San Francisco
County
Biographies
FRED
GOODRICH ATHEARN
Fred
Goodrich Athearn, attorney, was born March 26, 1874,
in Los Angeles County, California, the son of Frederick William and Susan
(Goodrich) Athearn.
His education was obtained at the
Los Angeles Business College, Pomona College, (Claremont, California) and
University of California (Berkeley), graduating from the latter in 1900.
Following graduation and until
January 1913, Mr. Athearn served as manager of the
Bureau of Economics of the Harriman System of Railroads, the two main lines of
which were the Union Pacific and the Southern Pacific Railroads. In 1913 he
entered into law partnership with Judge Thomas E. Haven who was then senior
member of the firm of Haven & Haven of San Francisco, California. On Judge Haven’s
death in 1925, Mr. Athearn, became senior member of
his firm, which is now known as the firm of Athearn,
Chandler & Hoffman. This is said to be the oldest law firm in direct
succession in existence in San Francisco, having been founded January 4, 1869.
Mr. Athearn
served as California Corporation Commissioner in 1927 and 1928. In 1929 and
1930 he was director of the California Department of Investment.
He holds membership in the American
Bar Association (member of the Corporation, Banking and Business Law Section),
State Bar of California, American Judicature Society; Psi Upsilon fraternity;
and the Commonwealth Club of California.
On August 21, 1901, Mr. Athearn married Purle Evelyn Bottomes of Los Angeles, California, and they are the
parents of two sons, Folger and Leigh.
Offices: Seventh Floor, Balboa Building, San Francisco
5, California.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Eminent Californians 1953”,
by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Page 273, C. W. Taylor Publ.,
Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2014 Cecelia M. Setty.
San Francisco County Biographies