George W. Cartwright

George Wilder Cartwright (November 9, 1863 – November 23, 1939) was an American politician and attorney who served in both houses of the California State Legislature.

Early life Cartwright was born on November 9, 1863 in Coles County, Illinois. His grandfather, Reddick Cartwright, fought in Battle of New Orleans and was one of the first white settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois. His father, Rev. John Cartwright, was a Baptist minister who fought in the American Civil War. The family moved from Illinois to Colusa County, California in 1869. In 1885, John Cartwright purchased a 40-acre property outside of Malaga, California, where he operated a vineyard.

George W. Cartwright attended public school in Willows, California and studied under professor J. L. Wilson in Colusa County. From 1885 to 1894, he taught in the Fresno County public schools. On December 24, 1889, he married Rosa S. Otto of Wisconsin in Fresno, California. They had one daughter, Hazel.

Politics In 1894, Cartwright was the People's Party nominee for Fresno County superintendent of schools, but lost to Republican Thomas J. Kirk. In 1896, he was elected on the Fusion ticket to represent California's 62nd State Assembly district. During his single term in the California State Assembly, Cartwright authored an income tax bill and introduced a resolution to amend the Constitution of California to eliminate the poll tax, although both were defeated on a party-line vote. In 1898, he was elected county clerk on the Democratic and People's tickets. In 1903, he left politics to practice law. He was admitted to the bar on March 12, 1903. From 1907 to 1915, Cartwright was a member of the California State Senate. He authored California's antitrust law, the Cartwright Act. He died on November 23, 1939 at his home in Los Angeles of a heart aliment.