Maxwell, George Hebard, 1860-1946

George Hebard Maxwell was born at Sonoma, California, June 3, 1860, the son of John Morgan and Clara Hebard Maxwell. He attended public schools in Sonoma and San Francisco, and Saint Matthew’s Academy, San Mateo, California.

From 1879 to 1882 Maxwell was a court stenographer for the state and federal courts in California until he was admitted to the California bar. From 1882 to 1889 he practiced law with the firm of Judge Mesic, a prominent mining law specialist. In 1899 he abandoned his law practice and devoted the rest of his professional life to water development issues, and to a variety of social improvement causes. Maxwell was most prominent as co-founder, in 1899, and executive director of the National Reclamation Association, and as co-author of, and lobbyist for the Newlands-Hansbrough Bill; the National Reclamation Act of 1902.

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