San Diego County Biographies
 
J. L. COPELAND

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One of San Diego's representative citizens, who with firm  persistence and but a 
common-school education has advanced steadily in his profession, was born in 
Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana, August 14, 1860, his father being a native of 
New York, and his mother of Ohio. In 1869, they came to Sacramento, California, 
by the Central Pacific Railroad, where he learned the trade of printer. In 1873 
they came to San Diego and his father purchased a farm in Sweetwater valley, 
where he remained at home for five years. He then went to Arizona and prospected 
in mining for two years, when he returned to San Diego in 1880, and entered the 
law office of Judge Lucy and began the study of his profession. He attended the 
Iowa Law School at Keokuk, Iowa, and by persistent study he accomplished the 
three-years course in nineteen months and graduated at the end of that time. He 
then returned to San Diego and entered the office of W. J. Hunsacker, who at 
that time, 1883, was District Attorney; he remained two years. In 1886, Mr. 
Copeland was honored with the nomination of district attorney and was elected 
for two years, and was re-elected in 1888; and this position he now fills.
        In December, 1887, Mr. Copeland was married to Miss Helen Minor, a 
native of Indiana, but at that time residing in San Diego. They have no 
children. Mr. Copeland has been very active in politics, and is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias lodge.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California… Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  180