Osterloh and Durham. After his City Council service ended in 1939, he was in sales for the Premier Metal Products Company, 929 East Slauson Avenue.
MacAlister was married to Iris G. Doman on July 26, 1922. They had two sons, Robert Jr. and Glen Allan. He moved to California in June 1930. They later divorced.
In October 1940, MacAlister was chairman of the California State Democratic [Party] Federation.
On July 1, 1943, MacAlister was arrested and charged with drunk driving when he made a U-turn in front of a police car, and his then wife, Clara Blaz MacAlister, was charged with being drunk in an automobile. They were acquitted by a jury of the charges of intoxication, and the jury was hung
Hung jury
A hung jury or deadlocked jury is a jury that cannot, by the required voting threshold, agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is unable to change its votes due to severe differences of opinion.- England and Wales :...
on the charge against MacAlister of drunk driving.
A Democrat and an Episcopalian, MacAlister was a member of the Jonathan Club
Jonathan Club
The Jonathan Club is a private social club in Los Angeles, California, U.S. It maintains two clubhouses, one in downtown Los Angeles at 545 South Figueroa Street and one on the beach in Santa Monica. The Los Angeles headquarters has dining and residential facilities, ballrooms, a health club, a...
, the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
and the Arnama Club, a service club composed of ex-servicemen. For recreation, he played bridge.
MacAlister, who lived at 1115 S. Curson Avenue, died of a seizure on January 15, 1957, while on a luncheon engagement with a family friend, Harriet Ravey, in her home at 1028 Meadowbrook Avenue. He had undergone an operation at the Sawtelle Veterans Hospital
Sawtelle Veterans Home
The Sawtelle Veterans Home was a care home for disabled American veterans in what is today part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area in California in the United States. The Home, formally the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, was established in 1887 on of Rancho...
for removal of a blood clot in the brain. He was buried in Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, originally called Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles, California. It is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood...
.
Appointment and elections
See also List of Los Angeles Municipal Election Returns, 1935–1939MacAlister was appointed by the City Council on May 8, 1934, to the 11th Councilmanic District seat to take the place of Charles W. Breedlove, who had died in office; he was to serve until the next election, in 1935. MacAlister immediately ran into trouble, though, when it was determined that he had recently moved from 1643 South Hayworth Avenue, within the 11th District, to 1601 Stearns Drive, within the 3rd District.
Many of the disappointed candidates, of whom there were twenty-seven, were present in the chamber at the time and exressed their surprise. Many appeared to be grievously indignant, and rushed around protesting.
The council attempted to reconsider its appointment, and a court action was taken: On June 8, a Court of Appeals decision written by Justice Albert Lee Stephens held that MacAlister had been legally appointed and the council could not change its mind.
MacAlister won the race for a full two-year term in the 1935 election, besting the End Poverty in California candidate, Howard B. Rose. He was reelected in 1937, but he lost the 1939 vote to Harold Harby
Harold Harby
Not to be confused with Harold A. Henry, Los Angeles City Council member 1945–66.Harold Harby was elected to the Los Angeles, California, City Council in 1939, but he had to leave office in 1942 when he was convicted of using a city car for a trip out of the state. He was reelected in 1943 and...
.
In the mid-1930s, the 11th District represented Venice, Palms and the coastal area, as it does now, with the east boundary at Rimpau and Crenshaw boulevards.
Highlights
1936 MacAlister was forced to withdraw a resolution asking the City Council to adopt a "sympathetic attitude toward the problems of games of skill and science" in the Venice area, which he represented, because of an "unsympathetic attitude" by his fellow council members. Instead, he presented to the Police Commission a petition to that effect bearing the names of 2,000 people.1939 He and Councilman James M. Hyde
James M. Hyde
James M. Hyde was a metallurgist who was noted for inventing a process that revolutionized the American mining industry. He was also a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1931 to 1939.-Biography:...
issued a joint statement "flatly denying the imputation in certain newspapers that 45 workmen employed in the street traffic engineering bureau" were relatives of council members.
1939 He and other council members were on a "purge
Purge
In history, religion, and political science, a purge is the removal of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, from another organization, or from society as a whole. Purges can be peaceful or violent; many will end with the imprisonment or exile of those purged,...
list" of Mayor Fletcher Bowron
Fletcher Bowron
Fletcher 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,...
, who urged their defeat in the 1939 election.