Detangling Confusing Names

August 11, 2015 By Leave a Comment

One of the most wicked mistakes you can make while doing research is confusing two people with similar names. Some people with similar names are easy to differentiate; for example the two Edmund G. Browns. Although they had similar names and held some of the same offices (Governor and Attorney General), the father and son went by very different names “Pat” and “Jerry“, which made them easy for most to tell apart.

Others are not so easy.

A Frank Jordan or Two

A father/son combo who also held high office but who didn’t use different nicknames were the two Frank Jordans who served as Secretary of State. The first, Frank C. Jordan served as Secretary of State from 1911 until his death in 1940. The second, Frank M. Jordan served from 1943 until his death in 1970.

The Bob Wilsons of San Diego

Bob Wilson, a Republican, represented San Diego in Congress from 1953 until he retired in 1980. In the 1980 election, the local State Senator, Bob Wilson, who was a Democrat, ran for the open seat. Not enough voters took the bait and the Republican held the seat. As a side note, State Senator Bob Wilson first arrived in the state legislature in 1972, when he won the special election created by the resignation of Pete Wilson.

The Bill Campbells in the Legislature

William P. “Bill” Campbell represented Los Angeles in the Assembly between 1965 and 1976, and in the Senate between 1976 and 1992. He was elected Senate Minority Leader between 1979 and 1983.

In 1996, William J. “Bill” Campbell was elected to the Assembly from Orange County, serving three terms before terming out in 2002. Bill Campbell was elected Assembly Minority Leader in 2000-2001. There was also a Bob Campbell in the Assembly from 1980 to 1996 and a Tom Campbell in the State Senate from 1993 to 1995.

Howser you gonna spell that?

This was the story of three men named Fred who, in the 1940s, served on the Supreme Court, as Lieutenant Governor, and as Attorney General.

Fred N. Howser served two terms in the Assembly (1941-1944) and as Attorney General (1947-1950). Frederick F. Houser (served three terms in the Assembly, 1931-32, 1939-1942) and as Lieutenant Governor (1943-46). Frederick W. Houser served two terms in the Assembly (1903-1906) and a member of the California Supreme Court (1937-1942). Supreme Court Justice Houser was the father of Lieutenant Governor Houser, but not related to the Attorney General.

Senators Jack and Jim

John James Hollister Sr. (he went by “Jim”) served two terms in the State Senate (1925-28 and 1937-40). John James Hollister Jr. (who went by the name “Jack”) served a little over two terms in the Senate (1955-1961).

Those East Bay George Millers

Want to drive over the Carquinez Strait between Benicia and Martinez? There are two bridges that carry cars over the water, the George Miller Jr. Memorial Bridge heading south and the Congressman George Miller Benicia–Martinez Bridge heading north. In this case, the George Miller Jr. is actually the father of George Miller.

George P. Miller was elected to the State Assembly from 1937 to 1940. In 1944, he was elected to his first term in Congress. George P. Miller‘s congressional campaign was run by George Miller Jr. (no relation) who was the Chairman of the Contra Costa County Democratic Central Committee. Two years later, George Miller Jr. was elected to the State Assembly and, in 1948, to the State Senate where he served until he died in 1969. When George Miller Jr. died in office, his son George Miller ran for the vacant Senate seat but lost. In 1972, Congressman Miller lost the Democratic Primary to Pete Stark. In 1974, after a redistricting, Stark changed Congressional districts and George Miller won the seat, which he held until retiring in 2014.

Name recognition is great in elections, but sometimes they sure do make things confusing for historians.

Filed Under: Congress, Constitutional Officers, Current Research, Editorial, From the Archive, State Assembly, State Senate, Top Stories

California Politicians on US Currency

August 11, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Banner: 50 Dollar Bill

Grant

Every dead US President will be honored with an appearance on US currency through the “Presidential Dollar Coin Program.” But when else have people who appeared on the ballot in California appeared on American money?

For the purposes of this article, we’re counting folks who have served since California statehood (in 1850) and only looking at regularly circulating money and Federal Reserve Notes (and not the other certificates that have served as currency over the years)…

Bills & Coins

Abraham Lincoln is the leader. In addition to appearing on the one dollar coin in 2010, Lincoln currently appears on the Five Dollar bill and penny (1909-Present), as a young man on the “50 State Quarters” quarter for Illinois (2003), and as part of Mount Rushmore on the “50 State Quarters” quarter for South Dakota (2006).

Bills

Ulysses S. Grant was on a 2011 dollar coin and has appeared on the Fifty Dollar bill since 1914.

In denominations no longer in circulation, Grover Cleveland appeared on the $1000 bill issued 1928-1934, while William McKinley was on the $500 bill during that same period.

Serving as US Secretaries of the Treasury, William G. McAdoo‘s signature appeared on US paper currency between 1913-1918, and William E. Simon‘s between 1974-1977. McAdoo was later a US Senator from California. Simon was the father of 2002 Gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon.

Serving as Treasurer of the United States (the other signature on paper currency), Ivy Baker Priest‘s signature appeared on US paper currency between 1953-1961, while Rosario Marin‘s was there between 2001-2003. Priest was the California State Treasurer from 1967 to 1975. . Marin was a primary candidate for US Senate in 2004.

Coins

Dwight D. Eisenhower has appeared on two dollars; his Presidential Dollar Coin was issued in 2015 and he also appeared on the massive Eisenhower dollar (1971-1978) which is one of the most awesome coins ever minted.

John F. Kennedy appeared on a “Presidential $1 Coin” that was issued in 2015. Kennedy also currently appears on the half dollar coin (1964-Present).

Teddy Roosevelt appeared as part of Mount Rushmore on the “50 State Quarters” quarter for South Dakota.

Franklin D. Roosevelt also currently appears on the dime (1946-Present).

Filed Under: Congress, Constitutional Officers, Current Research, JoinCalifornia, Legislation, Top Stories

Haters Gonna Haight

July 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Haight in San FranciscoLast month, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez called on the San Diego Unified School District to change the name of an elementary school named after Civil War General Robert E. Lee. In a letter, Gonzalez wrote that “Recent tragedies have revived the debate over confederate-related symbolism in our country,” and that “schools should be inclusive. If they’re named after a person, they should be named after role models.”

Now, Senate Bill 539 by Senator Glazer would prohibit the use of a name associated with the Confederate States of America to name schools, government buildings, parks, roads, and other state or local property.

One person who isn’t covered by the bill, but really should be, is California Governor Henry Haight. He has a major street in San Francisco named for him, two neighborhoods (San Francisco’s Haight-Fillmore and Haight-Ashbury) as well as an elementary school in Alameda. He did do some arguably positive things, like signing the bill creating the University of California in 1868, he was more than just a little racist. Take the following quotes from his 1867 Inaugural Address (which, amazingly for what he said, was after the Civil War).

Regarding the right way to make important decisions on national policies:

“In order to arrive at correct conclusions on this subject, there must be a disposition to lay aside preconceived opinions, and, in a spirit of candid inquiry, to aim at forming a correct judgment as to what policy will promote the highest good of the whole people.”

Haight also criticized the Reconstruction efforts in the South following the Civil War, describing it as giving “the political control to a mass of negroes just emancipated and almost as ignorant of political duties as the beasts of the field” and arguing that it would lead to “the subjection of the white population of the Southern States, men, women and children, to the domination of a mass of ignorant negroes just freed from slavery.”

Haight also went on to express his “unceasing astonishment” that “any white man could be found on this continent to sanction a policy so subversive of rational liberty, and in the end so fatal to the Union and the Government…” and described as “evils absolutely intolerable” the idea of granting the right to vote to African-Americans and Asians.

“The question is, whether it will be for the greatest good of the greatest number to confine the elective franchise to the whites, or to extend it to the negroes and Chinese. A portion of those persons in this State who favor negro suffrage hesitate to advocate Chinese suffrage, but the congressional policy makes no distinction.”

Just when you think it can’t get worse, Haight goes on to explain that not only would giving the “confessedly inferior” the right to vote be “evil”, but that it wouldn’t do them any good;

“These inferior races have their civil rights, as all good men desire they should have. They can sue and defend in the courts; acquire and possess property; they have entire freedom of person, and can pursue any lawful occupation for a livelihood; but they will never, with the consent of the people of this State, either vote or hold office.”

Of all the people in California who deserve to have their names removed from public places, Governor Henry H. Haight has my vote.

Filed Under: Constitutional Officers, Current Research, Editorial, State Assembly, Top Stories Tagged With: , , ,