A. J. Barnes
Encyclopedia
A. J. Barnes was the first person to represent the 12th district of the Los Angeles City Council under the new charter in 1925. He served until 1927.
Barnes, a contractor
and real-estate man who had lived in Los Angeles since 1904, was elected to the City Council in 1925, but failed in a re-election bid in 1927, when he lost the primary election to Douglas Eads Foster
and Clarence W. Horn by just seven votes, determined only after a recount was held. Barnes was known as a supporter of Mayor George E. Cryer, and he was endorsed by organized labor. The 12th District
at that time was bounded by Main Street
, Sunset Boulevard
, Temple Street
, Fountain Avenue and Hoover Street.
Barnes ran unsuccessfully for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
two times. After his City Council service, he became a field secretary for Supervisor J. Don Mahaffey
.
In 1932 he was active in a protest movement against a proposal to give the University of Southern California
preferential rights to use the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
during the football season.
In 1934, Barnes was secretary of the Progressive Party State Central Committee and caused a stir when he resigned his position in protest of the party's support of Raymond L. Haight
in the gubernatorial election that year and urged support for Governor Frank Merriam
in order to avoid giving the election to Upton Sinclair, the End Poverty in California candidate. Barnes ran as the Progressive Party's candidate for the state Board of Equalization
later that year and came in third.
-------
Barnes, a contractor
Contractor
Contractor may refer to:* General contractor, organization or individual that contracts with another organization or individual for the construction of a building, road or other facility...
and real-estate man who had lived in Los Angeles since 1904, was elected to the City Council in 1925, but failed in a re-election bid in 1927, when he lost the primary election to Douglas Eads Foster
Douglas Eads Foster
Douglas Eads Foster was a Los Angeles, California, dentist who served on the City Council of that city between 1927 and 1929.-Biography:...
and Clarence W. Horn by just seven votes, determined only after a recount was held. Barnes was known as a supporter of Mayor George E. Cryer, and he was endorsed by organized labor. The 12th District
Los Angeles City Council District 12
Los Angeles City Council District 12 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council. It encompasses the far northwestern section of the city in the San Fernando Valley. Mitchell Englander is the current officeholder....
at that time was bounded by Main Street
Main Street (Los Angeles)
Main Street is a major north-south thoroughfare in Los Angeles, California, and is the east-west postal divider for that city. It begins as a continuation of Valley Boulevard west of Mission Road in Lincoln Heights and ends at the Port of Los Angeles. At 9th Street, it merges with Spring Street in...
, Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
, Temple Street
Temple Street
Temple Street may refer to:*Temple Street, Hong Kong*Temple Street, Dublin, Ireland*Temple Street, Singapore*Temple Street in Los Angeles, California*Temple Street Birmingham UK...
, Fountain Avenue and Hoover Street.
Barnes ran unsuccessfully for 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...
two times. After his City Council service, he became a field secretary for Supervisor J. Don Mahaffey
J. Don Mahaffey
J. Donnell Mahaffey, known as J. Don Mahaffey, was a Los Angeles County supervisor from 1930 to 1932.-Biography:Mahaffey was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and educated there. He attended Media University, after which he became an accountant and was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company...
.
In 1932 he was active in a protest movement against a proposal to give the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
preferential rights to use the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
during the football season.
In 1934, Barnes was secretary of the Progressive Party State Central Committee and caused a stir when he resigned his position in protest of the party's support of Raymond L. Haight
Raymond L. Haight
Raymond LeRoy Haight was an American lawyer and politician from California. Involved in the Republican and Commonwealth-Progressive parties, Haight ran as a third party candidate during the 1934 California gubernatorial election.-Biography:Haight was born in San Jose, California to George Haight...
in the gubernatorial election that year and urged support for Governor Frank Merriam
Frank Merriam
Frank Finley Merriam was an American politician who served as the 28th governor of California from June 2, 1934 until January 2, 1939...
in order to avoid giving the election to Upton Sinclair, the End Poverty in California candidate. Barnes ran as the Progressive Party's candidate for the state Board of Equalization
State Board of Equalization (California)
The State Board of Equalization is a public agency charged with tax administration and fee collection in the state of California in the United States. The areas of authority of the Board fall into four broad areas: sales and use taxes, property taxes, special taxes, and acting as an appellate body...
later that year and came in third.
Other sources
- Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials: 1850–1938, compiled under the direction of the Municipal Reference Library, City Hall, Los Angeles, March 1938 (reprinted 1966)
-------