John D. Bicknell (June 25, 1838 – July 7, 1911) was an American
real estate
Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...
attorney and investor. He studied law in
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, later being admitted to the bar in the supreme court of that state. From 1872 to 1907 he participated in the
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
real estate boom, and founded the law firm that is now known as
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is an American multinational law firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1890, the firm includes approximately 1,400 attorneys and 1,000 staff located in 20 offices around the world, including North ...
. He was also associated with the founding of Monrovia and Azusa, California, and oil developments in the
Santa Maria Valley.
Early life and career
Bicknell was born in
Jericho, Vermont
Jericho is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,104. The town was named after the ancient city of Jericho.
History
Ira Allen and Remember Baker began surveying the town of Jericho in ...
, elder son of Nathaniel and Fanny (Thompson) Bicknell, and a direct descendant of
Hannah Dustin.
Bicknell moved to
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
where he attended college. In 1860 Bicknell went to
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, where he taught school for two years. Troubled by his asthma he decided to move to
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. In 1862 he joined a group of emigrants and was elected captain of the expedition directing them to
Knights Landing, California
Knights Landing (formerly, Baltimore and East Grafton) is a census-designated place in Yolo County, California, United States, founded by William Knight. It is located on the Sacramento River around 25 miles northwest of Sacramento in the northeas ...
. Bicknell stayed in California until 1863, then resolved to return to Wisconsin to study law. Bicknell was admitted to the bar of the
Supreme Court of Wisconsin in 1865; and engaged in practice in
Greenfield, Missouri
Greenfield is a city in Dade County, Missouri. The population was 1,220 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Dade County.
History
Greenfield was laid out in 1841, and named for the greenery of the original town site. A post office call ...
.
Bicknell's first marriage was to Maria Hatch, in Vermont, in 1868. However, the bride died two months later, dying in Wisconsin where they resided. Bicknell's second marriage, to the widow Nancy (Christian) Dobbins occurred in 1871.
Los Angeles legal practice
In 1872 Bicknell moved to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. He participated in the real estate boom both as an attorney and through his own investments. In 1887 the
Southern Pacific Transportation Company
The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...
chose Bicknell as its counsel because of his real estate reputation. Bicknell later became a lawyer for
Huntington and the
Los Angeles Railway
The Los Angeles Railway (also known as Yellow Cars, LARy and later Los Angeles Transit Lines) was a system of streetcars that operated in Central Los Angeles and surrounding neighborhoods between 1895 and 1963. The system provided frequent loc ...
. Bicknell was the attorney for General
William Rosencrans' action to establish title to a large tract south of Los Angeles. In 1890 Bicknell was president of the
Los Angeles County Bar Association
The Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) is a voluntary bar association with more than 21,000 members throughout Los Angeles County, California, and the world. Founded in 1878, LACBA's goal has been to meet the professional needs of lawye ...
.
From 1872 to 1875 he practiced in Los Angeles as Bicknell and Rothchild; from 1875 to 1886 he maintained an office alone; from 1886 to 1890 as Bicknell & White. From 1890 as Bicknell & Trask - this was later changed to Bicknell, Trask & Gibson, while a succeeding change added the names of Crutcher and Dunn. Bicknell retired in 1907.
Real estate investor
Bicknell was associated with the founding of
Monrovia, California
Monrovia is a city in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 37,931 at the 2020 census. Monrovia has been used for filming TV shows, movies and co ...
;
Azusa, California
Azusa (Tongva language, Tongva: ''Asuksa-nga'') is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located 20 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles, downtown Los Angeles.
...
, and the development of oil in the
Santa Maria Valley. Bicknell Park in
Montebello, California
Montebello (Italian for "Beautiful Mountain") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located just east of East Los Angeles and southwest of San Gabriel Valley. It is an independent city. east of downtown Los Angeles. It is ...
, Bicknell Avenue in
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, and the ghost town of
Bicknell on the
Orcutt Oil Field
The Orcutt Oil Field is a large oil field in the Solomon Hills south of Orcutt, in Santa Barbara County, California. Discovered in 1901 by William Warren Orcutt, it was the first giant field (over in ultimate recovery) to be found in Santa Bar ...
, south of Santa Maria, are named for him.
1919 Bicknell School/Bicknell District
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bicknell, John Dustin
1838 births
1911 deaths
History of Los Angeles
California lawyers
People from Jericho, Vermont
People from Greenfield, Missouri
19th-century American lawyers
People associated with Gibson Dunn