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Owen McAleer (February 3, 1858 – March 7, 1944) was a Los Angeles, California, businessman who was mayor of the city between 1904 and 1906. His brother
/ref> In 1888 he moved to Los Angeles, and on January 8, 1891, he and Rebecca B. Wanchope of Ireland were married. She died on August 4, 1893, at the age of 29. He married again, on April 5, 1898, to Gertrude E. Mullaly of
He owned and trained driving horses (in 1905 he had five of them) and rode them "on a sort of private speedway of his own, near Eastlake Park." He pushed the sport for others, too, and as mayor he set aside a stretch of West Washington Street for a mile west of Western Avenue for use by "drivers who delight in vying with each other off the racetrack," and, according to the ''Los Angeles Times,'' "policemen have been given to understand that some latitude be allowed horsemen there."
An automobile driven by Mayor McAleer struck and injured Charles Hughes, a delivery boy on a bicycle, on Central Avenue at Ninth Street the afternoon of July 17, 1906. Three witnesses said that in their opinion the vehicle was exceeding the speed limit and that "in approaching the corner no warning was given by tooting the horn, and that the occupants made no effort to assist the little fellow in any way." Called to the location by the boy's employer, "a stormy scene ensued," but McAleer "finally agreed to consider a bill for the repair of the bicycle."
In 1935 the McAleers were living at 3817 South Main Street in today's Historic South Central.
McAleer died on March 7, 1944, leaving his wife, Gertrude McAleer of 401 West 41st Street, and a nephew, J.C. McAleer. A funeral service was held under the auspices of B.P.O.E, Lodge 99, with cremation following.
/ref> After leaving the mayor's office, he returned to private business, retiring in 1914 when Republic Iron & Steel was dissolved.
"M'Aleer Was Happy Host," ''Los Angeles Times,'' August 2, 1904, page A-2
/ref>
{{DEFAULTSORT:McAleer, Owen Mayors of Los Angeles Los Angeles City Council members 1858 births 1944 deaths Pre-Confederation Canadian emigrants to the United States Burials at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery
Jimmy McAleer
James Robert "Loafer" McAleer (July 10, 1864April 29, 1931) was an American center fielder, manager, and stockholder in Major League Baseball who assisted in establishing the American League.
He spent most of his 13-season playing career with th ...
played in Major League Baseball.
Personal
McAleer was born on February 3, 1858, in Canada, the son of Owen McAleer of Ireland and Mary Miller of England. In 1863 the family moved toYoungstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area, whic ...
, where the elder McAleer died in 1865, leaving a wife and eight children, the youngest just 6 months old.Karel Lynn and James Boucher, Los Angeles Public Library reference file, with sources as listed there/ref> In 1888 he moved to Los Angeles, and on January 8, 1891, he and Rebecca B. Wanchope of Ireland were married. She died on August 4, 1893, at the age of 29. He married again, on April 5, 1898, to Gertrude E. Mullaly of
Covington, Kentucky
Covington is a home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States, located at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers. Cincinnati, Ohio, lies to its immediate north across the Ohio and Newport, to its east across the Licking ...
, when he was 40 and she was 28.
He became a citizen of the United States on May 15, 1896, and in 1897 he was on the board of directors
A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit orga ...
of the 150-member East Side Cycling Club, with its clubhouse at 163 South Avenue 21 in today's Lincoln Heights.
He owned and trained driving horses (in 1905 he had five of them) and rode them "on a sort of private speedway of his own, near Eastlake Park." He pushed the sport for others, too, and as mayor he set aside a stretch of West Washington Street for a mile west of Western Avenue for use by "drivers who delight in vying with each other off the racetrack," and, according to the ''Los Angeles Times,'' "policemen have been given to understand that some latitude be allowed horsemen there."
An automobile driven by Mayor McAleer struck and injured Charles Hughes, a delivery boy on a bicycle, on Central Avenue at Ninth Street the afternoon of July 17, 1906. Three witnesses said that in their opinion the vehicle was exceeding the speed limit and that "in approaching the corner no warning was given by tooting the horn, and that the occupants made no effort to assist the little fellow in any way." Called to the location by the boy's employer, "a stormy scene ensued," but McAleer "finally agreed to consider a bill for the repair of the bicycle."
In 1935 the McAleers were living at 3817 South Main Street in today's Historic South Central.
McAleer died on March 7, 1944, leaving his wife, Gertrude McAleer of 401 West 41st Street, and a nephew, J.C. McAleer. A funeral service was held under the auspices of B.P.O.E, Lodge 99, with cremation following.
Vocation
Private business
After McAleer's father died, "There was no money for schooling and Owen began his business career as a small boy in the boiler works of W. B. Pollock." McAleer built the firststeam boiler
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. ...
in Los Angeles. He became superintendent of the boiler works of the pioneer Baker Iron Works, resigning in September 1905 after he had become mayor. He then organized the Republic Iron & Steel Co., with Nat Wilshire. McAleer was vice president and general manager.Owen McAleer, Mayor Here 1905-09, Dies," ''Los Angeles Times,'' March 10, 1944, page 16/ref> After leaving the mayor's office, he returned to private business, retiring in 1914 when Republic Iron & Steel was dissolved.
Government service
He was on a committee to investigate the feasibility of bringing water from theOwens River
The Owens River is a river in eastern California in the United States, approximately long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 17, 2011, It drains into and through th ...
to Los Angeles and was a member of the committee that obtained the first land options in the Owens River Valley that led the project's fulfillment. He was a City Council member from the 1st Ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
in 1902–04, mayor in 1904-06 and on the Board of Public Works in 1916–20. As mayor he was credited with establishing the first municipal playground — on Violet Street. McAleer was elected mayor on the Republican ticket on December 5, 1904, ousting Meredith P. Snyder, a Democrat.
Among his accomplishments was the purchase of Sycamore Grove Park by the city./ref>
References
*''Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials: 1850—1938'', Compiled under Direction of Municipal Reference Library City Hall, Los Angeles March 1938 (Reprinted 1966)Further reading
* An Ohio man reflects upon McAleer when he was a yout{{DEFAULTSORT:McAleer, Owen Mayors of Los Angeles Los Angeles City Council members 1858 births 1944 deaths Pre-Confederation Canadian emigrants to the United States Burials at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery