San Benito County Biographies

San Benito County, California
Biographies

Breen, Peter A.
Residence, Mill Valley; office, 405-408 Chronicle Building, San Francisco. Born in San Juan Bautista, San Benito County, California, September 23, 1874. Son of Patrick and Amelia (Anderson) Breen. Married Laura S. Lenhart, November 18, 1903. Attended public schools of San Juan Bautista until 1890; then entered Santa Clara College, graduating from there with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1895; and later Hastings Law College, with the degree of LL.B. in 1898. Studied law in the office of Delmas & Shortridge from 1895-98. Admitted to the bar in San Francisco, May 1898; Unitied States District and Circuit Court of Appeals, 1907. Associated with Bert Schlesinger from 1904-07. Town Attorney of Mill Valley, California, 1906-11. Member of faculty of San Francisco Law School from September, 1911. Republican.

[From History of Bench and Bar of California" by J. C. Bates, published 1912 transcribed by Jan Stypula]

Hawkins, Nicholas A.

Residence and office, Woodland. Born in Missouri, May 31, 1856, son of Nicholas and Margaretta M. (Frazier) Hawkins. Married July 25, 1879, to Emma E. Chase. Moved to California in 1860. Received his early education in the public school at Hollister, later taking a course of study at Hollister Business College. Attended Gilroy High School, and later entered the Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa, graduationg in 1877, with degree of A. B.; received additional degree of A. M. in 1880. Entered Albany Law School, graduating in 1879, with degree of LLB. Admitted to practice in District Court of San Benito County in August, 1878. Admitted to the bar of state of New York, in Supreme Court, on May 26, 1879; California, in Supreme Court, on July 15, 1879. Served as district Attorney of San Benito County, 1881 and 1883; re-elected and served from 1885 to 1887. Member of legislature from Yolo County, 36th and Extra Session, 1905 and 1906. Elected Superior Judge of Yolo County in 1908, and fills that office to date. Democrat.

[From History of Bench and Bar of California" by J. C. Bates, published 1912 transcribed by Jan Stypula]

Jean, George William

Residence, West Street, near Hawkins; office, 4-6 First National Bank Building, Hollister. Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, March 5, 1876. Son of Cleophas and Mary E. (Roberts) Jean. Moved to California in September 1885. Married Alice Black, January 9, 1911. Educated in country school in Bear Valley, San Benito County. Admitted to the bar of California in San Francisco, August 31, 1899, by the Supreme Court, since which time has continued in the active practice of his profession in San Benito County. Town Clerk and Town Assessor of San Juan. Elected District Attorney of San Benito County, November 8, 1910.

[From History of Bench and Bar of California" by J. C. Bates, published 1912 transcribed by Jan Stypula]

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