San Francisco
County
Biographies
WILLIAM
C. FLINT
The distinctive character of the people who emigrated to Massachusetts early in the sixteenth century
has been marked in the history of the country, and their descendants have
during all these years maintained an ascendency in shaping, establishing and
controlling the policy of the United States. William C. Flint traces his lineage
back to 1635, through nine generations to the family of Flints who settled in
the old commonwealth. That independence of thought, high intellectuality and
rectitude which have marked the character of this family from generation to
generation has been fully realized in the subject of this sketch. He is the son
of Dr. Clement Flint, a physician of New York city,
and was born in that city in 1854. His father moved to Rensselaer county, where his son was reared and educated. At the age of
15 years he had a certificate to teach school, and at 21 years he was Assistant
District Attorney of Troy, N. Y., having passed a critical examination before
the Supreme Court of that State with distinguished honors. His active brain,
hard study and close attention to his profession (having a slender
constitution), soon caused such a degree of ill-health, that under advice of
his physicians he emigrated to California May,
1876. Our genial climate restored his
health, and his commanding ability as a lawyer has given him an extensive and
lucrative practice, and by which he has gained pecuniary independence. He has
been counsel in some of the most important litigations confining himself exclusively to civil matters, and declining criminal
cases. He is married and has two children living, a bright promising boy and a
beautiful girl. His sympathetic nature and keen insight of the affairs of men
enlisted him in promoting the fraternal, beneficiary and cooperative
organizations which have for their object the benefit of mankind. He was one of
the founders of the Ancient Order of United Workmen of this State, a member of
the first Grand Lodge; an attendant at each succeeding session, and an officer
almost continuously of that grand body since; District Deputy, Committee on
Laws and Supervision, of which he was chairman in 1881 and 1882, and Committee
of Appeals and Grievances in 1883 and 1886, and chairman in 1888; when by a
flattering vote he was elected Grand Overseer. He joined the Odd Fellows in New
York, united with Unity Lodge 131 of this city, and several times been elected
a representative to the Grand Lodge. He is a member of San Francisco Council
442, A. L. of H., and at the session of the Grand Council two years ago was
elected Supreme Representative, which position he now holds. For health,
recreation, and having an ornithological fancy, he has become an amateur
naturalist. His collection of birds and their eggs, with the knowledge of their
habits and nature has given him extended notoriety. He is Professor of Medical
Jurisprudence in the California Medical College, and his lectures have the
reputation of being highly finished and masterly productions. In all these years as an officer on important
committees, in almost every organization of which he is a member, he has shown
fearless independence in his decisions and in the performance of duty, and in
declaring what he considers the constitutional law, without considerations of
personal policy The language and arguments in his reports will compare
favorably with the best legal decisions. As a public speaker he is most
interesting. He is fluent, caustic and logical, and while he avoids fulsome or
floral oratory, his polished rhetoric, close analysis and humorous vein in
anecdote or story pleases his audience and rivets their closest attention. By
his own ability, industry and fraternal regard for his fellow-men he has gained
a front rank in his profession and a universal regard and esteem from his
fraters.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Illustrated Fraternal Directory Including
Educational Institutions on the Pacific Coast, Page 206, Publ. Bancroft
Co., San Francisco. Cal. 1889.
© 2012 Cecelia
M. Setty.
San Francisco County Biographies