MARION CO, AR - COL. WILLIAM LOVETT CLAIBORNE - Bio ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: California and Californians, Vol. Three. Hunt, Rockwell D., ed. Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1932. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Col. William Lovett Claiborne, attorney-at-law at Oakland, is one of five brothers who have gained distinction in the same profession, and is a member of one of the oldest families in America, including names of eminent statesmen, soldiers in every important war fought on American soil, and also innumerable lawyers, doctors and educators. Colonel Claiborne of Oakland belongs to a Tennessee branch of the family. All of the Claibornes are descendants of Col. William Claiborne, who was born in 1587 and came to Virginia in 1621 as surveyor for the Virginia Company's Colony. The family records in England run back to the year 1086. By intermarriage the Claibornes have been connected with nearly every prominent family name in the South. The grandfather of the Oakland attorney was Col. Leonard Claiborne. The father of William L. Claiborne was Dan W. Claiborne, who during the Civil war became a colonel in the First Arkansas Zouaves and later was promoted to Brigadier General. He was in the battle of Vicksburg. Many of his relatives gained distinction as soldiers in the same war. Dan W. Claiborne was a natural leader of men and for over half a century practiced law in Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas. Among his prominent associates were Judge Lovett of Texas, Colonel Murphy of Little Rock, Senator Carmack of Nashville, Tennessee, and Judge J. D. Kimbail of Dallas. For many years he had his home at Little Rock or Hot Springs. He married Mary Eliza Maxwell of Riddleton, Tennessee, daughter of John W. and Bertha (Cheek) Maxwell. The Maxwell family were founders of the famous ante bellum hostelry at Nashville, known as the Maxwell House. Some of this relationship also founded the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company. The father of Bertha Cheek married Maude Overton, whose father was heavily interested in coal mines and iron works, out of which grew the great Tennessee Coal & Iron Company. The Bush and Pope families were well known in the South and were also connections of the Overton family. William Lovett Claiborne was born at Nashville, January 1, 1882, being one of a family of fourteen children. The five sons who took up the law are: Henry, at Kansas City, Missouri; James, at Nashville; Robert, at New Orleans; Charles, also of New Orleans; and William L., of Oakland. William L. Claiborne did not settle into the routine of a practicing lawyer until he had enjoyed a remarkable experience as a soldier. His career as a military man might be described almost as that of a soldier of fortune. He attended a high school at Hot Springs, and on April 27, 1898, at the age of sixteen enlisted in the First Tennessee Volunteers, a regiment later known as the Thirty-third United States Infantry. He went to the Philippines. Altogether he spent five years in foreign wars. He accompanied the relief expedition to Peking, where he was with Riley's Third Battery. Members of his family in America had contracted for the sale of a large cargo of mules to the Boar government in South Africa, and Mr. Claiborne after delivering a shipload of mules accepted a commission as colonel in the South African army. He was at the siege of Ladysmith and the battle of Spion Kopp and remained in the service for fifteen months. During the war between Turkey and Greece he served six months as an officer in the Engineering Corps. Colonel Claiborne had begun the study of law while in the Philippines and for a time attended the university at Manila. After returning to the United States he entered Vanderbilt University at Nashville, taking a year of preparatory law work and also studying analytical chemistry. From there he went abroad to Heidelberg, Germany, where he continued his special work in chemistry and also in academic lines. He completed his engineering education at Boulder, Colorado. Returning to Little Rock he was associated with his father-in-law and was admitted to the law [p.455] of that state in December, 1904. He remained on his father's staff until his father was killed during a political disturbance at Hot Springs. On coming to California, Colonel Claiborne for two years was head of the H. S. Crocker Furniture Department in San Francisco, and at the same time continued his law studies. In September, 1906, he participated in the gold rush to Goldfield, Nevada, and while there was made head of the Nevada State Police in the labor troubles. He acted as prosecuting attorney in the notable Preston and Smith case. On returning to San Francisco he joined the transportation department of the Southern Pacific Railway. Colonel Claiborne was admitted to practice in California in September, 1906. He appeared before committees of the State Legislature and otherwise was active in framing the Personal Property Brokers Act of 1909 and its amendment in 1911. Colonel Claiborne has been engaged in a successful law practice at Oakland since 1914, specializing in personal injury cases. Prior to 1914 he took an active part in San Francisco politics and served several times on the City Democratic Committee. He is a member of the Alameda County, California State and American Bar Associations. Colonel Claiborne also has a record of World war service. He enlisted with the Twentieth Engineers in June, 1917, going in as a private and later was commissioned a lieutenant. He spent twenty-one months in France and received his honorable discharge in February, 1919. During the six or seven years that Colonel Claiborne was a soldier he received seven wounds. He is a member of the American Legion, has membership in the Masonic Lodge at Chambersburg, Virginia, and belongs also to the Royal Arch Chapter, Council, Knight Templar Commandery, and is a member of the B. P. O. Elks.