San Francisco County
Biographies
JUDGE MAURICE C. BLAKE
JUDGE MAURICE C.
BLAKE.—Judge Blake is one of the oldest and most respected members of the San
Francisco bar.
As the reader follows this brief biographical sketch he will not be slow
to conclude that Judge Blake has lived a busy life and acquired more valuable
experience than usually falls to the lot of man.
The ancestors of
Judge Blake were early settlers in New England. The subject of our sketch was born at Otisfield, in the State of Maine, and spent his boyhood
there, receiving such preparatory educational advantages as enabled him to
enter Bowdoin College, an educational institution
ranking well up (at that time) with Brown, Yale and Cambridge. From this he graduated with High credit in
the class of 1838. He selected law as a
profession and entered zealously upon its study, being admitted to practice in
1841. He commenced the practice of his
profession in Camden, Maine,
where he remained about eight years. The
interests of his clients were attended to with fidelity and intelligence. He was elected to the Maine Legislature in
1846 as a Whig from a strongly Democratic district, and three years later was
appointed by President Taylor to the office of Collector of Customs for the
district of Belfast, Maine. He held the position for four years,
performing its duties to the satisfaction of the very important commercial and
shipping interests.
Soon after retiring
from the Collector’s office, having been removed by President Pierce, he left
for California. He had for a considerable time intended upon
the close of his official term to try his fortunes in this new State. He came around Cape Horn
in the new ship Whistler, and, after a reasonably fair voyage, landed in San
Francisco on Thanksgiving Day, 1853. Until the following May Judge Blake was
undecided as to the business in which he would engage, but he then opened an
office here, and soon had a paying practice.
In 1856 he was elected to the California Legislature. That he enjoyed the respect and confidence of
his fellow-citizens will be seen by the number of times he was elevated to the
bench.
He was first
elected County Judge
and held that position for six years. As
County Judge
he was ex-officio Probate Judge and presiding Judge of the Court of
Sessions. He was next elected Probate
Judge, the office of Probate Judge, having by an amendment of the Constitution
been separated from that of County Judge, and accepted that position for four
years. Subsequently he was twice elected
Judge of the Municipal Criminal Court, and here he remained for eight years, or
eighteen years of almost continuous service of the bench, retiring with the
general commendation of “well done, good and faithful servant.”
In 1854 there was
strong impression that the Sandwich Islands would be
annexed to the United States,
and a great many persons concluded that in that event American residents of the
islands would necessarily reap fame and fortune. Among others Judge Blake paid them a visit,
but remained no longer than necessary to turn about and come back. Annexation or no annexation, there was
nothing in the way of prospective honor of fortune which promised him
compensation for remaining so far from his old home, as the islands seemed to
be at that time, owing to the uncertain and irregular communication with the
rest of the world. California
offered a more congenial field for his abilities and ambitions, and both have
been well recompensed.
Judge Blake had
Caleb Burbank for his first partner in the practice of law. Later he was associated for a short time with
W. W. Crane, and at this time the firm is composed of Blake, Williams &
Harrison. This firm is very popular with
litigants on the Pacific slope, and receives its full share of legal business.
In 1881 Judge Blake
was elected Mayor of San Francisco, serving one year, the full term as defined
by the courts for those elected at that election. He proved a most capable and energetic magistrate,
and was also a most courteous, approachable man to even the humblest of his
constituents. His popularity, it is
needless to say to those familiar with the facts has never lessened since. In 1884 his Alma Mater conferred upon him the
degree of Doctor of Laws.
Time has dealt
gently with the Judge. Although well
advanced in years he is sound and vigorous, both mentally and physically, and
has the promise of many added years of usefulness before him.
Transcribed
by Cathi Skyles.
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2,
page 316-317, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2005 Cathi Skyles.
California Biography Project
San Francisco County
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library