Riverside County
Biographies
GEORGE A. SARAU
Coming to California from the Badger state, George A.. (sic) Sarau has gained recognition as one of the foremost
representatives of Riverside’s legal fraternity, and as a member of the
California board of bar examiners he enjoys statewide prominence in his
profession. He was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1879, a son of the
Hon. Christian Sarau, who long figured
prominently in public affairs as a member of both the upper and lower houses of
that state. Moreover, he was numbered among its honored pioneers and prospered
in all of his undertakings, amassing a fortune.
In his native city George A. Sarau
acquired a high school education, and in preparation for a legal career
enrolled as a student in the University of Wisconsin, from which he was
graduated in 1900, when a young man of twenty-one, receiving his LL. B.
degree at that time. He was admitted to the Wisconsin bar and in 1901 began
practice at Princeton, that state, with Frank E. Clark, with whom he
was associated until called home by the death of his father in 1903. For twelve
years thereafter he remained in Oshkosh, demonstrating his ability to
successfully cope with the intricacies of the law. In 1915 he removed to the
Golden state and in April of that year became associated with the Hon. H. L. Carnahan,
who afterwards became lieutenant governor of California. Some time before the
latter’s appointment as the first corporation commissioner of the state
Mr. Sarau formed a partnership with
Hugh H. Craig and H. L. Thompson, who practiced under the
style of Craig, Sarau & Thompson. This
relationship was maintained until Mr. Craig’s appointment as judge of the
superior court of Riverside county, when the present
style of Sarau & Thompson was adopted. They have
a large suite of offices on the fourth floor of the Citizens National Bank
building of Riverside and the extent and importance of their clientele is
indicative of their status as advocates and counselors.
At Princeton, Wisconsin, in 1905, Mr. Sarau
was married to Miss Minchen H. Rimpler, and Christian A., their only child, who was
graduated from Leland Stanford University, is worthily following in the
professional footsteps of his father.
Well known in fraternal circles, George A. Sarau was exalted ruler of Riverside Lodge,
B. P. O. E., in 1917-18 and district deputy grand exalted ruler
of that order for the southern jurisdiction of California in 1923. His Masonic
affiliations are with the consistory and the shrine and he is also identified
with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. A prominent Rotarian, he served as
president of the local club of the organization in 1925-26 and through his
connection with the Victoria Country Club and Newport Yacht Club he largely
finds his recreation. His civic spirit prompted his effective service on the
board of directors of the Riverside Public Library from 1919 to 1927 inclusive
and as a director of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce in 1923 and 1924. His
name has appeared on the board of directors of the Riverside County Law Library
for many years, and because of his legal erudition and high standards of
professional service he has been retained on the state board of bar examiners
since 1929. He is a member of the Riverside County Bar Association, the
California State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Never an
aspirant for public honors, Mr. Sarau was
offered the superior court judgeship of Riverside county
by Governor Stevens in 1921 and in 1925 was chosen by Governor Young for the
same office, for which he was exceptionally well qualified, but declined both
appointments. In 1930 Mr. Sarau was offered the
appointment as member of the Appellate Court of the Fourth District of
California, by Governor Young.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
05 May 2012.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
371-373, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis.
1933.
© 2012 Marie Hassard.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S RIVERSIDE BIOGRAPHIES