Otto J. Zahn

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Otto J. Zahn

| birth_name = Otto Johann Zahn

| image = Otto J. Zahn.png

| caption = Zahn in 1926

| office = Member of the Los Angeles City Council for the 10th district

| predecessor = Charles E. Downs

| successor = E. Snapper Ingram

| birth_date = {{birth date|1872|8|23}}

| birth_place = Oakland, California

| death_place = Las Vegas, Nevada

| death_date = {{death date and age|1965|10|12|1872|8|23}}

| termstart = October 23, 1925

| termend = June 30, 1927

| party = Republican
Progressive (1934)

}}

Otto Johann Zahn (August 23, 1872 – October 12, 1965) was the second person to represent District 10 on the Los Angeles City Council, serving from 1925 until 1927.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/155331582 "Rites Conducted for Former Councilman," Los Angeles Times, October 16, 1965, page A-7]

Biography

File:Otto Johann Zahn, 1903.jpg

He was born on August 23, 1872, in Oakland, California, to Frances Sharp and Johann Carl Zahn. His father was a wealthy Prussian-born physician who lived in Victoria, Australia, and who moved to San Francisco, California, with his family in 1871. Otto and two brothers, Oscar Carl and Oswald Frances, were born in California.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/161802156 A Los Angeles Times story of September 12, 1925, said Otto was born in Oakland, California]

In 1873 or 1874 the family moved to Los Angeles, where Frances had two more boys, Lorenzo Paul and Hector N. Zahn. Lorenzo, like his brother, later became active in politics, only as a Socialist instead of a Republican.{{cite book |last1=Detwiler |first1=Justice B. |title=Who's Who in California |date=1929 |publisher=Who's Who Publishing Company |location=San Francisco |page=131 |url=https://archive.org/details/whoswhoincalifor192829detw/page/131/mode/1up |access-date=11 April 2025}} They first lived on Spring Street, then moved in 1890 to 427 South Hope Street on Bunker Hill, where they lived until 1912. The elder Zahn was also a minister, and he financed a church on Spring Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets; it later became the First German Methodist Episcopal Church. He died in October 1901 at the age of 79.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/161318287 "Married," Los Angeles Times, February 28, 1882, page 0-2][http://onbunkerhill.org/zahn_mansion "The Zahn Family — 427 South Hope Street," On Bunker Hill website][https://www.proquest.com/docview/164108389 "Remarkable Man Passes," Los Angeles Times, October 7, 1901, page 6][https://www.proquest.com/docview/163175046 "Five Brothers Get Together for Party," Los Angeles Times, April 24, 1934, page A-5]

Otto was educated "in private institutions."[https://www.proquest.com/docview/161802156 "Council Fills Vacant Seats," Los Angeles Times, September 12, 1925, page A-1] He raised homing pigeons at 426 South Hope Street[https://www.proquest.com/docview/163921530 "Intelligent Birds," Los Angeles Times, February 8, 1897, page 7] and on Santa Catalina Island, where he and his brother Oswald established a messenger service to and from Los Angeles, a distance of some 50 miles. Among other messages, the birds carried news items about the island for publication in the Los Angeles Times.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/163653788 De Witt C. Lockwood, "Carrier Pigeons," Los Angeles Times, July 22, 1894, page 10][https://www.proquest.com/docview/154596694 Jack Smith, "Wings Across the Water," Los Angeles Times, February 23, 1986, page Y-4]

Zahn was the second husband of Frances May Sproston, whose first husband, Dr. Louis Carleton Harmon, had died. She was active in Los Angeles social and cultural circles. After they married, Zahn moved into her home at 2115 Estrella Avenue.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/164894535 "Civic Cultural Leader Enjoys Colorful Life," Los Angeles Times, September 11, 1938, page D-7][https://www.proquest.com/docview/160676355 "Politics. The Watchman," Los Angeles Times, March 16, 1919, page II-6] She died in December 1947.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/165791017 "Deaths, Funeral Announcements, Los Angeles Times, December 28, 1947, page 13]

Zahn was a charter member of the City Planning Association and a member of the City Club, California Club, Knights Templar and the California Audubon Society. During WWI he was divisional secretary of the Southern California Four-Minute Men.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/160639951 "Otto J. Zahn Would Be a Councilman," Los Angeles Times, March 14, 1919, page II-1] The organization gave four-minute speeches on topics dealing with the American war effort in the WWI and which were presented during the four minutes between reel-changing in movie theaters.

Zahn, 93, died of a heart attack on October 12, 1965, while vacationing in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was survived by his second wife, Ruth; a stepson, Daniel Curran, and two grandchildren. He was buried at Evergreen Cemetery.

Public life

Zahn was a candidate for the California State Assembly in 1918, running on the Republican ticket, and he was also a member of the city's Humane Animal Commission. He took out his nominating petition for the City Council on March 13, 1919.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/161169418 "Mrs. Zahn appointed," Los Angeles Times, February 21, 1922, page II-12]

At first seen as a dark horse, Zahn was unanimously appointed by the City Council on September 11, 1925, as a substitution in the 10th district for Charles E. Downs, whom the council had suspended after he was indicted on bribery charges. Downs was later convicted and Zahn's temporary appointment was made permanent.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/161888634 "May Serve Bribery Term," Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1925, page A-1] In 1927, he lost a bid for election to E. Snapper Ingram.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/162055882 "Parrot-Cryer Rout Revealed," Los Angeles Times, June 9, 1927, page 2] In 1934, Zahn, a registered Progressive, was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Assemblyman in the 55th District[https://www.proquest.com/docview/163215978 "Merriam Files for Nomination," Los Angeles Times, June 19, 1934, page A-16] against Emory J. Arnold, who had the endorsement of the Times.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/163242327 " 'Times' Recommendations for Republican Primary," Los Angeles Times, August 28, 1934, page 10] Arnold won the nomination.[https://www.proquest.com/docview/163260770 "Sinclair Ticket Triumphs in Legislative Races," Los Angeles Times, August 30, 1934, page 5]

References

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Otto J. Zahn

Biography

Public life

References

Further reading