Francis Valentine Keesling

Biography

• 1877, Feb. 17: born San Jose, Calif.; son of Francis Marion and Mary (Nunez) Keesling.
• 1898: A.B. Stanford. First president of class of '98, editor-in-chief '98 Quad, baseball manager for season of '98. Member of Philolexian Literary Society, Sigma Nu fraternity, Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, and Skull and Snakes Honor Society.
• 1898: admitted to California Bar, practiced in San Francisco (retired 1953), July - entered law office of Crothers and Crothers (George E. and Thomas G.) - survey legislative candidates for '98 for adoption of amendment to state constitution permitting exemption of such foundation trusts as Stanford from taxation (passed 1901).
• 1901 - 1909 : member National Guard of California, retired as major. Special board which re-wrote Calif. Military law to conform to federal; commanding artillery batallion San Francisco fire 1906.
• 1903, Nov. 19: married Haidee Grau - 4 children
• 1906 - 1908 : regent Sigma Nu fraternity
• 1908 - 1909 : attorney for General John A. Koster, auditor of San Francisco.
• 1910: Republican candidate for lieutenant-governor of California
• 1910 - 1938 : vice-president and general counsel West Coast Life Insurance Co.
• 1914: Republican candidate for governor of California
• 1914 - 1916 : chairman Republican State Central Committee of California
• 1915 - 1916 : chairman legal section, American Life Convention
• 1916: 1924: delegate to Republican National Convention
• 1917: Mason 33 - Grand Master of California
• 1917 - 1921 : participated in every Liberty Loan Drive during World War I in executive capacity. On general executive committee and other committees of Community Chest
• 1919: 1929 - 1930 : president Stanford Alumni Association
• 1927 - 1928 : chairman executive committee Association of Life Insurance Counsel
• 1928 - 1929 : governor Bar Association of San Francisco
• 1928 - 1929 : member committee of Bar examiners State Bar of California
• 1929 - 1930 : board of governors State Bar of California
• 1929 - 1937 : a director of Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District and chairman of building committee
• 1929 - 1931 : vice-president Association of Life Insurance Counsel
• 1930: member San Francisco Board of Freeholders and chairman of drafting committee which wrote the 1931 Charter of the city and county, conducted campaign which resulted in its adoption.
• 1930 - 1933 : member executive committee American Life Convention
• 1931 - 1933 : president Association of Life Insurance Counsel
• 1931 - 1933 : president Bar Association of San Francisco
• 1932 - 1933 : president Stanford Law Society
• 1933 - 1934 : president American Life Convention
• 1936 - 1942 : president San Francisco Y.M.C.A.
• 1936 - 1942 : chairman California Statewide Committee on Reorganization of State Government (or on Taxation and Cost of Government) known as the Interim Committee of 25
• 1936 - 1942 : member board of governors Stanford Associates
• 1938 - 1949 : president and director West Coast Life Insurance Co. and general counsel
• 1941 - 1942 : special assistant to Attorney General of the United States Hearing officer of Northern District of California on appeals of conscientious objectors
• 1941 - 1942 : organized U.S.O. Council in San Francisco, first chairman
• 1941 or -42 to 1947: member council National Municipal League
• 1941: quarterly chairman Commonwealth Club (S.F.)
• 1942: board of directors San Francisco Y.M.C.A.
• 1942 - 1946 : chairman Civilian Council for Officer Procurement United States Navy
• 1942 - 1947 : president California Insurance Federation
• 1943: Grand Treasurer Masons Grand Lodge, California
• 1943: chairman of campaign committee - Roger Lapham for mayor of San Francisco
• 1943 - 1947 : member board of governors Commonwealth Club
• 1944 - 1947 : chairman San Francisco Charter Revision Committee
• 1945 - 1946 : director San Francisco Bay Area Council, chairman executive committee
• 1946 - 1947 : member executive committee San Francisco Bay Area Council
• 1946 - : member State (California) Committee on Intergovernmental
• 1947: executive committee Commonwealth Club
• 1949 - 1953 : chairman of the board West Coast Life Insurance Co.
• 1949: director Better Business Bureau of San Francisco
• 1963, September 25: died.

From the guide to the Francis Valentine Keesling Papers, 1906-1957, (Stanford University. Libraries. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives.)