David Brown Kurtz aka Daniel Brown Kurtz, was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Whig and Democratic politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 from California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

.

Kurtz was born 1819 in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. He came to San Diego in 1850 where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1856. He also was a contractor and constructed several buildings in Old Town San Diego and elsewhere.

Kurtz was the second mayor of San Diego under U.S. rule, from 1851 until 1852. He later was a member of the California State Senate

California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...

 in 1852 and 1855, as a Whig party member, county judge 1855–1856, member of the California State Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

 during 1861–1862 and 1865–1866, representing the 1st District. During the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

 Kurtz was a Breckinridge

John C. Breckinridge

John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...

 Democrat (Southern sympathizer). Kurtz was appointed brigadier-general of the State Militia in 1856. Kurtz was president of the San Diego's Board of Trustees in 1862, when San Diego did not have a Mayoral form of government.

In 1866 he moved to San Luis Rey, California

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, also known as Mission San Luis Rey or San Luis Rey Mission Church, was founded on June 13, 1798 in coastal Las Californias, in the present day U.S. city of Oceanside in California. The local Quechnajuichom Native American tribe became known as the Luiseño 'Mission...

, in present Oceanside, California

Oceanside, California

-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...

, and died there 1898.