San Francisco County
Biographies
ANDREW
JACKSON CLUNIE
For over twenty years, the late Andrew Jackson Clunie held a foremost position among the lawyers of San Francisco, and during practically all of this time he practiced in association with his widely known brother, Thomas J. Clunie. He is also remembered as one of the most ardent book lovers on the Pacific coast, and his large and carefully selected private library was unsurpassed.
Mr. Clunie was born in Sacramento, California, August 31, 1866, and was a son of Mr. and Mrs. George Clunie, who were of Scotch descent. Both of his parents died when he was only two years of age, and he was reared by his older brother, Thomas Clunie. He began his education in the public schools of Sacramento, then attended high school in Oakland, and also studied in San Francisco. Early in life he fostered the ambition to become a lawyer. His brother, who rated among the foremost attorneys of California, was a member of the firm of Clunie, Knight & Haggerty, and under their excellent tutelage and guidance Mr. Clunie began the study of law. He progressed rapidly, and when only eighteen years of age he was admitted to the California state bar. Thereafter he continued in association with his brother until the latter’s death, at which time he abandoned active law practice, spending his remaining years largely in travel with his family. He made his home in Menlo Park, and he passed away March 16, 1927.
Mr. Clunie was twice married. His first wife was May Redfeld, who died thirteen years after they were united. In 1899 Mr. Clunie married Miss Helen Morris, of New York city, daughter of Henry Dwight Morris, who came to California about 1879, and in this state was interested in retailing mining supplies and in mining. His home was in Oakland. Mr. and Mrs. Clunie became the parents of four children, namely: Thomas J., who is deceased; Helen, who is the wife of Gerald George Sanders and the mother of Thomas Clunie and John Andrew Sanders; Robert Morris; and Richard Allen.
In democratic political affairs, Mr. Clunie was very active during his life. He served as insurance commissioner during Governor Budd’s administration. He held no church affiliation, but guided his life along the lines of charity and benevolence, and was known as a most public-spirited and friendly citizen of San Francisco. Books were his hobby, and in his large library of rare and beautiful volumes he found his greatest enjoyment aside from his companionship with his family. He was a true connoisseur of books, and his quest for them extended into many corners of the globe.
Mr. Clunie’s brother, Thomas Jefferson Clunie, with whom he was associated in the practice of law, was a notable figure in the profession and in public life. He was born March 25, 1852, in St. Johns, Newfoundland. He was reared in Sacramento, California, and there finished high school. He then took up the study of law under a private tutor, a Harvard graduate, and was admitted to the California state bar when he was only eighteen years old. His admission was obtained through a special act of the legislature, which proclaimed him as being of lawful age for admission. He immediately entered practice, and met with outstanding success. When twenty-one years old, he was nominated for the legislature and elected on the democratic ticket in a strong republican county. Afterward, he moved to San Francisco, where he continued the practice of law with marked success. In 1884, he was sent as a delegate-at-large from California to the national convention in Chicago which nominated Grover Cleveland for the presidency. At this convention, he served on the committee of platform and resolutions. In 1886, he was elected to the state senate, and in this body he performed notable service, resulting in his election to the congress of the United States in 1890. His death occurred in the year 1903. He left a very large estate.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 337-339.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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