Alexander F. Morrison was born on Washington’s birthday in 1856 in Weymouth, Massachusetts. At the age of six years, he became a resident of San Francisco. He took his degrees from the University of California in the Classical department in 1878, and graduated from the Hastings College of Law in 1881. His first partnership was with Thomas V. O’Brien; later the firm became O’Brien, Morrison & Daingerfield. He withdrew from the firm in 1891, and formed a partnership with C. E. A. Foerster. Both men eagerly and zealously dedicated their youth to the ardent pursuit of the law. Into this partnership, Judge W. B. Cope entered several years later. Mr. Foerster was a member of the firm until his death in 1888, and Judge Cope until his death in 1910. In this year, Mr. Morrison associated himself with W. I. Brobeck, and subsequently with Mr. P. F. Dunne, under the firm name of Morrison, Dunne & Brobeck.

One of Mr. Morrison’s outstanding characteristics, in the practice of the law, was his helpful interest and solicitude for the success of the younger members of his profession. This interest was exemplified by the fact that he associated in partnership with him a gradually increasing group of younger men whom he deemed worthy of recognition and advancement. Mr. Edward Hohfeld was the first of the younger men to become a member of the firm. In rapid succession Frank Shuman, Herman H. Phleger, Herbert W. Clark, and Roland C. Foerster, became present members of the firm of Morrison, Dunne & Brobeck.

Although Mr. Morrison’s practice began without specialization, he developed into a counselor in the highest sense of that word. He became an advisor whose active brain never silenced the dictates of his heart. His client’s cause was always his cause. The humblest of his clients received the same gentle courtesy, the same watchful care and the same generous interest, as did the clients representing wealth and position. He never made an effort to secure clients of wealth and power, and yet they came to him for they knew of his kindness, his sense of absolute justice, his power of great friendship, combined with his wonderful ability to control, protect and develop important issues and interests.

He had charge of many law suits involving properties of great magnitude, and managed them with the ability and tact that made each client his personal friend. For the Crocker interests he secured the settlement of the George Crocker Trust, and he was in charge of the estate of the late Col. Charles F. Crocker.

He was executor of the Capt. William Matson and Nicholas Ohlandt estates. He was attorney for the Western Sugar Refining Company, National Ice & Cold Storage Company, and the Santa Cruz-Portland Cement Company. He was a director in many important companies, including the Crocker Estate Company. The Crocker National Bank, the Honolulu Consolidated Oil Company, the Matson Navigation Company, the Paraffine Paint Companies, Inc., the St. Francis Hotel Company, and the Honolulu, Paauhau & Hutchison Sugar Plantation Committee.

These activities, in their wide scope, made him part of the financial and legal history of the city. As he contributed to local contemporary history, he was himself a great student of all world history, the study of which was his avocation and delight. He was prominent in scientific and historical research.

In his pursuit of the study of science, economics, literature and history, he accumulated a very valuable library of over 15,000 choice volumes. The library stands today as a testimonial to his scholarly tastes.

Alexander F. Morrison was married in 1893 to May B. Treat, a native of San Francisco, and a classmate of his at the University of California. She is a daughter of the late George Treat fo Maine, who came to California as a pioneer in 1849, by way of Mexico and Lower California.

Mr. Morrison died on the 13^th day of November, 1921, at Singapore Straits Settlements, while service as a member of a commission sent by the chamber of commerce to strengthen international relations with the Orient.