The Los Angeles Common Council was the predecessor of the Los Angeles, California, City Council. It was formed in 1850 under state law, when the city had only 1,610 residents, and it existed until 1889, when the city had about 50,400 residents and a city charter was put into effect. It succeeded the council of the Ciudad de Los Angeles.

From 1850 through 1869, council members were elected at large under a first-past-the-post voting system, in which the top vote-getters were seated. From 1870 they were elected by electoral districts called wards.

History

The Los Angeles Common Council was created in 1850 as the city of Los Angeles grew from a remote town of 5,000 residents to a city of 15,000 residents. Between 1850 and 1858, the council had 7 seats and for two years after had 10 seats drawn by lots.Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, 1868-1869 section, page 11 From 1870 to 1889, the council had a ward system with three (until 1877) and five (1877 onwards) seats.

The Council had various responsibilities for governing the city, including the responsibility of governing the school system as several members were appointed to serve on a committee for the governance of schools.

In 1857, the officials that were elected on May 6 were deposed and the officials from the previous year were reinstated, though they never took office.Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials, 1850–1938, 1867–1868 section, page 1, second iteration

Members At-large (1850–1870) Year President 1850 David W. Alexander David W. Alexander Cristobal Aguilar Alexander Bell Julian Chavez Morris L. Goodman Manuel Requena Juan Templecolspan=3 rowspan=31 Wilson W. Jones Alexander W. Hope Benjamin Davis Wilson Jose Vicente Guerrero Stephen Clark Foster1851 Ygnacio CoronelAgustín OlveraTomas Avila SanchezJoseph Lancaster GrantJoseph Lancaster Grant John Ozias Wheeler 1852 Manuel RequenaJohn G. DowneyMyron NortonMathew KellerYgnacio del ValleNarciso Botello1853John F. JonesWilliam Taylor Barnes SanfordArnold JacobiPio Pico*William R. RandJose Maria DoportoHenry R. MylesEzra DrownJuan Maria SepulvedaCollins Wadhams1854Francis MellusFrancis MellusLewis GrangerSolomon LazardCollins WadhamsAntonio F. Coronel rowspan=2Manuel RequenaObed MacyAlexander W. HopeEzra Drown 1855John G. NicholsJohn G. NicholsIra H. Stuart Horace Z. WheelerJ. W. Ross Will Lloyd Ezra DrownHenry Uhrbrook Cristobal AguilarRobert Glass Paul R. HuntTimothy FosterJohn Schumacher 1856Manuel RequenaYgnacio del ValleJohn Gately DowneyNehemiah A. PotterAugust UlyardManuel RequenaIra GilchristMyron NortonGeorge Henry Carson1857Antonio F. CoronelAntonio F. CoronelJoseph MullalyJohn FrohlingHiram McLaughlinJohn BarreGeorge N. Whitman1858John Strother GriffinJohn GollerCristobal AguilarPhineas BanningDavid M. PorterStephen Clark Foster1859Nehemiah A. PotterNehemiah A. PotterEzra DrownJames BaldwinGeronimo YbarraArthur McKenzie DodsonWallace WoodworthVincent A. Hoover1860Abel StearnsAbel StearnsDamien MarchesseaultT.B. CollinsElijah MoultonJames EdwardsPeter BaltzJames EdwardsWilliam MooreJoseph Huber Sr.William H. PetersonDavid AndersonWallace WoodworthWallace Woodworth1861Nehemiah A. PotterNehemiah A. PotterSolomon LazardAntonio F. CoronelCristobal AguilarEzra DrownArthur McKenzie DodsonJames Brown Winston1862Augustine PoulainJohn TurnerJacob WeizelPhilip SichelJoseph Huber Sr.1863Joseph Huber Sr.James Brown WinstonEli TaylorFelix Signoret1864Manuel RequenaJose MascarelWallace WoodworthVincent A. Hoover1865William H. PerryWilliam H. PerryJulian A. ChavezJohn GollerHarley TaftJohn JonesJuan C. VejarW. S. Van Dusen1866Murray MorrisonMurray MorrisonElijah H. WorkmanLouis RoederJohn SchumacherMoritz MorrisJohn Kingrowspan=2 Jose Mascarel1867Antonio F. CoronelJohn KingDionisio BotillerAndrew A. BoyleGeorge Dalton1868Caro W. ChildsHenry WartenbergMathew KellerMoritz MorrisWilliam H. PerryJacob Metzger1869Ozro W. ChildsSamuel Bradford CaswellElijah H. WorkmanAndrew A. BoyleJames R. TobermanLuis B. MartinezJuan C. Vejar

Wards (1870–1889) Year President Ward1 2 3 4 5 1870John JonesJulian A. ChavezBernard DubourdinJohn Jones width="5.3%" rowspan=5 William FergusonGeorge FallMatthew Teed width="5.3%" rowspan=5 Heinrich DockweilerWilliam S. Hammel Sr.John Osborn width="5.3%" rowspan=2 width="5.3%" colspan=3 rowspan=11 width="5.3%" colspan=3 rowspan=11 Frank Sabichi 1871H.K.S. O'MelvenyThornton P. CampbellOscar MacyJulian ValdesPrudent BeaudryH.K.S. O'MelvenyWilliam H. DennisonElijah H. Workman 1872Frank SabichiJoseph MullalyGeorge R. LongWilliam H. WorkmanEulogio F. de CelisWilliam OsbornHeinrich Dockweiler 1873Julian A. ChavezJacob F. GherkinsJose MascarelCharles E. Huber1874Prudent BeaudryJoseph MullalyThornton P. CampbellRamon R. SoteloJoseph G. CarmonaWilliam Whipple RobinsonMatthew TeedLouis LichtenbergerLouis WolfskillThomas LeahyElijah H. WorkmanThornton P. Campbell 1875Jacob F. GherkinsJacob KuhrtsWilliam H. WorkmanD.V. Waldron 1876Frederick A. MacDougallF. TamietB. ValleJohn S. ThompsonBernard CohnElisha K. GreenJohn B. Thompson 1877Bernard CohnJoseph MullalyCayetano ApalblasaJohn Edward HollenbeckC. C. LipsJames W. PottsJohn S. ThompsonJohn H. JonesAlbert Fenner KerchevalElisha K. Green 1878Samuel J. BeckEzra HamiltonLouis MeinzerJohn Schaeffer width="5.3%" rowspan=13Richard MolonyJesse Houston ButlerJohn Bobenreith width="5.3%" rowspan=13Charles BrodeSimon A. FrancisS.H. Buchanan width="5.3%" Samuel J. BeckSamuel Marshall PerryWilliam H. WorkmanNathan R. VailWilliam B. Lawlor James Greer McDonald 1879William B. LawlorR.L. BeauchetWilliam Norton MonroeJacob KuhrtsH. SchumacherRichard MolonyEdward Falles SpenceElisha K. GreenS.H. BuchananO.H. BlissJohn P. Moran 1880Edward Falles SpenceJ.G. BowerMatthew TeedJose MascarelGeorge Gephard width="5.3%" rowspan=11Bernard CohnBurdette ChandlerWalter Scott Moore 1881John P. MoranJoseph MullalyClinton S. ScheiffelinAndrew S. RyanRobert SteereJ.B. O'NeilGeorge KerckhoffOtto G. Weyse 1882Charles W. SchroederPascal BalladeHenry HammelCharles GassenAlfred Louis BushJoseph W. Wolfskill 1883Walter Scott MooreEzra HamiltonWilliam Thomas LambieFrank R. DayCharles H. JohnsonLoring A. FrenchD.E. MilesFrank SabichiDaniel Michael McGarryJohn B. Niles 1884D.E. MilesJames VelsirJohn Frederick HolbrookMartin V. BiscailuzAlbert BrownMilton SanteeJames D. BullisHiram Sinsabaugh 1885Hiram SinsabaughThomas GossGeorge L. StearnsJacob KuhrtsLevi Newton BreedEdward Wadsworth JonesSamuel Marshall PerryCyrus WillardJacob Frankenfield1886Levi Newton BreedWilliam Thomas LambieMichael Thomas CollinsMatthew TeedCharles R. JohnsonEdward Wadsworth JonesJohn LovellJoseph HyansHorace HillerEdward A. Gibbs1887John F. HumphreysJames HanleyNewell MathewsThomas J. CuddyEdward C. BosbyshellJohn F. HumphreysBernard CohnBurdette ChandlerHiram SinsabaughA.W. BarrettJohn MoriartyJ.H. Book 1888Jacob KuhrtsGeorge O. FordC.N. EarlJacob KuhrtsH.T.D. WilsonJohn Henry BryantAnthony McNallyEdward R. ThrelkeldAustin Conrad Shafer

See also

Los Angeles City Council, 1889–1909 Los Angeles City Council

References

Notes Except for the population figures (see below), all data is from Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850–1938, compiled under direction of Municipal Reference Library, City Hall, Los Angeles (March 1938, reprinted 1966). "Prepared ... as a report on Project No. SA 3123-5703-6077-8121-9900 conducted under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration." Population figures are from