Biographical Information:
James Ahern was a criminal investigator for the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. While researching the background of the District Attorney's Office, he ran across some information about John B. Magruder, a Confederate general during the US Civil War. Magruder fascinated Ahern, who was initially interested in his exploits around San Diego, where he served on frontier duty prior to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Ahern ultimately decided to write a biography for Magruder which covered his entire life, from his birth in Port Royal, Virginia in 1807 to his death in Houston, Texas in 1871. He completed his notes and planned to write the biography following his retirement in January of 1988. He passed away on February 9th of that year, and so the book was never completed.
From the guide to the James Ahern Papers, 1975-1988, (Special Collections & University Archives)
