▁– ▁November ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁Republican ▁politician ▁ ▁from ▁California . ▁ ▁Per cy ▁Ben b ough ▁was ▁born ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁near ▁London , ▁England ▁and ▁came ▁to ▁San ▁Diego ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁four . ▁At ▁first ▁he ▁ran ▁a ▁gro c ery ▁store ▁and ▁men ' s ▁cl othing ▁store . ▁After ▁his ▁father ' s ▁death ▁he ▁ran ▁and ▁expanded ▁his ▁father ' s ▁mort u ary ▁business . ▁ ▁Ben b ough ▁was ▁elected ▁council man ▁and ▁served ▁during ▁ 1 9 1 3 – 1 9 1 7 , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁super int endent ▁of ▁the ▁fire ▁department . ▁ ▁He ▁ran ▁for ▁mayor ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁but ▁lost . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁Ben b ough ▁was ▁appointed ▁police ▁chief , ▁where ▁he ▁transferred ▁people ▁to ▁break ▁up ▁cli ques ▁to ▁help ▁fight ▁cor ruption ▁then ▁existing ▁in ▁the ▁police ▁department . ▁After ▁only ▁three ▁months ▁as ▁chief ▁he ▁res igned , ▁due ▁to ▁fr ustration ▁in ▁removing ▁ent rench ed ▁cor ruption . ▁ ▁Ben b ough ▁was ▁elected ▁mayor ▁of ▁San ▁Diego ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁re elect ed ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁Part ▁of ▁his ▁accomplish ments ▁as ▁mayor ▁was ▁to ▁help ▁prepare ▁the ▁city ▁for ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁office ▁on ▁November ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁the ▁only ▁San ▁Diego ▁mayor