A.E. Henning
Encyclopedia
August E. Henning, known as A.E. Henning, (1887–1970) was a civil engineer and businessman who was a member of the Los Angeles City Council between 1929 and 1933, disbursement officer for the California State Emergency Relief Administration from 1934 to 1937 and chief of the Park Division, California Department of Natural Resources, after 1937.
. He went to public schools there, graduated from high school in 1905 and then studied at Purdue University
to become a civil engineer
, receiving his degree in 1909
. He taught science and geometry at Watseka High School after 1910. He joined the Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant
during World War I. He taught civil engineering at Purdue in the 1918 and 1919 school years, moving in the early 1920s to California, where he was director of vocational education in the Santa Ana
public schools. He was then variously a civil engineer, real estate and insurance man and industrial banker
in the Pacific Northwest
. He invested heavily in real estate
. Henning also operated a bakery in San Pedro. His nickname
was "Chick," and he lived at 1237 West Eighth Street, San Pedro.
| |}>
Henning was married to Mary Francis Walker on December 23, 1916, in Watseka. They had two sons, Richard Edward and Robert W.
He was a Republican, an Episcopalian and a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club
and the Palos Verdes Country Club
. In 1931 he was described as:
Henning's mother, Louise Henning, who lived at 2801 Third Street, Long Beach, died in 1945 at the age of 92 of burns she received in an accidental fire.
of the San Pedro and Harbor District chambers of commerce and the San Pedro Rotary Club and San Pedro Shrine Club
, as well as the general chairmanship of the Harbor District Community Chest
. He was vice chairman of the Republican State Central Committee. He was a member of a committee that went to Washington, D.C., to lobby the federal government for a $7 million appropriation for a breakwater
extension in the harbor.
Henning defeated James E. Dodson Jr. in the 1929 race for the City Council seat in the 15th District, which included the Los Angeles Harbor District, the Shoestring Strip and South Los Angeles
north to Manchester Avenue. He was reelected in 1931 over Frank McGinley, but lost in 1933 to F.P. Buyer. During his council service he was noted for taking the Pacific Electric Red Car to his office in the City Hall.
In January 1930, Henning and seven other council members who had voted in favor of granting a rock-crushing permit in the Santa Monica Mountains were unsuccessfully targeted for recall on the grounds that the eight
Two years after his service as a councilman had ended, Henning was offered an appointment as investigator for the City Council, to succeed Tujunga newspaperman Carroll Parcher, but he turned down the job, and the same month the council decided to eliminate the position entirely.
, who had preceded him as 15th District City Council member in 1925–29.
. Governor Earl Warren
said lawyers were checking to see if there was any conflict of interest
in the dealing.
Biography
Henning was born on January 14, 1887, in Watseka, IllinoisWatseka, Illinois
Watseka is a city in and the county seat of Iroquois County, Illinois, United States. It is located approximately west of the Illinois-Indiana state line on U.S...
. He went to public schools there, graduated from high school in 1905 and then studied at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
to become a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, receiving his degree in 1909
1909 in the United States
-Incumbents:* President: Theodore Roosevelt , William Howard Taft * Vice President: Charles W. Fairbanks , James S...
. He taught science and geometry at Watseka High School after 1910. He joined the Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
during World War I. He taught civil engineering at Purdue in the 1918 and 1919 school years, moving in the early 1920s to California, where he was director of vocational education in the Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
public schools. He was then variously a civil engineer, real estate and insurance man and industrial banker
Industrial loan company
An industrial loan company or industrial bank is a financial institution in the United States that lends money, and may be owned by non-financial institutions. Though such banks offer FDIC-insured deposits and are subject to FDIC and state regulator oversight, a debate exists to allow parent...
in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. He invested heavily in 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...
. Henning also operated a bakery in San Pedro. His nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
was "Chick," and he lived at 1237 West Eighth Street, San Pedro.
Henning was married to Mary Francis Walker on December 23, 1916, in Watseka. They had two sons, Richard Edward and Robert W.
He was a Republican, an Episcopalian and a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club
Los Angeles Athletic Club
Los Angeles Athletic Club is an athletic club and private social club in Los Angeles, California, USA. It awards the John R. Wooden Award to the outstanding men's and women's college basketball player of each year....
and the Palos Verdes Country Club
Palos Verdes Golf Club
Palos Verdes Golf Club is private golf and social club located in Palos Verdes Estates, CA.-History:The golf course began construction beginning in 1923, and was completed in 1924. The club employed the famous Olmstead brothers for landscaping and George C. Thomas Jr and and William "Billy" Bell as...
. In 1931 he was described as:
Not a large man physically, dapper and a neat dresser, Henning, although aggressive, has a pleasing personality. Catalina Island is his favorite playground and golf his favorite sport.
Henning's mother, Louise Henning, who lived at 2801 Third Street, Long Beach, died in 1945 at the age of 92 of burns she received in an accidental fire.
Professional life
His civic activities included presidenciesPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the San Pedro and Harbor District chambers of commerce and the San Pedro Rotary Club and San Pedro Shrine Club
Shriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
, as well as the general chairmanship of the Harbor District Community Chest
Community Chest
Community Chest may refer to any of the following:*The Community Chest of Hong Kong*The Community Chest of Singapore*Community Chest , a forerunner of the United Way of America...
. He was vice chairman of the Republican State Central Committee. He was a member of a committee that went to Washington, D.C., to lobby the federal government for a $7 million appropriation for a breakwater
Breakwater (structure)
Breakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
extension in the harbor.
City Council
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1929–33Henning defeated James E. Dodson Jr. in the 1929 race for the City Council seat in the 15th District, which included the Los Angeles Harbor District, the Shoestring Strip and South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, often abbreviated as South L.A. and formerly South Central Los Angeles, is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central, and is still widely known...
north to Manchester Avenue. He was reelected in 1931 over Frank McGinley, but lost in 1933 to F.P. Buyer. During his council service he was noted for taking the Pacific Electric Red Car to his office in the City Hall.
In January 1930, Henning and seven other council members who had voted in favor of granting a rock-crushing permit in the Santa Monica Mountains were unsuccessfully targeted for recall on the grounds that the eight
have conspired with . . . Alphonzo BellAlphonzo BellAlphonzo Edward Bell Sr. was an American oil multi-millionaire, real estate developer, philanthropist, and champion tennis player...
, Samuel Traylor and Chapin A. Day, all multi-millionaires, to grant this group a special spot zoning permit to crush and ship . . . from the high-class residential section of Santa Monica, limestone and rock for cement.
Two years after his service as a councilman had ended, Henning was offered an appointment as investigator for the City Council, to succeed Tujunga newspaperman Carroll Parcher, but he turned down the job, and the same month the council decided to eliminate the position entirely.
Congressional bid
Henning was a candidate for Congress on the Republican ticket in 1932 but was defeated by Democrat Charles J. ColdenCharles J. Colden
Charles J. Colden was a 20th century California politician who served in the Los Angeles City Council and the U.S. Congress.Charles J. Colden was a 20th century California politician who served in the Los Angeles City Council and the U.S. Congress.Charles J...
, who had preceded him as 15th District City Council member in 1925–29.
State service
On August 25, 1934, Henning was appointed by State Controller Ray Riley as assistant disbursement officer of the State Emergency Relief Administration for Los Angeles County. In April 1937 he became chief of the Division of Parks, California Department of Natural Resources. He left for a time and then was reappointed in 1943. Henning resigned in 1950 and on the same day a company he operated submitted the best bid to operate the parking area at Huntington State BeachHuntington State Beach
Huntington State Beach is a protected beach in Southern California, located in the City of Huntington Beach in Orange County.The California State Park extends two miles from Newport Beach north to Beach Blvd. where the Huntington City Beach begins.This beach is a popular destination for many...
. Governor Earl Warren
Earl Warren
Earl Warren was the 14th Chief Justice of the United States.He is known for the sweeping decisions of the Warren Court, which ended school segregation and transformed many areas of American law, especially regarding the rights of the accused, ending public-school-sponsored prayer, and requiring...
said lawyers were checking to see if there was any conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
in the dealing.