Herschel L. Carnahan | |
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| 30thLieutenant Governor of California | |
| In office December 4, 1928 – January 6, 1931 | |
| Governor | C. C. Young |
| Preceded by | Buron Fitts |
| Succeeded by | Frank Merriam |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1879-08-31)August 31, 1879 Aledo, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | March 31, 1941(1941-03-31) (aged 61) Los Angeles, U.S. |
| Resting place | Evergreen Cemetery (Riverside, California) 33°58′48″N117°23′13″W / 33.9799°N 117.3869°W /33.9799; -117.3869 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Monmouth College |
Herschel L. Carnahan (August 31, 1879 – March 31, 1941)[1][2] was the 30thlieutenant governor of California, 1928–1931, serving under GovernorC. C. Young.[3] He was a Republican.[3]
He was born in Aledo,Illinois, and attendedMonmouth College.[2] Carnahan came to California in May 1896 at age 18, seeking treatment fortuberculosis, living at first with an uncle on a ranch atAlessandro, inRiverside County. Carnahan worked as an elementary school teacher later that year, and went on to work as a both a teacher and a school principal inWinchester. He was also active in thetemperance movement.[3]
Carnahan later studied law at a local law office, was admitted to the bar in 1904 at the age of the 25 and began practicing inRiverside, California.
Later relocating his law practice to Los Angeles, Carnahan was appointed the first commissioner of theState Corporation Department by Republican GovernorHiram Johnson in 1914. There, Carnahan enforced California's so-calledblue sky law, passed in 1913 in an effort to protect small investors from promoters who pitched fraudulent investments promising everything, including the "blue sky" above.[4] Carnahan served as commissioner until 1918.[5]
In 1927, Carnahan was appointed areceiver in thebankruptcy of theJulian Petroleum Company. Nicknamed Julian Pete, the company collapsed after it was revealed to have overissued its stock, defrauding investors of more than $150 million. Carnahan continued to serve as receiver through his term as lieutenant governor and worked on the bankruptcy until the receivership was closed out in 1941.[4]
Carnahan was appointed lieutenant governor in 1928 by GovernorC.C. Young afterBuron Fitts, elected lieutenant governor under Young, resigned to becomeDistrict Attorney of Los Angeles County.[3]
Following his term as lieutenant governor, Carnahan returned to his law practice in Los Angeles.[3]
After a series of health issues, including the reemergence of his tuberculosis, Carnahan killed himself in April 1941, dying at the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital in Los Angeles.[6][3] He was interred at the mausoleum atEvergreen Cemetery inRiverside, California.
Carnahan was married to Hattie Helmer, a native ofOttawa, Canada.[7]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of California 1928—1931 | Succeeded by |
