Religion Roman Catholic Children Byington Ford | Nationality American Name Tirey Ford Books Dawn and the dons Spouse Mary Byington (m. 1888) | |
 | ||
Born December 29, 1857 ( 1857-12-29 ) Role Former California Attorney General Died June 26, 1928, San Francisco, California, United States Previous office California Attorney General (1899–1902) | ||
Tirey L. Ford
Tirey Lafayette Ford (December 29, 1857 – June 26, 1928) was a successful and noted San Francisco attorney, State Senator, and Attorney-General of California. The family came to America in 1650 by French Huguenots, who located in Virginia. His great-grandfather, Jacob Ford, was with General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia when the surrender of Lord Cornwallis occurred. His grandfather, Pleasant Thomas Ford, was with General William Henry Harrison in the Indian campaigns which made the Battle of Tippecanoe famous.
Contents
Early life
Ford, was born in Monroe County, Missouri, the son of Jacob Harrison Ford and Mary Winn Abernathy. In 1877, at the age of 19, Ford came to Colusa County, California. For three years, he worked on his uncle (Hugh J. Glenn)'s ranch; Hugh Glenn was a Democratic candidate for Governor. Ford became a student in the law office of Colonel Park Henshaw in Chico, California.
Ford was admitted to the California bar in August 1882.
Ford moved to Oroville, California to practice law, but after about three years moved to Downieville, California, the county seat of Sierra County, California. On February 1, 1888, he married Miss Mary Emma Byington, sister of Lewis Francis Byington in Downieville, California. They had three children, Byington Ford, Mary Relda Ford, and Tirey Lafayette Ford. Mary Relda Ford married Samuel Finley Brown Morse on February 18, 1919.
Political life
Private life
During the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, he became a member of Mayor Eugene Schmitz's Committee of Fifty. Adolphus Frederic St. Sure joined Ford's law firm in San Francisco.
Ford was a member of the Pacific-Union Club, Bohemian Club, Union League Club of San Francisco, Commonwealth Club of California, Press, Transportation, Merchants, Amaurot, and Southern Clubs, and as a Knight Templar. He was also a golf enthusiast and belonged to the Presidio Golf Club.
Retirement
After his retirement, Ford took up historical studies and literary pursuits. In 1926 he published the well received novel, Dawn and the Dons: The Romance of Monterey, with vignettes and sketches by artist Jo Mora.
Death
On June 26, 1928, Ford died at the Pacific-Union Club in San Francisco, aged 70. A funeral service was held at 10 o'clock at Gary's Chapel on Divisadero street at Post. He was interred at the family mausoleum, at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, San Mateo County, California.