Friday, May. 02, 2008
Ask us: About Los Banos' first mayor
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ReprintBy Erika De La Cruz
According to research, John Dennis McCarthy, Jr. was the first mayor of Los Baños in 1909. I had a great opportunity to speak with Jim White, son John McCarthy's daughter, Anne Elizabeth McCarthy.
"I never really knew my grandfather," White said. "He died in 1937 before I was born, but from family stories, I know he was a quiet, stern man as many people were at that time."
White recalls hearing that his grandfather would always raise three fingers if he wanted three oranges at the market.
"He would just raise his fingers for the amount he wanted. Two heads of lettuce would be two fingers and so on. My mom used to say that 'Papa' loved all the children. Mom said that he loved to read and took several magazines and two newspapers a day. She remembered that he never drank, but smoked cigars constantly."
John Dennis McCarthy, Sr. (John's father) emigrated from Ireland in 1854. He worked in Boston, Mass. for 10 years, and then embarked for San Francisco in 1864. He homesteaded several parcels of land in the Los Baños area and developed two farms southwest of town. According to local historian Charles Sawyer John Dennis Sr. helped build fences for Henry Miller around 1870. (Check out page 187 of the book "One Man Show, Henry Miller in the San Joaquin.")
John Dennis, Jr. came to California from Boston as a young boy (9 years old) and was raised by his father's relatives. He worked for his father when he was older. White did not think his grandfather attended college.
Young John left the area to engage in railroading in Guatemala City in Central America. John Dennis, Sr. passed away in 1896 and young John returned to Los Baños from Guatemala to run his father's farms.
In 1897, John Dennis married Jenny Griffin. They had three children, Mary, Kathleen, and Leo. Jennie died sometime before 1901. John Dennis remarried in 1901, to Jennie's niece, Mary Catherine Maher. They had seven children.
In addition to the farms, John Dennis McCarthy had a livery stable in Los Baños. There is a picture of it at the Milliken Museum, and at España's restaurant.
John Dennis was mayor of Los Baños from April 20, 1909 to April 13, 1910. At that time the mayor was elected by the City Council. I could not find any specific information about his term as mayor; however, April 13, marked the 99th anniversary of his election as mayor, and nearly a century since Los Baños first had a mayor.
In 1910, John Dennis moved to Oakland. He rented out his farms in Los Baños. They were managed by his brother-in-law, Walter Thiercof. Walter and his wife, Leonora Maher Thiercof, had one of the early drug stores in Los Baños, and Walter was later a banker. John Dennis' daughter, Anne Elizabeth McCarthy (White's mom), was born in Oakland in 1916. John Dennis raised his family in Oakland.
An interesting side note to this story was pointed out by both White and Sawyer. It seems that John Dennis McCarthy had a Chinese helper who took his name. So there was another John Dennis McCarthy in Los Baños history.
The Chinese-born John Dennis McCarthy died in 1942 in Los Baños. His obituary was printed in the Los Baños Enterprise on May 8, 1942. We have included an excerpt: "He steadfastly refused to tell anything about himself, what his real name was, whence he came or why. His peculiarities of dress and mannerisms, together with numerous rumors as to his exact age, made him the subject for many newspaper stories, newsreel pictures, etc. Local old timers say McCarthy was an old man when they first came to town and place his present age at as much as 129 years. Others, however, discount that theory, stating their belief that he was between 95 and 100 years would be more correct."
I am very indebted to Charles Sawyer and Jim White for all the fascinating information they gave in writing this story.
Do you have a question about the history of Los Baños? Submit it to Mr. McNally's Advanced Placement Civics Class by e-mail at tmcnally@losbanosusd.k12.ca.us or by mail to Los Banos High School, 1966 S. 11th St., Los Baños 93635. Students will do their best to research and answer questions.