San Francisco County
Biographies
WILLIAM BULL PRINGLE
PRINGLE, WILLIAM BULL, Attorney and Counselor-at-Law, San
Francisco, California, was born in Oakland,
Cal., Sept.14, 1872,
the son of Edward J. Pringle and Cornelia Covington (Johnson) Pringle. His father was for many years a noted lawyer
in San Francisco, and in 1899 was
appointed Judge of the Supreme Court Commission of California. Among his ancestors who distinguished
themselves in South Carolina, especially noteworthy was his great-grandfather,
Hon. John Julius Pringle, of Charleston, who on the 26th of
September, 1789, was appointed by George Washington Judge of the District of
South Carolina, and who, on June 15, 1809, declined the United Attorney Generalship
offered him by Thomas Jefferson, at that time President of the United
States. In connection with this
historical tender of office an interesting incident grew out of one of
President Taft’s visits to the South during his campaign. While calling at the Pringle home in Charleston
he saw the original document containing the above-mentioned offer from
President Jefferson, and remarked: “Pringle, Pringle—I don’t remember any
Attorney General by that name!” “Yes,”
replied the lady of the house, “but in those days the office sought the man,
not the man the office. Mr. Pringle
declined the offer.”
On
his maternal side Mr. Pringle is a great-great grandson of the Revolutionary
heroine, Rebecca Motte, and through his connections
has a personal pride in much of the early history of South
Carolina. On
Dec. 19, 1899 he was married in Oakland, Cal.,
to Miss Isabel Hutchinson, the children of which union are William Bull
Pringle, Jr., born Sept. 16, 1903, and Anne Isabel Pringle, born Oct. 16, 1905.
After
a course through the Oakland grammar school he entered
Boone’s Academy, in Berkeley, where he prepared for Yale
University and later became a
member of the class of ’95. Afterward
attended Yale Law
School, transferring to Hastings
College of the Law, San
Francisco, from which he took the degree of LL. B. in
1895.
In
the latter year he began his professional life as a clerk in the law office of
his father, Edward J. Pringle. Three
years later he became a member of the firm of Pringle, Monroe & Pringle. In 1899 the firmed was changed to Pringle
& Pringle, of which he and his brother, Edward J. Pringle, Jr., were the
junior partners. Shortly thereafter his
father retired from the firm to become Judge of the Supreme Court Commission,
and the firm Pringle & Pringle has continued to the present time, being
composed of the two brothers.
In
1895-96 Mr. Pringle was a member and President of the Oakland City Council, and since that time has been interested in real
estate. Of late years his enterprise has
extended to securing of long leases as an aid to the rebuilding of the
city. Among the expressions of his
activity in this direction are the Russ
Building, the Turpin Hotel and the
Terminal Hotel. He is President of the
Convention League formed for the purpose of attracting important conventions to
San Francisco.
He
reads much on economic subjects, upon which he has positive views. He is well known as a football enthusiast and
expert and for a number of years coached the Reliance Club eleven to victory
over the best teams on the Pacific Coast.
In
addition to his membership in the firm of Pringle & Pringle, he is
President of the Montgomery Street Investment Co., Powell Street Investment
co., Terminal Investment Co.; vice president S. F. Suburban Home Bldg. Society,
Columbia Theater Co., Secretary Direct Line Telephone Co., and director of the
United Milk Co.
His
clubs are: Pacific-Union, Burlingame Country, Mira Monte gun and the
Commonwealth.
Transcribed by Betty Vickroy.
Source: Press Reference
Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page
447, International News
Service, New
York,
Chicago, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2007 Betty Vickroy.
California Biography Project
San Francisco County
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library