LEWIS FRANCIS BYINGTON
Lewis Francis Byington, who has been engaged successfully in the practice of
law in San Francisco since the year 1890, has achieved in his profession a
prestige and standing that dignify alike his chosen vocation and the state of
which he is a native son. Mr. Byington is a scion of one of the honored and
influential pioneer families of California, and was born in Downieville, Sierra
County, one of the historic mining towns of this state. He is a son of Lewis
and Catherine (Freehill) Byington, the former of whom was born at Southington,
Connecticut, of colonial New England ancestry, and the latter of whom was born
in Ireland. Lewis Byington was a son of Zebulon and Abigail (Webster) Byington.
Abigail Webster was a cousin of Daniel Webster. Lewis Byington, Sr., was an
infant at the time of the family removal from Connecticut to Cincinnati, Ohio,
where the home was established in a house that stood on the present site of the
Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. Lewis Byington was reared and educated in the
“Queen City” of Ohio, and was a young man when he set forth to gain pioneer
honors in California. He made the voyage around Cape Horn and arrived in the
Port of San Francisco on the 29th of April, 1852. Shortly afterward
he settled in Sierra County, where he became largely interested in mining
enterprise, besides which he eventually became an extensive and successful
exponent of farming and sheep growing in Colusa County. He was one of the
influential pioneers and progressive citizens of Sierra County for many years,
and a leader in directing of popular sentiment and action in that part of the
state, served several years as a member of the County Board of Supervisors, and
from 1877 to 1879 represented Sierra County in the State Legislature. He was a
stalwart in the camp of the democratic party, and his unqualified personal
popularity was shown when he was elected to the Legislature from Sierra County,
uniformally one of the strongest republican counties in the state. His death
occurred June 29, 1886, and his venerable widow now resides in the home of
their son, Lewis F., of this review. Mrs. Byington came from New York City to
California by way of the Isthmus of Panama in 1855, in company with her
brother, Thomas Freehill, who later became one of the pioneer mining operators
on the famous Comstock Lode in Nevada and one of the influential citizens of
that state. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Byington was solemnized in the year
1857 at Forest City, Sierra County, and of their eight children six are living:
Emma, now deceased, was the wife of Tirey L. Ford, former state senator and
attorney-general of California, who is a law partner of her brother, Lewis F.,
of this sketch; the second child died young; William H. resides in San
Francisco; Lewis F. was the fourth in order of birth; Charles T. resides at
Healdsburg; Katherine is the wife of Charles E. Trainor, of San Francisco;
Clara M. is the wife of Frederick C. Boeckmann, of this city; and Frank J.
resides at Reno, Nevada, of which city he was formally mayor.
Lewis F. Byington acquired his early education in the public schools of his
native town and later was graduated from Santa Clara College, now the
University of Santa Clara, from which institution he received the degree of
Bachelor of Science. In preparation for his chosen profession he came to San
Francisco and entered Hastings College of Law and his reception of the degree
of Bachelor of Laws from this institution was virtually coincident with his
admission to the bar of his native state. His practice has been extended into
the Supreme Court and the Federal courts of California, as well as to the
Supreme Court of the United States, and he has long held secure vantage-ground
as one of the able and representative members of the San Francisco bar. He
served a term as a member of the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco County,
to which office he was elected in 1898. Of his service in this position the
following estimate has been given: “He at once took a leading position among
those public officials who stood for civic integrity, and was an earnest
advocate of civic betterment and municipal improvements. He was the first to
advocate the grooved rail for the street railways of San Francisco, and
introduced the first ordinance providing half-fare for school children using
the street cars.” The splendid record made by Mr. Byington in this connection
had no little fortifying influence on his election to the office of district
attorney in 1899. He was the first to hold this office under the new city
charter, and was twice thereafter reelected, his last election having given him
an unprecedented and significant victory, in that he received a majority of the
votes in each of the 310 precincts into which the city was then divided. In
this connection he handled successfully many important cases, including a
number of the most prominent criminal cases in the history of the state, with
conviction in each instance. Among these cases were those of Cordelia Botkin
and Martha Bowers, both of whom were convicted of murder through arsenic
poisoning. Further record concerning his administration is here reproduced:
“Mr. Byington prosecuted and convicted Leon Soeder and Sir Harry Westwood
Cooper for forgery, the Nolan gang for robbery, and brought to justice the six
desperate highwaymen who murdered Police Officer Robinson in the Mission. He
displayed in his official work a courageous and aggressive spirit, working
steadily in the interests of the people of his city and county, and enforcing
the law with full comprehension of its ultimate uses and purposes. He
personally conducted the prosecution of every important case, secured the
greatest percentage of convictions in the history of the office, but was
prompt, however, to dismiss a charge where he believed the evidence did not
warrant a conviction. In his civil practice he is known as a well trained
lawyer, a strong and resourceful advocate, high-minded and faithful in the
discharge of professional duties.”
Mr. Byington has important mining interests in Sierra County, and is concerned
also with large farming activities in the Sacramento Valley. He is vice
president of the California Historic Landmarks League, and has been deeply
interested in and a leading member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, in
the history of which, as well as that the state in general, he is a recognized
authority. He is a past grand president of this splendid California fraternity,
is a past exalted ruler of San Francisco Lodge No. 3, Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks. He has eloquently espoused every state and national movement for
inculcating patriotism and the defense of American institutions. He is
identified with the University of California Club, the National Geographic
Society and the San Francisco Art Association. As indicative of the confidence
which the courts have in Mr. Byington the Hon. M. T. Dooling, United States
district judge, in 1918, appointed him receiver for the exceedingly valuable
oil properties in the Sunset and Midway districts of Kern County, the title of
the claimants and location thereof having been attacked by the Federal
Government. Some fifteen or twenty of the oil properties thus placed in
receivership, and under the management and control of Mr. Byington, were among
the most productive in California, the monthly return from the sale of oil
amounting to several hundred thousands of dollars. Under the terms of the oil
leasing bill, lately passed by Congress, the claimants of these properties
surrendered title to the United States and took leases from the Government,
paying in return therefor monthly royalties. At this time there was impounded
in the hands of the receiver approximately $25,000,000 as profits derived from
the sale of oil produced during his operation of the properties, and, under the
terms of the leases, and by order of court, this amount was turned over to the
lessees and to the Government in the form of royalties. This was undoubtedly
the most important receivership in the history of Federal or State courts in
California.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker
Source: "The San Francisco Bay Region," by Bailey Millard, Vol.
3, page 332-336, The American Historical Society, Inc., 1924.