John W. Dwinelle

Who was John W. Dwinelle?

John Whipple Dwinelle was an American lawyer and politician. He served in a number of political posts in California and played important roles in both the legal history of San Francisco and the establishment of the California public university system.

Dwinelle was born in Cazenovia, New York, the son of Congressman Justin Dwinell and Louise Whipple, a descendant of William Whipple. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1834. While studying law, he edited the New York Daily Gazette, the Daily Buffalonian, and edited and typeset the Rochester Daily Advertiser. Dwinelle was admitted to the bar in October 1837 and began a legal practice in Rochester, New York. In 1844 he was elected city attorney of Rochester. The next year he became master of chancery.

In 1849, he sailed to San Francisco, California, and began a legal practice there. He served in a number of government offices, including two terms on the San Francisco city council, Mayor of Oakland, California, and member of the California State Assembly from Alameda County, California.

Dwinelle represented the city of San Francisco in the so-called "pueblo case", Hart v.