The Pasadena Public Library hosts author Nat Read on Tuesday, Nov. 8, as he discusses his book, “Don Benito Wilson: From Mountain Man to Mayor Los Angeles,” in an online event starting at 5 p.m.
Don Benito – whose name is actually Benjamin Davis Wilson – fought to defend Los Angeles in the Mexican War of 1846-1847, was taken prisoner and almost executed. He served as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1851 to 1852, and organized the first Los Angeles police force. President Millard Fillmore appointed him Indian agent, and as a result of his experience, Don Benito Wilson wrote a history of the Indians of the area.
In 1855 and 1869, he was elected to the California Senate.
As a Los Angeles County supervisor he oversaw a Los Angeles County that included what is today Orange, San Bernardino and Kern Counties. His Wilson College was the predecessor of the mighty University of Southern California. Many of the railroads he helped bring to Southern California still haul freight over the original rights of way that he helped determine.
The event is presented on Zoom. To sign up and receive a link to the event, visit https://pasadena.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?eventid=6836.
For more information, call (626) 744-4066.
