History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 27

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923 > Part 27

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two grown daughters, who claimed to be the wife and offspring of Mason. There is no doubt that the contest was in good faith and that the lady believed that the deceased was her husband. The testimony, however, de- veloped that there must have been two John A. Masons, and that the husband of the lady contestant had, like many other of the Cali- fornia Argonauts, disappeared long years ago. It was strange that the photographs of Super- visor Mason were identified by his mother and other relatives in Massachusetts, and that the same pictures were identified by prominent citizens of Illinois as being the other Mason. Judge Clark held against the contestants, but said that there was no doubt of the good faith of their contest."

The County's Lawyers

If we should eliminate from our history the lawyer and what he has done, we would rob it of the greater part of its glory. Remove from our society of today the lawyer, with the work he accomplishes, and you will leave that society disorganized politically, morally and economically. The lawyer is needed in the legislature, in congress; every business man needs him; in fact. he is a necessary ad- junct to every department of human life. In the following paragraphs are mentioned some of the men who have worthily represented the' bar in Sacramento County.

While Newton Booth never engaged in the active practice of the law, he was a member of the bar. He became governor of the state, and United States senator.

Milton S. Latham was governor and United States senator.

J. Neely Johnson was governor.

T. B. McFarland was judge of the supreme court.

Robert F. Morrison was chief justice of the supreme court.

H. O. Beatty was judge of the supreme court of Nevada.

E. B. Crocker was supreme court justice, and the founder of the Crocker Art Gallery, which was donated by his widow to the city and is now one of the chief public attractions.

C. G. WV. French was chief justice of the supreme court of Arizona.

Hiram W. Johnson removed his practice to San Francisco, and became governor of this state for two terms, resigning when elected to the United States senate.

Creed Haymond was code commissioner and framed our present codes; also was state sen- ator and afterward chief counsel for the South- ern Pacific Company, and died in San Fran- cisco many years ago. He was one of the brilliant minds of the state.

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

W. H. Beatty formerly was chief justice of the supreme court of California.

W. C. Van Fleet is United States district judge at San Francisco.

Robert T. Devlin was United States district attorney and was at one time state senator from Sacramento.

Cornelius Cole was congressman and United States senator.

Col. E. D. Baker was United States senator from Oregon and was killed at Ball's Bluff as brigadier-general during the Rebellion.

H. W. Halleck was during the Civil War the commander-in-chief of the Union armies under President Lincoln.

Col. George W. Bowie, the law partner of A. P. Catlin, was, during the Civil War, a brigadier-general of volunteers and served on the border of Texas, Mexico and Arizona.

E. J. C. Kewen was one of the pioneer at- torneys and an orator of distinction. He was a Southern man by birth, and had all the fire and vim of that clime. Colonel Kewen was an intimate friend of William Walker, who attempted to form a republic at Nicaragua, and was Walker's financial agent. He finally located at Los Angeles, and died there, No- vember 25, 1879.

J. C. Zabriskie was the first city attorney of this city. He arrived in Sacramento in 1849 and later on was alcalde. In 1861 he removed to San Francisco, where he died, July 10, 1883.

John T. Carey was a district attorney of Sac- /ramento County, and was appointed United States district attorney by President Cleve- land. Later he continued the practice of law in San Francisco.

E. H. Heacock is now a resident of San Francisco, and was for many years master in chancery of the United States courts.

S. W. Sanderson was judge of the supreme court and resigned to accept the position of chief counsel for the Central Pacific Railway Company.

Thomas J. Clunie was state senator and member of congress. He removed to San Francisco and continued the practice of law until the time of his death.

John K. Alexander was district attorney, and removed to Monterey and was for many years superior judge of that county.

James C. Goods was district attorney for two terms, and was considered one of the best criminal lawyers in the state.

Judge Henry Hare Hartley was one of the leading lawyers of the state, and a man of the most polished manners.

George A. Blanchard, district attorney, aft- erwards superior judge of Colusa County, died on the threshold of a useful life; he was one

of the bright minds of the profession, and a scholar and a courteous gentleman.

Frank D. Ryan, a native son and twice dis- trict attorney, also one of the board of com- missioners of public works, and assemblyman. was one of Sacramento's finest products. No man held a higher place in the estimation of the public. It seemed like the cruelty of Fate to take him from earth at such an early time in his life, as he had but reached his prime when he died, in 1908.

S. Solon Holl, who died in July, 1913, was considered the dean of the Sacramento bar. His life was full of great incidents.

Grove L. Johnson, assemblyman, senator and member of congress, and for years among the active practitioners at the bar of the state, has lost nothing of his vigor and persistence, and is as ready for a forensic encounter as he was wont to be in his younger days. No man has a higher standing at the bar than Hon. Grove L. Johnson. Mr. Johnson can be con- sidered the Nestor of the bar. He recently was appointed to the Federal Land Office here.

Clinton L. White can also be recorded as one of the old leaders at the bar. Once our mayor, and a good one at that, he prides himself upon his devotion to the practice of the honorable profession. His firm, White, Miller, Needham & Harber, stands foremost among the practitioners in this state.

Gen. A. L. Hart, at one time attorney- general of the state, was considered one of the best nisi prius lawyers on the Coast. His un- timely death was a shock to the profession. No man held a higher place in the hearts of the members of the bar and the public.

Judge Add C. Hinkson, who for many years was city superintendent of schools, and supe- rior judge, in 1912 answered the final roll-call.

Tod Robinson, H. O. Beatty and J. B. Hag- gin were law partners in 1853, in this city. This partnership lasted about three years. Judge Beatty went to Nevada and was elected chief justice of the state. J. B. Haggin, one of the owners of the Haggin Grant, resided in New York. Tod Robinson located at San Francisco.

George Cadwalader, a pioneer and in early days a merchant, in 1855 entered the law office of Col. Philip L. Edwards as a student of law. Mr. Cadwalader had a splendid prac- tice and never sought any political office, al- though he took active part in party politics on some occasions. He also wrote some ele- gant verses. He removed to San Francisco in 1884, and lived but about one year there- after. The supreme court reports contain the name of George Cadwalader in a multitude of actions. Robert T. Devlin and Clinton L. White were students under Mr. Cadwalader. During his student career, Clinton L. White

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wrote one of the ablest briefs in the matter of the estate of Thurston, involving some of the most intricate questions of law. The line of argument in the brief was adopted by the supreme court. Judge W. A. Anderson, since deceased, was an associate of George Cadwal- ader in the practice of the law for over thir- teen years.

A. C. Freeman long enjoyed a national rep- utation as an author of law books. His ad- vent into the practice of law was as deputy district attorney under James C. Goods. His first book was "A Treatise on Judgments" later he published a work on "Executions." He was the editor of the Bancroft-Whitney publications and editor of "American Deci- sions." The career of A. C. Freeman was a great success. He located in San Francisco, and a few years ago crossed the "Great Divide."

J. N. Young practiced law in this city for many years and then located in San Francisco, where he also engaged in active practice.

Paschal H. Coggins commenced his career as an attorney-at-law in this city, served one term as township justice, and then located in Philadelphia, where he is now engaged in the practice of his profession.

D. A. Hamburger practiced in Sacramento for a few years after his admission to the bar and then located in Los Angeles, where he abandoned the practice of the law and engaged in mercantile business.

Frank Powers was admitted to the bar from the city of Sacramento, but established his law practice later at San Francisco. He was a member of the assembly from that city.

Charles T. Jones, twice district attorney of Sacramento County, and once an assembly- man from this district, died recently, honored by the bar and community in general. During recent years he held the position of chief dep- uty district attorney. During his career, he was on one side or other of most of the im- portant criminal cases tried in the local courts, and was looked upon as one of the ablest crim- inal lawyers of the state.

Dan E. Alexander removed to San Fran- cisco, where he is now engaged in the prac- tice of his profession.

Charles H. Oatman is also a practitioner in San Francisco.

Elwood Bruner, ex-assemblyman and ex- district attorney, located at Nome, Alaska, as did also his brother, J. Allison Bruner. El wood Bruner is now deceased, but his brother is still living in Alaska.

W. B. Harlow practiced only a short time after his admission to the bar, then went to Arizona and later to New York, where he died a few years ago.

Judson C. Brusie was assemblyman and secretary to the California Railroad Commis- sion. He died a few years ago at Los An- geles. He devoted his time chiefly to politics and dramatic writing.

Peter H. Burnett was a lawyer, but never practiced in this city ; only acted as land agent for John A. Sutter. He was the first governor of California. In 1857 he was appointed by Governor J. Neely Johnson a judge of the supreme court. He died in San Francisco, May 17, 1895, at the age of eighty-seven years.

Judge S. C. Denson, now dead, was a resi- dent of San Francisco and Sacramento. For inany years, in addition to his judicial career, he enjoyed a splendid practice in this city. At various times a member of the firm of Beatty & Denson, then Beatty, Denson & Beatty, and Beatty. Denson & Oatman, he al- ways enjoyed a very lucrative business. It was during his term as judge that the famous cases of Troy Dye and Edward Anderson for the murder of Aaron Tullis were tried and the two men convicted and hanged. Hon. Creed Haymond defended these men. When Judge Denson removed to San Francisco, he formed a copartnership with Judge J. J. De Haven, which continued until Judge De Haven was appointed United States district judge.

In Albert M. Johnson, both genius and tal- ent were united in one person. His was an impressive genius, brighter than the sword of the conqueror. His thoughts and ideas bore the rays of immortality, which cast a living, lasting halo around his very being. With him, genius was not a shadow-it was a substance, it was light ; it was matter that never dies. In all his legal existence he seemed like a Theseus led by the golden thread of Ariadne. His logic was like the touch of Ithuriel's spear, his reason like the swell of the ocean. A master of language, which flowed from his lips like a splendid stream, again in torrents as moved by inspiration, at the bar and on the rostrum his flow of language was the most fluent and logical. Its effect was magical, and carried inspiration with every word and thought ex- pressed. Albert M. Johnson was never obse- quious to wealth or power. The later years of his life were devoted, in addition to his pro- fession, to the solution of social problems and to the betterment of the condition of the masses. A truly great attorney, in his com- paratively brief career he tasted fortune more than did any other lawyer. He died in Oak- land, in 1907, at the age of forty-six years.

Judge A. P. Catlin was a pioneer lawyer, and had many parts in the formation of the government for this state. In 1850 he and John Currey (afterwards superior judge), formed a copartnership in the practice of the law. At that time the leaders of the bar were

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

Murray Johnson, E. J. C. Kewen, Col. J. C. Zabriskie, Joseph W. Winans, J. Neely John- son, John B. Weller, M. S. Latham, John H. McKune, and Col. Philip L. Edwards. This partnership lasted only a short time, and Mr. Catlin then returned to his former home at Mormon Island in this county, and engaged in mining. It was he who was the author of the name "Natoma" for Natoma Township in this county. In 1853-1854 he was a member of the senate which met at Benicia, and it was due to his efforts that Sacramento secured the location of the State Capitol and was made the permanent seat of state government. Judge Catlin was an eye-witness to the great trag- edy of the Squatter riots on August 14, 1850, at which City Assessor Woodland was killed, Mayor Biglow fatally wounded and many others killed. Judge Catlin took part in every great political battle of this state. In 1857 he was a member of the assembly and a partici- pant in the great Broderick-Gwin senatorial contest. In March, 1872, he was appointed one of the state board of equalization. During all the years he was engaged in active practice. In 1890 he was elected judge of the superior court of the county of Sacramento, and served a full six-year term. He was a man of sound judgment and untiring industry, one of the safest counsellors and faithful to his clients;

very slow to anger, but a lion when aroused. While he seemed mnorose in his disposition, still there was a vein of genuine humor in his composition. No man had a greater knowl- edge of the incidents of history of this state, and his "scrap books," if they are still in ex- istence, would be a revelation to the future historian.

John C. Catlin and Harry Catlin, the sons of Judge Catlin, were admitted to the bar and engaged in the practice of the law in San Francisco.

J. W. Winans (firm Winans & Hyer) was for many years a prominent attorney in this city. He was a member of the constitutional convention. Mr. Winans devoted much time to literature, and was an elegant writer. For many years he was a regent of the state uni- versity. In 1861 he took up his practice in San Francisco and continued until his death, March 3, 1887.

W. B. C. Brown, after having served as county clerk and state controller, became a member of the bar and continued in the prac- tice of the law until his death, April 12, 1882.

W. S. Church was city attorney for one term, then went to San Francisco. He is the author of "Church on Habeas Corpus," and some other law works.

. James B. Devine, a bright young lawyer, was called to his final rest, just at the time the people began to recognize his abilities.

Judge J. W. Armstrong came to Sacramento from Amador County in 1868. He was for- merly the law partner of the late United States Senator James T. Farley, of Amador County. He established the law firm of Armstrong & Hinkson. Judge Armstrong was appointed judge of the superior court of Sacramento County by Governor Stoneman. At the suc- ceeding election he was chosen for a full term on the bench. Judge Armstrong was a man of great force of character, and somewhat ag- gressive in his disposition, yet broad-minded, tender-hearted and generous. He died March 21,1896.

Judge Lewis Ramage was district judge of the old sixth judicial district. It was during his term that the noted "Tip" McLaughlin case was tried, McLaughlin being charged with the murder of Charles Lundholmn. At the first trial the jury disagreed, and "Tip" was tried a second time, at which trial he was convicted of murder. By some unaccountable oversight no order was made by the court to take the defendant into custody, he being at liberty under bonds. "Tip" walked out of the court and never was captured. Judge Ramage was a very kind-hearted man, and had a great rev- erence for the decisions of the court of his native state, Missouri. It was often remarked by attorneys, that if counsel could produce a decision from Missouri, or something from "Smith's Leading Cases," his case would be safe. Judge Ramage, after his term as dis- trict judge was completed, returned to St. Louis, where he died a number of years ago.

John B. Weller, a pioneer lawyer, was gov- ernor and United States senator. Governor Weller was a very eloquent orator and a man of pleasing and polished manner.

Judge Robert C. Clark was state senator and afterwards county and superior judge for twenty-four years, up to the time of his death, January 27, 1883. Judge Clark was a model judge, and everybody was his friend. No man held a higher place in the hearts of the people than Judge Clark. The pleasing incidents and anecdotes during his career on the bench would fill a large volume.

D. Lee Donelly was corporation counsel under Mayor Hassett, and at one time law partner of A. M. Seymour. He died about 1911 after a lingering sickness.

John Currey was one of the earliest pioneer lawyers of this city. At one time the law partner of A. P. Catlin, Judge Currey per- forined a prominent part in the history of this state. He was for many years judge of the supreme court, and chief justice of that court. Judge Currey was born in 1814, and died in 1912, at ninety-eight years of age. He always was a man of great intellectual powers, and even in his last years retained his remarkable

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memory and wrote some able articles for the law journals upon great legal topics.

Judge E. W. Mckinstry was in the law practice in this city in 1850. He was one of the first representatives in the legislature from Sacramento County. In 1858 he went to Napa and was elected district judge for Napa and adjoining counties. He then removed to San Francisco and was elected county judge. Later he was chosen district judge for the twelfth judicial district of San Francisco. Afterwards he was elected justice of the supreme court of California. He resigned from the supreme bench to become professor of municipal law in the Hastings Law College. Judge McKin- stry died at San Jose, November 1, 1901.

Cornelius Cole was district attorney for Sacramento County, afterwards congressman, and in 1865-1866 was elected by the legislature to the United States senate. At the close of his senatorial term he located at Los Angeles, where he now resides, hale and hearty, though over a hundred years old.

Morris M. Estee was a member of the legis- lature from Sacramento in the session of 1863- 1864, and in 1864 was elected district attorney of Sacramento County. At the expiration of his term of office he located in San Francisco in the pursuit of his profession and was re- tained in many very important cases. Mr. Estee was a leading member of the last con- stitutional convention which framed the pres- ent state constitution. Mr. Estee was at all times a dignified and sincere man. On the an- nexation of the Hawaiian Islands, creating a United States district judgeship for that juris- diction, in 1900 he was appointed to the office, which he held until his death, October 27, 1903.

Judge T. B. McFarland, prior to locating at Sacramento, was district judge of the four- teenth judicial district, comprising Nevada and Placer Counties. At the expiration of his term as judge he came to Sacramento and formed a copartnership with Judge A. P. Catlin, under the firm name of Catlin and McFarland. He was registrar of the United States land office, and in 1882 was appointed by Governor Perkins superior judge of this county. Prior to that he was also a member of the last constitutional convention. In 1884 Judge McFarland was elected superior judge for Sacramento County; in 1886 was elected justice of the supreme court, re-elected in 1898, and remained on the supreme bench until the time of his death, some years ago. Judge McFarland was a man of fine literary attain- ments and of most fascinating social qualities. To know him was ever after to be his friend.

Attorneys Now Practicing in Sacramento

Adams & Adams, O. W. Anderson, H. P. Andrews, Aram & Carragher, C. W. Baker, John J. Bauer, G. W. Bedeau, C. H. S. Bid- well, C. A. Bliss, Hugh B. Bradford, W. A. Brandenburger, H. E. Brown, John Q. Brown, John Q. Brown, Jr., Mark I. Burns, J. W. S. Butler, R. E. Cannell, J. W. Caldwell, J. B. Christian, T. H. Christiansen, J. R. Connelly, Raymond T. Coughlin, R. J. Coulter, Coulter & Spencer, William V. Cowan, Cyril A. Coyle, Charles H. Crocker. S. W: Cross, J. S. Daly, Donald D. DeFoe, DeLigne & Jones, Devlin & Devlin, Herbert N. DeWolfe, Sheridan Dow- ney, Stephen Downey, Driver & Driver, Dunn & Brand, Elliott & Atkinson, F. G. Eby, Ralph WV. Eckhardt, Thomas A. Farrell, George E. Foote, H. W. Funke, C. F. Gannon, Gebhardt & McGeorge, George, Hinsdale & Pigott, Irving D. Gibson, B. E. Gaddis, Gilmore & Gilmore, Frank L. Gafney, James F. Gafney, Donald R. Green, Charles B. Harris, Fred J. Harris, J. V. Hart, A. L. Hart, S. R. Hart, Charles J. Hasman, Hatfield & Hatfield, Wil- liam H. Hatfield, J. J. Henderson, J. L. Henry, Roy Hibbitt, H. T. Hiatt, S. C. Hill, O. G. Hopkins, S. Luke Howe, William S. Howe, Evan J. Hughes, Hughes, Bradford & Cross, J. M. Inman, P. H. Johnson, J. Fontaine John- son, Grove L. Johnson, J. W. Johnston, M. Johnston, William E. Kleinsorge, J. L. Knowles, W. A. Latta, Thomas B. Leeper, Del M. Lemon, R. H. Lewis, Roy Lewis, Lewis & Gaddis, John C. Marsh, Neil R. McAllister, A. H. McCurdy, W. J. McCurdy, George Mccutchen, John A. McGilvray, V. A. McGeorge, Donald McKissick, C. P. Mc- Laughlin, C. E. McLaughlin, O. F. Meldon, Joseph W. Mento, Meredith, Landis & Ches- ter, James D. Meredith, C. F. Metteer, H. N. Mitchell, W. A. Newcomb, F. J. O'Brien, Oats & French, Mrs. V. E. Parkinson, E. Phillips, Jr., W. T. Phipps, J. O. Prewett, George L. Popert, Price & Price, J. E. Pipher, R. Plat- nauer, Frank A. Prior, J. F. Pullen, G. J. Raymond, W. F. Renfro, A. B. Reynolds, William Rigby, Clifford A. Russell, Robert H. Schwab, Ralph W. Smith, L. H. Shelly, M. F. Shelly, R. L. Shinn, Shinn & Shinn, William A. Sitton, Arthur L. Slee, Albert D. Smith, Ralph H. Smith, E. G. Soule, H. G. Soule, Merlin W. Stewart, C. A. Swisler, C. E. Swezy, A. R. Tabor, Frank Tade, R. P. Tal- bott, S. Pearle Tinsler, B. F. Van Dyke, E. R. Vaughan, Wachhorst & Wachhorst, M. S. Wahrhaftig, Ray C. Waring, Robert A. Waring, Martin I. Welsh, Percy G. West, White, Miller, Needham & Harber, Peter J. Wilkie, F. B. Wood, George A. Work, Archi- bald Yell, H. W. Zagoren.

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Attorneys Now Deceased

Gen. H. W. Halleck, A. C. Peachy, Atty. Billings, Humphrey Griffith, E. B. Crocker, William S. Long, John Hereford, Al. Here- ford, E. J. C. Kewen, John H. Hardy, Hal Clayton, B. F. Ankeny, James H. Ralston, F. S. Mumford, Col. E. D. Baker, Henry Mere- dith, Judge Silas W. Sanderson, Col. J. C. Zabriskie, P. W. S. Rayle, John R. McConnell, Daniel J. Thomas, Judge A. C. Monson, Greg- ory Yale, John C. Burch, Judge Charles T. Botts, D. R. Sample, Theron Reed, Judge Lewis Aldrich, George H. Cartter, Tod Rob- inson, Robert Robinson, J. B. Harmon, R. H. Stanley, William H. Weeks, Thomas Sunder- land, Milton S. Latham, Frank McConnell, Edward Sanders, Judge W. C. Wallace, Judge W. T. Wallace, Morris M. Estee, Judge Rob- ert F. Morrison, Murray Morrison, Col. L. Sanders, George W. Bowie, William I. Fer- guson (killed in a duel by George Pen John- ston), J. Neely Johnson (once governor), Wil- liam Neely Johnson, John G. Hyer, Ferris Forman, Horace Smith, Philip C. Edwards (a pioneer of 1836), Thomas C. Edwards, Henry Hare Hartley, George R. Moore, D. W. Welty, Harris C. Harrison, James E. Smith,

Judge Lewis Ramage, Joseph S. Wallis, F. H. Moore, Henry K. Snow, Henry C. McCreery, Judge Robert C. Clark, Judge John Heard, M. C. Tilden, Henry Edgerton, W. B. C. Brown, James C. Goods, Presley Dunlap, James W. Coffroth, George Cadwalader, J. G. Severance, George A. Blanchard, J. C. Tubbs, Ed. F. Taylor, Joseph W. Winans, Samuel Cross, Judge H. O. Beatty, G. W. Spaulding, S. L. Rogers, N. Greene Curtis, W. T. Hink- son, W. P. Harlow, W. B. G. Keller, Judge Matt F. Johnson, Judge A. P. Catlin, Judge John H. McKune, James L. English, Charles A. Waring, Peter J. Hopper, Judge C. G. W. French, Thomas Conger, Thomas W. Gilmer, Peter Hannon, I. S. Brown, W. R. Cantwell, Thomas J. Clunie, Henry Starr, Judge Add C. Hinkson, George G. Davis, A. C. Freeman, Henry C. Ross, Jay R. Brown, Judge Thomas B. McFarland, Albert M. Johnson, Edward Dwyer, Alvin J. Bruner, Creed Haymond, A. L. Hart, L. S. Taylor, F. D. Ryan, Jud C. Brusie, J. P. Counts, James B. Devine, Isaac Joseph, W. S. Mesick, Ed. M. Martin, Henry L. Buckley, W. A. Anderson, J. W. Adams, Charles W. Beckwith, J. Frank Brown, R. M. Clarken, W. A. Gett, W. C. Holl, S. S. Holl, C. G. Shinn, C. W. Thomas.

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History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 27

Author: Reed, G. Walter Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026