Ulysses S. Webb

Ulysses Sigel Webb (September 29, 1864 – July 31, 1947) Born in West Virginia, an American lawyer and politician affiliated with the Republican Party. He served as the 19th Attorney General of California for the lengthy span of 37 years. Webb's parents were Cyrus Webb, a civil war captain, and Eliza Cather-Webb. He was educated in Kansas, and later moved to Quincy, California. There, he gained admittance to the State Bar of California and was elected Plumas County District Attorney, in which position he served for 12 years (1890–1902).

He was appointed Attorney General of California by Governor Henry Gage in 1902. Webb served as attorney general for 37 years, from 1902 to 1939 (9 terms), and is one of the longest-serving statewide officials in American history. He began a lengthy series of lawsuits to prove the state held title, in trust for the people of California, to tide and submerged lands, for public access and use for navigation, shipping and commerce. His administration served to clarify new legislation involving elections, motor vehicles, and criminal trial procedures. (The Criminal Law Division has since exploded its workload - Webb reported in his 1914-16 Biennial Report a criminal case load of 307 appeals in two years, whereas today more than 6000 appeals are received annually). Webb died in San Francisco on July 31, 1947.

He also vigorously prosecuted land transfers made to avoid enforcement of the Alien Land Law Act of 1913 that disenfranchised land owners in California who were ineligible for citizenship.

In the 1930s, Webb's office pressured Fish and Game authorities to go after aliens with commercial fisherman's licenses and prevent offloading fish at San Diego port. On September 18, 1934, Judge C. N. Andrews ruled that residence requirements were a violation of the equal protection of the law clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Webb appealed to the Court of Appeals and state Supreme court, who ruled the section did violate the Fourteenth Amendment.

California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer apologized in 2003 for Webb's zealous sterilization program under the state's eugenics policy.^[1]

Webb married Grace Goodwin, the daughter of Judge J. D. and Martha Goodwin, of Quincy. The Webbs had three children, Hester, Sigel Goodwin and Grace. Webb belonged to the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities, and to the Union League Club. He died in San Francisco.

External links

• Ulysses S. Webb, 19th Attorney General - 1850 to Present - California Dept. of Justice - Office of the Attorney General at caag.state.ca.us
• JoinCalifornia - U. S. Webb at www.joincalifornia.com