Hon. Allison B. Ware, who is one of the best known and most eminently successful lawyers of the bar of Sonoma county, has been a resident of the city of Santa Rosa since taking up his location in California over thirty years ago, and during all this time has been identified with the best interests of city and county in addition to his successful prosecution of his profession. He has enjoyed a liberal and high-class patronage, and throughout his long and varied practice in local courts and the courts of appeal he has exhibited an ability and high-minded integrity that have well won him the esteem and trust of his fellow men. He has been honored with offices of trust and responsibility, and his career from his entrance into responsible activity has been highly creditable to himself and useful to the community.

Mr. Ware was born at Fort Covington, New York, in 1847, and in that state grew to manhood and received a liberal education. At the age of twenty-one he came to California, and his principal interests have been identified with Sonoma county ever since. He was admitted to practice before the supreme court of the state, and, a short time after, was elected district attorney for a term of two years, from 1880. He filled that important office with marked ability and absolutely fearlessness. He has enjoyed a large general practice almost since the inception of his legal career, and has given his best efforts to the work. He was at one time also president of the Santa Rosa National Bank.

Mr. Ware followed teaching for several years in his young manhood, and has accordingly been able to give an intelligent interest to educational affairs. He has served as president of the city board of education and also of the county board of education, and has done much for the schools and the advancement of the standard of education. Mr. Ware is a Knight Templar Mason, and has been frequently honored with high offices by that order. He has been exalted ruler of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ever since its establishment in Santa Rosa.

Mr. Ware married Miss Lilla Werlein of New Orleans, and they are the parents of seven children: Allison, the oldest son, now twenty-three years old, is a graduate of the University of California, and is now an attorney-at-law; he is a married man. Philip McG., the second son, aged twenty-one, graduated from the Santa Rosa high school, and is now engaged in stock-raising in Mendocino county; charles M, aged nineteen, married Grace Elizabeth Berry. Miss Lilla, aged seventeen, was graduated from the Santa Rosa high school June 17th, 1904. Mis Margaret is also attending high school, as are also Mabel M., fourteen years old, and Wallace L., the youngest of the family, aged twelve.

Source: History of the New California Its Resources and People, Volume I

The Lewis Publishing Company - 1905
Edited by Leigh H. Irvine