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John J. Coghlan who is the city attorney of Madera, has been practicing law in Madera since 1916. Mr. Coghlan was born in San Francisco, December 19, 1875, the son of David and Katherine (Kenny) Coghlan. His father was a native of Ireland; his mother of England. In the early days his father was superintendent of one of the silver mines in the Comstock Lode, Nevada, and was interested in silver mining most of his life. This career took him to Mexico in the Sixties, during the term of the Emperor Maximilian, and the political disorders of that time caused him many harrowing experiences.

Soon after Mr. Coghlan’s birth, the family left San Francisco and spent ten years in Mexico. They were next for a time in New York City, where the boy went to school. Returning to California, the family settled at Santa Rosa, and Mr. Coghlan attended the Santa Rosa High school. Later he took the degree of B. S. at the University of California. He studied law in San Francisco and passed the bar examinations there. He practiced a number of years at the Bay city and then spent a year and a half in Sacramento before settling at Madera.

Besides being city attorney, Mr. Coghlan is court commissioner of Madera County. Mr. Coghlan is a member of the Catholic Church, of the Knights of Columbus and of the Young Men’s Institute. He also belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West.

From the History of Fresno and Madera Counties, 1933, Joseph Barcroft, editor for Madera County.