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Stephen C. Foster (politician)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Clark Foster was a politician
, the first American mayor of Los Angeles
under United States military rule. Foster served in the state constitutional convention, and was elected to the State Senate. He was elected as mayor of Los Angeles in 1856, and later elected for four terms to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
.
in 1840.
and Santa Fe
. While in Santa Fe, Foster joined the Mormon Battalion
of Missouri Volunteers, then on its way to California to fight in the Mexican-American War.
In the stormy period when California was under US military rule after the defeat of the Mexicans, Governor Mason
appointed the 33-year-old Foster alcalde (mayor) of Los Angeles to replace the dissolved ayuntamiento
(government) of the Mexicans. For this reason, Foster often has been referred to as the first American mayor of the city. He served as alcalde from Jan. 1, 1848 to May 21, 1849. For the remainder of that year, or until the city came under United States jurisdiction in 1850, Foster served as perfecto
.
Mason appointed José del Carmen Lugo
, a prominent and mature Californio
, as mayor following Foster.
Foster was elected a member of the 1849 California Constitutional Convention, which met in Monterey
. The group framed the state Constitution and petitioned Congress for admission of California into the United States.
from Southern California and served two years.
In 1854, Foster was elected mayor of Los Angeles. He is credited with authorizing construction of the first public school in Los Angeles. Los Angeles was then said to be the toughest frontier town in the United States. It had a diverse population with simmering tensions after the war, as well as a "disorderly element". The surrounding territory was overrun by bandits driven from the gold mines of northern California southward into the cattle ranching counties. Numerous gamblers and criminals drifted into the city to escape the vigilantes of San Francisco.
Mayor Foster, like most of the prominent citizens, was a member of the local vigilance committee
and of the rangers, the mounted body of volunteer police. In early 1854, Foster resigned his official position to lead a lynching mob. After the lynching, the people held a special election and returned Foster to office for the remainder of his regular term. Foster was re-elected mayor in 1856. He resigned Sept. 22, 1856, to act as executor for the large estate of his brother-in-law, Colonel Isaac Williams
.
Foster next served as county supervisor for four terms. He was elected in 1856, 1858 and 1859. In 1857 he replaced Jonathan R. Scott, who resigned as county supervisor in March of that year.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, the first American mayor of Los Angeles
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...
under United States military rule. Foster served in the state constitutional convention, and was elected to the State Senate. He was elected as mayor of Los Angeles in 1856, and later elected for four terms to 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...
.
Early life and education
Foster was born in Machias, Maine in 1815. He graduated from Yale CollegeYale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1840.
Career
He taught at a private academy in the South. In 1845 at age 30, he headed for California, like many other young single men, via El PasoEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
and Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. While in Santa Fe, Foster joined the Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
of Missouri Volunteers, then on its way to California to fight in the Mexican-American War.
In the stormy period when California was under US military rule after the defeat of the Mexicans, Governor Mason
Richard Barnes Mason
Richard Barnes Mason was a career general officer in the United States Army and the fifth military governor of California before it became a U.S. state.-Early life:...
appointed the 33-year-old Foster alcalde (mayor) of Los Angeles to replace the dissolved ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento
Ayuntamiento In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . is the general term for the council of a municipality, or sometimes the municipality itself, in Spain and Latin America. Historically Ayuntamiento was often preceded by the word excelentísimo , when referring to...
(government) of the Mexicans. For this reason, Foster often has been referred to as the first American mayor of the city. He served as alcalde from Jan. 1, 1848 to May 21, 1849. For the remainder of that year, or until the city came under United States jurisdiction in 1850, Foster served as perfecto
Perfecto
-People:*Gregorio Perfecto , Filipino journalist, politician and jurist*Martín Perfecto de Cos , 19th-century Mexican general*Perfecto de Castro , multi-awarded Filipino musician*Saint Perfecto -People:*Gregorio Perfecto (1891–1949), Filipino journalist, politician and jurist*Martín Perfecto de Cos...
.
Mason appointed José del Carmen Lugo
José del Carmen Lugo
José del Carmen Lugo was a major Californio landowner in the Los Angeles area, who worked beginning in 1839 to develop the San Bernardino and Yucaipa valleys, an area of more than . He made an alliance with the regional Cahuilla Indians....
, a prominent and mature Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
, as mayor following Foster.
Marriage and family
During his early years in Los Angeles, Foster made a marriage important to his standing in the community. He met and married María Merced Lugo, one of the sisters of José del Carmen Lugo above. Their father was a prominent Californio landowner. The Fosters had five children together.Foster was elected a member of the 1849 California Constitutional Convention, which met in Monterey
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
. The group framed the state Constitution and petitioned Congress for admission of California into the United States.
Political career
Foster achieved his first political office after statehood in 1850, when he was elected to the Los Angeles City Council for a one-year term. In 1851 he was elected state senatorCalifornia 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...
from Southern California and served two years.
In 1854, Foster was elected mayor of Los Angeles. He is credited with authorizing construction of the first public school in Los Angeles. Los Angeles was then said to be the toughest frontier town in the United States. It had a diverse population with simmering tensions after the war, as well as a "disorderly element". The surrounding territory was overrun by bandits driven from the gold mines of northern California southward into the cattle ranching counties. Numerous gamblers and criminals drifted into the city to escape the vigilantes of San Francisco.
Mayor Foster, like most of the prominent citizens, was a member of the local vigilance committee
Vigilance committee
A vigilance committee was a group formed of private citizens to administer law and order where they considered governmental structures to be inadequate. The term is commonly associated with the frontier areas of the American West in the mid-19th century, where groups attacked cattle rustlers and...
and of the rangers, the mounted body of volunteer police. In early 1854, Foster resigned his official position to lead a lynching mob. After the lynching, the people held a special election and returned Foster to office for the remainder of his regular term. Foster was re-elected mayor in 1856. He resigned Sept. 22, 1856, to act as executor for the large estate of his brother-in-law, Colonel Isaac Williams
Rancho Santa Ana del Chino
Rancho Santa Ana del Chino was a Mexican land grant in the Chino Hills of present day San Bernardino County, California given to Antonio Maria Lugo in 1841 by Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado...
.
Foster next served as county supervisor for four terms. He was elected in 1856, 1858 and 1859. In 1857 he replaced Jonathan R. Scott, who resigned as county supervisor in March of that year.