San Francisco County
Biographies
THEODORE
MILTON MONELL
Representative of the successful younger attorneys of San Francisco, California, is Theodore Milton Monell, whose offices are situated at 214-15 Mills building. He was born in Oakland, California, May 29, 1900, and is a son of Guilford Purdy and Maria (Torre) Monell.
The progenitor of the Monell family in America came to New York from England in the year 1638, and later settled in Virginia. There were Monells in the Revolutionary war, and the family now owns an old British musket which was captured by one of the name at the surrender of Burgoyne in Saratoga on October 6, 1777. Guilford Purdy Monell was born in Orange county, New York, September 9, 1864, and was reared and educated in that state and in Virginia. He came to California about 1898, settled in Oakland, later lived in Seattle, Washington, and is now residing in San Francisco, having retired to private life. He was connected with the quartermaster’s department of the United States Army for over a quarter century. His wife, Maria (Torre) Monell, was born October 16, 1879, in San Francisco, and is a daughter of William and Madalena Torre, old settlers of this city. The Torre family, which has been here since 1850, is of Italian extraction, and is one of the ancient families of Genoa. In addition to the immediate subject of this biography, there were two other children born to his parents, Guilford S. and Madeleine.
Theodore M. Monell attended the grade schools of Seattle and graduated from the High School of Commrece in San Francisco in 1917. From the age of twelve years, he had cherished an ambition to be a lawyer, and inspired by this thought he then entered the Golden Gate College in San Francisco, attending the night classes in the study of law. In 1922, he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws from this institution. Previous to this, however, he had been associated with the well known law firm of Chickering & Gregroy in San Francisco, and in their office had studied. He was admitted to the bar in the state of California on August 15, 1921, and remained with the same firm until 1924, since which time he has practiced independently. He has given especial attention to general civil and corporation law, and he is now counsel for the Pacific Associates, the Pacific Sutter Corporation, and the Associates Protective Association. He is a member of the San Francisco Bar Association, the California State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. His career has been without a blemish in every particular, and he enjoys a reputation of merit. He has achieved a substantial clientage in the law and has made hosts of friends by reason of his straightforward methods and his capable management of affairs entrusted to him. He has also served as a director in a number of San Francisco corporations, and has assisted in the organization of various ones among them.
Mr. Monell has customarily given his support to the republican party, and his religious views are non-sectarian. He has been active in club life, and holds membership in the Union League Club; the Press Club of San Francisco; the San Francisco Commercial Club; the Commonwealth Club; the Corinthian Yacht Club (Tiburon); the East Bay Country Club; the Dolphine Swim & Boat Club; and the Lincoln League Club. He makes his home at 2759 Filbert street in San Francisco.
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 389-391.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
FRANCISCO BIOGRAPIES