William W. Morrow

William W. Morrow.

William W. Morrow (July 15, 1843 – July 24, 1929) was a US Representative from California from 1885–1891. Born near Milton, Wayne County, Indiana, he moved with his parents to Adams County, Illinois in 1845, attended the common schools and received private instruction. He moved to Santa Rosa, California, in 1859, taught school and explored mining regions. Morrow went East in 1862 to join the Union Army and served in the National Rifles of the District of Columbia. While in the Army of the Potomac he was appointed a special agent of the United States Treasury Department in January, 1865, and was detailed to California. He remained there and was employed during the next four years in confidential positions under the Secretary of the Treasury. Morrow studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1869 and commenced practice in San Francisco. He was assistant United States Attorney for California from 1870–1874, assisted in organizing the San Francisco Bar Association in 1872 and served as its president in 1892 and 1893. Morrow served as chairman of the Republican State central committee of California 1879–1882, attorney for the State board of harbor commissioners from 1880–1883, and also special United States attorney before the French and American Claims Commission 1881–1883, and before the Alabama Claims Commission 1882–1885. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1884, elected as a Republican to the Forty-ninth, Fiftieth, and Fifty-first Congresses (March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891). Morrow was not a candidate for renomination in 1890.

He was appointed United States District Judge for the Northern District of California 1891–1897 and then United States court of appeals judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit 1897–1922. Morrow retired from the bench on January 1, 1923.

He was one of the incorporators of the American Red Cross and resided in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, until his death in that city on July 24, 1929. Morrow was interred in Cypress Lawn Cemetery, Colma, California.

References

• United States Congress. "William W. Morrow (id: M001006)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.