Biographies
NATHAN
H. FRANK
FRANK, NATHAN H.,
Attorney, was born in
The public schools of
Suisun, Solano County, from 1863 to 1873, and then a private course under the
principal, C. W. Childs, prepared him for the University of California, from
which he was graduated in 1877, a Ph.B. Two
years later he took the degree of L. L. B. From the Columbia Law College of New
York, and after waiting a month to become of age he
was admitted to the bar of new York.
On his return to
Mr. Frank’s practice, though of a general nature, has been
chiefly in maritime and insurance law and in the Federal courts. In the
course thereof he has had many cases of public interest and handled practically
all the causes on this coast arising out of seizure, as prize, of American
vessels and cargoes during the Russo-Japanese War. Important among these
is his successful attempt to establish a principle differing from that
apparently settled by the English law during the Napoleonic wars. This law
held that a vessel insured against “capture,
seizure and detention was not covered for a loss due to condemnation for
carrying false papers. From time immemorial, however, it had been the
practice of vessels engaged in blockage running to carry false papers to enable
the vessels to accomplish their purpose, and the policy gave them the liberty
of running the blockade. But in this case counsel for the insurance
company contended that as the steamer was covered by an English policy the
English law should govern. Testimony of two of the ablest English
barristers, one of whom has since been elevated to the bench of the High Court
of Justice of
Another achievement
especially noteworthy is his establishment of the present standard form of
charter-party and bill of lading necessitated by the hazardous trade to
During his extensive
experience he has become the attorney for a large variety of companies and
interests, which rely upon him with the utmost confidence. Among these are
the Barneson-Hibbard Co., J. D. Spreckels
and Bros. Co., Oceanic Steamship Co., the Charles Nelson Co., Robert Dollar
S.S. Co., Los Alamos Oil and Development Co., the Alaska Exploration Co., and
for many years, as a member of the firm of Andros
& Frank, the Pacific Mail Steamship Co.
Mr. Frank has not
been very active in club life, though he is a member of several.
Transcribed
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 164,
International News Service,
2006 Marilyn R. Pankey.