Contra Costa County Biography

ALVA SHERMAN SHERLOCK

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
Alva Sherman Sherlock, a practicing attorney of Concord, has won success at the 
bar and is numbered among the able representatives of the legal fraternity in 
Contra Costa County. His birth occurred in Zanesville, Ohio, September 26, 1869; 
his parents being Abraham and Adeline (Sandel) Sherlock. Alva S. attended 
grammar school in Poneshiek County, Iowa, where his parents removed in 1875. His 
father was a farmer and died in 1882. The mother is now residing in Chicago. 
There were seven children born in the parents' family, and all are still living. 
Hugh, a rancher, at Madrone; Lewis F., a rancher, residing near San Jose; and 
Roy W., a resident of San Francisco, identified with the S. P. R. R., are the 
only ones residing in California. The subject of this review studied law under 
H. A. Haines, of Chicago, and was admitted to the bar in Chicago and admitted to 
practice before the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1897. He was united in marriage 
to Miss May B. McLeod in Chicago, September 26, 1901. Mr. Sherlock practiced his 
profession in Chicago for a period of nine years. In 1906 he removed to Newport, 
Washington, and represented many large mining interests of that state. He was 
admitted to practice in that State on motion or license from Illinois. He served 
in the Spanish-American War and was a member of Troop F. of the First Illinois 
Cavalry. He served from April 26, 1898, to October 11, 1898. He went to 
Chickamauga Park, Georgia, a training camp, and was honorably discharged at Fort 
Sheridan October 11, 1898. He served as city attorney at Newport, Washington, 
from January, 1908, to January, 1910. He also served as city attorney at Deer 
Park, Washington, from February 5, 1910, to February 7, 1911. He incorporated 
the town of Ione, Washington, and rendered legal services to many towns and 
corporations during his stay in Washington. Mr. Sherlock gives his political 
allegiance to the Democratic party. He was a candidate for the House of 
Representatives from the sixtieth district, Washington, in 1912. He removed to 
Spokane in June, 1913, and remained in that city until May, 1915, when he came 
to California. Mr. Sherlock was admitted to the bar of this State on June 11, 
1915, and admitted on motion August 1, 1915. He opened an office in Concord, in 
the Bank of Concord building, where he has done a general law business with 
gratifying success, and on April 10th he was appointed city attorney. 
Fraternally, Mr. Sherlock is affiliated with the Royal Arcanum No. 1622, of San 
Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Sherlock have one daughter, May Ruth, born in Chicago, 
August 15, 1902. Mrs. Sherlock's father, Frederick Kent, was a native of New 
York State and died there. Her mother was Jennie (McLeod) Kent-Tresham, a native 
of Ohio, who died in 1913. Both parents of Mrs. Sherlock were well-known 
theatrical people of the early days and made a success all over the United 
States. They had the respect and esteem of all who knew them, and they used to 
tell of their many reminiscences of the early days.
 
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California", Elms Publ. Co., 1917, 
pp. 505-506.