San Francisco County
Biographies
IRWIN R.
GROSS
Now engaged successfully in the practice of law in San Francisco, specializing in corporation work, is Irwin R. Gross, who is generally recognized as one of the leading younger members of the local bar.
Mr. Gross was born in Albany, Oregon, January 5, 1904, and is a son of the late Abraham Gross and his wife, Sarah (Rogoway) Gross. The father was a native of Austria, and in the early ‘90s came to the United States, locating first in Houston, Texas. There he remained for three years, on the expiration of which period he removed to Portland, where he was engaged in the retail shoe business until 1914. Then coming to San Francisco he continued in the shoe business here until his death, which occurred February 10, 1931, when he was fifty-six years of age. He took out his citizenship papers when he was a resident of Portland, and his political affiliation was with the republican party. He served at one time as chairman of the republican county committee. His wife was born on Christmas day, 1881, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is a descendant of an old Bohemian family of that state. She was reared and educated in Oregon, having attended the Portland common schools and the University of Oregon in Eugene, from which institution she received her diploma in 1899. In the same year she married Mr. Gross, and they became the parents of two children, Bertrand and Irwin R., both of San Francisco. Mrs. Gross still makes her home in this city.
Irwin R. Gross studied in the Hill Military Academy of Portland, and graduated from high school in 1920. He continued his educational training at Stanford University for one year and then entered the University of California, from which institution he was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1925, while the degree of Doctor Jurisprudence was conferred upon him in 1927. He immediately entered the private practice of law in San Francisco, and during the comparatively few years since he became active he has met with an outstanding degree of success. He specializes, as noted, in corporation litigation, and his offices are situated at 2218 Russ building. He is a member of the San Francisco and the California State Bar Associations.
In Ukiah, California, on August 13, 1925, Mr. Gross was married to Miss Felice de Grancourt, who was born in San Francisco, July 24, 1904, a daughter of Frank and Sarah (Hampton) de Grancourt. The de Grancourts were pioneers in California. Mr. and Mrs. Gross reside at 2230 Francisco street.
In his political views, Mr. Gross has always maintained an independent attitude. His religious affiliation is with the Jewish congregation of Temple Emanu-El. During his university days, he became a member of the Phi Beta Delta fraternity, and he also belongs to the Commonwealth Club and the Public Spirit Club. Tennis, golf and bridge have been his favorite diversions. He has acquired well merited popularity in San Francisco, both through his legal contacts and by his interested participation in various local affairs, social and civic.
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 468-472.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN FRANCISCO
BIOGRAPIES