San Francisco County
Biographies
JAMES BOYD
OLIVER
A representative and able member of the San Francisco legal profession is James Boyd Oliver, who is now engaged in practice with offices in the Russ building. He was born in Galena, Stone county, Missouri, June 24, 1888, and is a son of William Thomas and Emma Edna (Seymour) Oliver.
After completing his common and high school education, James B. Oliver entered the University of California in 1909, being graduated therefrom in 1913. He then took up his professional training in the law department of the same institution and three years later, in 1916, received a high school teacher’s certificate in jurisprudence, economics, English, Spanish, and public speaking. During these years he held a teaching fellowship in the public speaking department of the university. In 1916-17, he was a teacher of English and public speaking at the High School of Commerce in San Francisco. In 1919, he was private secretary to Judge William P. Lawlor of the California supreme court, and in 1920 he entered general law practice with Aaron Sapiro. He has won a large clientage through his skillful efforts at the local bar, and is well deserving of the success which he has attained. He is a member of the San Francisco, the California State, and the American Bar Associations. An instance of Mr. Oliver’s activities is the fact that he personally organized the Cooperative Association of Fruit and Hay Growers in British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington.
On August 22, 1923, Mr. Oliver was married to Miss Rose Isaacs of San Francisco, and they are the parents of two sons, James Boyd, Jr., and Charles Dean. The family residence is situated at 155 San Rafael way in San Francisco.
After the United States declared war against Germany in April, 1917, Mr. Oliver immediately enlisted in the army, first in the California National Guard. In August, 1917, he was assigned to the Fourth Anti-Aircraft Artillery Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces, and with this outfit was sent to France. He was engaged at Verdun, Nancy and Toul, and in January, 1919, received his honorable discharge with the rank of captain.
Mr. Oliver is an adherent of the republican party, and in 1927 was a candidate for supervisor of the city and the county of San Francisco. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, and belongs to Islam Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is past master of Occidental Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M. He belongs to the Pi Kappa Phi, the Phi Alpha Delta, and the Phi Delta Kappa fraternities; the Bohemian Club, the Family Club; and the Commonwealth Club. Mr. Oliver’s excellent reputation in professional, civic and social circles of San Francisco has been built upon many other characteristics in addition to his legal talents. He has held a democratic, loyal and generous attitude toward his fellow citizens, and has created many friends wherever he has been active.
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 296-300.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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