San
Francisco County
Biographies
HON.
LORENZO SAWYER
As a jurist Lorenzo Sawyer has for over thirty
years occupied a prominent place. Like most of our truly great men, he went
forth into the world with energy, determination and tenacity to accomplish a
purpose. He was born in New York, the son of one of our honored pioneer
farmers, and helped clear the forest in summer and attended school in the
winter until the age of seventeen, when he commenced his career by teaching
school to pay his expenses while studying law. He took a preparatory course at
Central College, in Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in 1846. In the march of
western emigration, he went to Chicago, Jefferson, Wisconsin, and arrived in
California in 1850. In 1854 he was elected City Attorney of San Francisco, and
served with marked ability and success. In 1862 Governor Stanford tendered him
the appointment of City and County Attorney of San Francisco, which he
declined. Soon after, he accepted an appointment for the Twelfth Judicial
District, embracing the counties of San Francisco and San Mateo. At the next
election he was unanimously elected to the same position. In 1863 he was
elected one of the Supreme Judges of California, and drew the six years’ term,
two of which he served as Chief Justice. In December, 1869, President Grant
nominated him to the position of Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, which was
confirmed by the Senate. His decisions and career as a judicial officer have
been such that he enjoys universal esteem as a man of profound learning and
highest integrity. During the last five years new and intricate questions
incident to the Pacific Coast, among which are the anti-Chinese legislation and
debris from hydraulic mining, have been passed upon by
Judge Sawyer, and his interpretation of the law sustained by the Supreme Court
of the United States. The title of LL. D. was conferred on him by Hamilton
College in 1877. The honor of being selected as a trustee of Leland Stanford,
Junior, University was a just tribute to his ability, moral worth and great
legal knowledge.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Illustrated Fraternal Directory Including
Educational Institutions on the Pacific Coast”, Page 66, Publ.
Bancroft Co., San Francisco. Cal. 1889.
© 2012 Cecelia
M. Setty.
San Francisco County Biographies