Isidore Dockweiler
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Isidore Bernard Dockweiler (December 28, 1867 – February 6, 1947) was a prominent
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
lawyer and politician from a pioneering
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
family.


Biography

Isidore Bernard Dockweiler was born in Los Angeles on December 28, 1867, when the small city's population was less than 4,500, to Heinrich (Henry) Dockweiler and Margaretha Sugg. He was affectionately called "Pequeno Ysidro" by
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
Francisco Mora y Borrell Francisco Mora y Borrell (November 25, 1827 – August 3, 1905) was a Spanish-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the third Bishop of Monterey-Los Angeles, serving from 1878 to 1896. Biography Early life Mora was born on November 25, 1827 ...
, then the prelate of
La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles ''La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles'' (English: "The Church of Our Lady Queen of the Angels") is a historic Catholic church in El Pueblo de los Ángeles Historical Monument in northern downtown Los Angeles, California. The ch ...
in Los Angeles, who personally baptised him. Dockweiler would serve in his youth as Mora's "train bearer". He graduated from St. Vincent College (now
Loyola Marymount University Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a private Jesuit and Marymount research university in Los Angeles, California. It is located on the west side of the city near Playa Vista. LMU is the parent school to Loyola Law School, which is located ...
) in 1887. Dockweiler was admitted to the practice of law October 14, 1889, practicing for 58 years. He married Gertrude Reeve, and he and his wife had 13 children, 11 of whom grew to adulthood. Several became attorneys: his son John Francis Dockweiler would become a Congressman, and later Los Angeles County District Attorney. George Dockweiler would become a superior court judge. Dockweiler served on the Board of Directors of Security First National Bank (1922–1947).


Politics

Dockweiler was the Democratic Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California in 1902, along with Franklin K. Lane as Governor of California. Governor-Elect Lane and Lt. Governor-Elect Dockweiler won the electorate's plurality by 25,000 votes, but lost on a minor legal technicality decided by the
California Supreme Court The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sac ...
- a controversial event.
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
George Cooper Pardee became Governor of California as a result. Dockweiler helped secure California's vote for
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
, who would become
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
. Dockweiler was held in high esteem and confidence by Wilson. Lane served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior. When Lane resigned in 1920, Dockweiler was offered the position. Dockweiler declined due to family responsibilities of 11 children. Instead he was appointed by Wilson to the United States Board of Indian Commissioners (1913–1920). He had numerous positions throughout his life, both local and national. He served as President of the Los Angeles City Library Commission. He was the Director of the
Los Angeles Public Library The Los Angeles Public Library system (LAPL) is a public library system in Los Angeles, California. The system holds more than six million volumes, and with around 19 million residents in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, it serves the large ...
(1897–1899) and as ex-President of same (1901–1911). Dockweiler was defeated in the August 31, 1926 Democratic primary for the
U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
nomination for California, losing to John B. Elliott. Elliott was the contestant sponsored by the then former U.S. Treasury Secretary
William Gibbs McAdoo William Gibbs McAdoo Jr.McAdoo is variously differentiated from family members of the same name: * Dr. William Gibbs McAdoo (1820–1894) – sometimes called "I" or "Senior" * William Gibbs McAdoo (1863–1941) – sometimes called "II" or "Ju ...
. Dockweiler served thrice as a delegate to the
Democratic National Conventions The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...
of 1908 (
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
), 1936 (
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
), and 1940 (
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
). He served as a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) (1916–1932). Will Rogers once characterized Dockweiler as "the Democratic Party of California".


Personal life

Dockweiler, a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
, was awarded a pontifical knighthood by Pope Pius XI in the spring of 1924, as a Knight of St. Gregory (KSG) for meritorious service to the public, humanity, and the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. He was a charter member of the
Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney on March 29, 1882. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight. ...
. One of his sons, Thomas A. J. Dockweiler, would also receive knighthood later as a
Knight Commander Commander ( it, Commendatore; french: Commandeur; german: Komtur; es, Comendador; pt, Comendador), or Knight Commander, is a title of honor prevalent in chivalric orders and fraternal orders. The title of Commander occurred in the medieval mili ...
of Saint Gregory (KCSG). In 1931 Dockweiler was instrumental in having a statue of
Junípero Serra Junípero Serra y Ferrer (; ; ca, Juníper Serra i Ferrer; November 24, 1713August 28, 1784) was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Order. He is credited with establishing the Franciscan Missions in the Sierr ...
, the founder of the first
Spanish missions in California The Spanish missions in California ( es, Misiones españolas en California) comprise a series of 21 religious outposts or missions established between 1769 and 1833 in what is now the U.S. state of California. Founded by Catholic priests ...
and their Mission Indian Reductions, placed in Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. He was also instrumental in getting a bill passed in the
California Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legislatu ...
making it the law to fly California's state
Bear Flag The Bear Flag is the official flag of the U.S. state of California. The precursor of the flag was first flown during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt and was also known as the Bear Flag. A predecessor, called the Lone Star Flag, was used in an 183 ...
with the
U.S. Flag The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the ca ...
in or on public buildings. This would eventually be followed by other states for their
state flag In vexillology, a state flag is either the flag of the government of a sovereign state, or the flag of an individual federated state (subnational administrative division). Government flag A state flag is a variant of a national flag (or occasi ...
s. Isidore B. Dockweiler died at St. Vincent Hospital on February 6, 1947. He was interred in Calvary Cemetery (New Calvary Catholic Cemetery) in East Los Angeles.


Legacy

Two streets, Dockweiler Street and Dockweiler Place, are named after him in Los Angeles. Isidore became aware of an effort to name a transportation arterial after him. Being humble, he did not like the idea. That street was eventually named Doheny ( Edward Laurence Doheny), now part of
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...
, California. By an act of the
U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washin ...
, Dockweiler Station Post Office, was named in his honor in Los Angeles. In 2019, this station was renamed in honor of singer Marvin Gaye. On January 26, 1955, the California State Parks Commission upon request of California Governor Goodwin Knight renamed a portion of the then Venice-Hyperion Beach State Park in
Playa del Rey Playa del Rey (Spanish for "Beach of the King") is a seaside community in the Santa Monica Bay and the Westside region of Los Angeles, California. It has a ZIP code of 90293 and area codes of 310 and 424. As of 2018, the community had a populat ...
to the Isidore B. Dockweiler Beach State Park, commonly known as Dockweiler Beach, to honor him and the contributions to the public by the Dockweiler Family. Dockweiler served as a member of that same commission from his appointment by California Governor Earl Warren on March 22, 1943, until his death.


References

* ''The Varied Worlds of Isidore B. Dockweiler'', by Ellen A. Schneider Kay, Dr. John Baur Studies In California,
University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...
(USC), June 1970. * * "Isidore Dockweiler Made History" by Fr.
Francis J. Weber Monsignor Francis J. Weber (born January 22, 1933) is an American Roman Catholic priesthood (Catholic Church), priest, author and archivist. He is a noted Catholic scholar, an Honorary Chaplain to Pope, His Holiness, and archivist for the Archdio ...
ow_Monsignor.html"_;"title="Monsignor.html"_;"title="ow_Monsignor">ow_Monsignor">Monsignor.html"_;"title="ow_Monsignor">ow_Monsignor_''The_Tidings_(newspaper).html" ;"title="Monsignor">ow_Monsignor.html" ;"title="Monsignor.html" ;"title="ow Monsignor">ow Monsignor">Monsignor.html" ;"title="ow Monsignor">ow Monsignor ''The Tidings (newspaper)">The Tidings'', Archdiocese of Los Angeles, August 12, 1966. * ''Denver Daily News, The Daily News'', Denver Colorado, July 3, 1908. * ''Metropolitan News-Enterprise'' (Los Angeles), Thursday, July 24, 2008. * ''Metropolitan News-Enterprise'' (Los Angeles), Thursday, July 17, 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dockweiler, Isidore B. 1867 births 1947 deaths California Democrats Burials at Calvary Cemetery (Los Angeles) Lawyers from Los Angeles Politicians from Los Angeles Knights of St. Gregory the Great Catholics from California American people of German descent