Ford, John Anson

Biography

John Anson Ford (1883-1983) was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors between 1934 and 1958 and was Chairman in 1952-1954 and again in 1957. He attended Beloit College in Wisconsin, was first a history and economics teacher, then moved to Chicago to become a newspaper writer. He worked on the Chicago Tribune as assistant to the well-known columnist Henry M. Hyde; on the editorial board of Popular Mechanics Magazine; and as a news-writer for the Department of Labor and Agriculture in Washington, D.C. In 1920 he came to Los Angeles and entered the advertising and publicity business. He was elected Supervisor of Los Angeles County in 1934. He was candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles in 1937 and was the first choice for Mayor of the Recall Committee in the election that immediately followed in 1938. Instead of accepting the nomination he chose to work for the election of Fletcher Bowron, who won in a crusading campaign to bring honest and professional city government to the city of Los Angeles. Ford was reelected to the office of County Supervisor in 1938 and in this position for many years brought great cultural, educational, and social advances to the Los Angeles area. After his retirement in 1958 John Anson Ford wrote regular newspaper columns and continued to give service to the community at large.