Napa County Biographies
M.M. Estee
M.M. Estee - The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born November 23,1833,
in the town of Freehold, Warren County, Pennsylvania. His father, Ansel Estee, was born
in Buffalo, New York, in 1806, and his mother, Phoebe Moran, was born in Rochester, New
York, in 1810, and died but recently in Erie County, Pennsylvania, where his father still
resides. At a very early period of his childhood his father, with the family, moved from
Warren County, Pennsylvania, to Concord, Erie County, that State. His father was a farmer,
owning one hundred acres of land, which business he followed during the whole period of the
childhood and youth of the subject of this sketch. At a very early age Morris, who was the
eldest of a family of nine children, was sent to the district school; but as soon as he was
old enough to be of assistance on the farm his school terms were restricted to the winter
seasons only, and he worked at home during the summer months. When he was fourteen years of age,
having advanced beyond the studies taught in the district school, he went to Waterford Academy, in
Erie County, which institution he attended, except during the summer terms, for two years. At
the age of sixteen he began teaching school during the winter terms, boarding around, as was
the custom then, among the patrons of the school, and attending the academy during the fall
terms, and working on his father's farm during the summer months. He continued in this manner
until the summer of 1853, when he borrowed money of a neighbor, his father not being willing
for him to leave home, for the purpose of paying his passage to California. He gave this neighbor
no security for the money borrowed, except his personal promissory note, agreeing to repay
double the amount borrowed within six months, which promise he duly fulfilled. Upon his
arrival in California, September, 1853, he went to Cold Springs, El Dorado County, and engaged
in mining, where he remained until 1854. He then went to Volcano, Amador County, and continued
in mining at that place until 1855. He then engaged in school teaching in Volcano, and began the
study of the law at the same time,
under the tuition of the late Judge T. M. Pauling, who was also a Pennsylvanian, and a man of great culture. In the
winter of 1857-8 he went to Sacramento, and entered the law office of Messrs. Clark & Gass, where he remained until
the spring of 1859, when he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State. He then opened an office
in that city and began at the foot of the legal ladder, upon the topmost rungs of which he was afterwards destined
to plant his feet. But the pathway of his earlier professional days was not strewn with the roses of success, and
the fledgeling found it a hard struggle at first. But his was not an ambition to be daunted by the seeming adversities
of an hour, and with patience and perseverance he wrought on, hoping, ever hoping, for the brighter tomorrow. At last
the clouds began to lift, and the true worth of the man began to be appreciated by his fellow men, and his election,
in 1862, to the Assembly from Sacramento County, let a grand rift of sunshine in upon his professional career. That
was a memorable session of the Legislature of California, being composed of some of the ablest men in the State, and
it was in this session that the Hon. John Conness was elected to the United States Senate. In the fall of 1863 he
was elected to the office of District Attorney, for the City and County of Sacramento, which position he held until
1866. He then went to San Francisco and began the practice of his profession in that city, and he has remained there
ever since. In 1867-8 he published the legal work entitled "Estee's Pleadings, Practice and Forms," in three
volumes, a work that has now reached its second edition, and is generally received and recognized as a standard
work in all the States and Territories that have a code. During Mr. Estee's residence in Sacramento he became a warm
friend of Mr. Newton Booth, and when that gentleman was announced as a candidate for Governor, Mr. Estee devoted all
the energies of his character to secure his nomination. After Mr. Booth's nomination, Mr. Estee was made Secretary
of the Republican State Central Committee, and the following campaign, in which Mr. Booth, as the nominee of the
Republican party, and Governor H. H. Haight, as the nominee of the Democratic party - two good and eminent men -
aspired to the gubernatorial position, was one of the most memorable political contests hi the history of
California The organization of the Republican party was, at that time, brought from chaos into absolute perfection,
and Mr. Booth was elected Governor by a majority of some five thousand. In 1875 Mr. Estee was elected to the Assembly
from San Francisco. During that session no party had a majority in the Assembly, there being about thirty-four
Independents in that body, and the remaining members were about equally divided between the Democrats
and "straight-out" Republicans. Mr. Estee was chosen Speaker, for which position he was eminently qualified,
which was evinced by the fact that no decision of his was ever overruled,
and but little wrangling occurred on the floor of the House. At the close of the session Mr. Estee returned to
his practice in San Francisco, which had become very large and lucrative. In the winter of 1878 he was the unanimous
choice of the Republican caucus for the United States Senatorship and received the entire vote of the Republicans
in the Legislature for that position; but the Democrats being in the majority, Mr. Farley was elected. He was
elected delegate from the State at large to the Constitutional Convention from the San Francisco district His
well-known anti-corporation sentiments marked him out as Chairman of the Committee on Corporations and he was
appointed to that position. The report of that committee, which has now become a part of the organic law of the
State, shows how well the labor assigned to it was performed. He was the only member of the eight delegates from
the San Francisco district, representing the State at large, who upon returning to his constituents supported the
New Constitution, he believing that, while there were some things in it which were crude and ought to be amended,
yet in the main it was a good Constitution and that it would benefit the people, and that it should have a fair
and just trial before it was condemned. He returned again to his practice in 1880 and was elected one of the twelve
men to whom was assigned the duty of framing a new charter for the City and County of San Francisco. The instrument
was duly drawn up by them; but when it was submitted to the people for adoption it was defeated. In politics Mr. Estee
is a Republican, though he is very independent in his views; and from the earliest step he took in politics until the
present time, he has most strenuously opposed, in the Legislature and out of it, the exactions of railroad
corporations, and their continued interference, by the use of money, with the politics of the State. He is one of
the leading horticulturalists of Napa County, having at this time a vineyard of about three hundred acres, and
owning in Napa Valley in one body about six hundred acres of land under a high state of cultivation. He also
takes great interest in agriculture. Upon the organization of the Napa Viticultural Society in 1881, he was chosen
as its president; and much of the good that society has accomplished is due to the suggestions and energy of its
chief officer. Hig family spend about eight months of the year at their beautiful country residence a short distance
north-east of Napa City, and the remainder of the year is spent in San Francisco. At the law Mr. Estee has for years
been a leading member of the bar, and now stands in the foremost ranks of his profession in San Francisco, and enjoys
a most lucrative practice. He is industrious, frank, open-hearted, and loyal to those to whom he turns in friendship.
He is firm in his convictions, strong of will, and when his purpose is once formed nothing can swerve him from it.
As a public speaker he is always earnest, logical, sincere and fair; few men are his superiors, and he never
fails to impress an audience; his manners are dignified, and he often reaches the plane of eloquence.
In February, 1863, Mr. Estee was united in marriage with Miss Frances H. Divine, a daughter of
Judge Davis Divine of San Jose. They have had three children, two of whom are still living, one
aged sixteen years and the other five years.
History of Napa and Lake Counties,: San Francisco, Cal.: Slocum, Bowen & Co., Publishers, 1881
Transcribed by Julie Appletoft, February, 2007 Pages 451-454
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Last updated June 1, 2007