San Francisco County
Biographies
HARRY ALBERT
THORNTON
Esteemed as a ranking member of the San Francisco bar, Harry Albert Thornton is one of the legal firm of Thornton & Watt, with offices at 311 California street. He is a native of Crookston, Minnesota, where his birth occurred April 28, 1887, his parents being Albert Warren and Grace Irene (Pierce) Thornton. Albert W. Thornton, born in the Dominion of Canada, was manager of the London Insurance Corporation in San Francisco, to which city he came in 1894, but prior to this time he had represented the same organization in Tacoma, Washington. His death occurred in 1923. His widow, who survives him, was born in the state of Vermont, and descended from of American colonial stock. Two sons and one daughter were born to their union, all of whom are living.
Harry A. Thornton attended the grammar schools of San Francisco, and high school in Seattle, Washington. He took up his more advanced courses at the Univerity of California, with the intention of making the practice of law his life’s work, and from this institution received two degrees, the Bachelor of Letters in 1909 and the Bachelor of Laws in 1911. In the latter year, he was admitted to the California state bar, and throughout his subsequent legal career he has practiced in association with other attorneys. He was first a member of the firm of Watt, Miller & Thornton, then of the firm of Miller & Thornton, and it is now Thornton & Watt, his partner being Rolla B. Watt. They are counsels for a number of important insurance companies, and have made an enviable reputation in their conduct of cases assigned to their care. Mr. Thornton is a member of the California State and San Francisco Bar Associations.
On December 6, 1916, Mr. Thornton was united in marriage to Miss May Nicholson, of Baltimore, Maryland. Their home is situated at 99 Lafayette avenue in Piedmont.
Mr. Thornton has accorded his political support to the republican party, but has never sought candidacy for public office. He is well known and popular in club affairs, and belongs to the Bohemian Club, the Olympic Club, the Commonwealth Club, and the Claremont Country Club. Golf is his favorite recreation. His patriotism asserted itself during the participation of the United States in the World war, and he was in the service of the United States Navy for two years, holding the commission of lieutenant, junior grade. Mr. Thornton enjoys the general respect of his contemporaries, due to his strict observance of the ethics of his profession and his sportsmanlike tactics, and in the regular business life of the city he is reputed to be an exponent of the worthiest principles of citizenship.
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 332-335.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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