The collection consists of papers of Judge Adolphus F. St. Sure, and of his son, Joseph Paul St. Sure.
Adolphus Frederick St. Sure was born in Wisconsin in 1869. The family moved to Oroville, California a few months later. His father died when he was about twelve and he was forced to leave school to support his mother and brother. He went to work for the Oroville Mercury, eventually becoming assistant editor. He also published an amateur newspaper called the Star. In 1891, St. Sure moved to Alameda, California, and became editor of the Alameda News. About 1893, while serving as City Recorder, he began to study law and was admitted to the bar on January 16, 1895. He practiced law and served as City Attorney in Alameda and, in 1918, was elected judge of the Alameda County Superior Court. In 1923, he was appointed an Associate Justice of the District Court of Appeals, and, in 1925, United States District Judge of the Northern District of California. Judge St. Sure retired from the bench in 1947 and died in 1949.
J. Paul St. Sure was born in Alameda, California in 1902. He was graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1922 and attended Harvard Law School before obtaining his law degree from the University of California School of Jurisprudence in 1924. He was admitted to the bar the same year and became Chief Deputy District Attorney of Alameda County. In 1929 he resigned from county service to go into private law practice, specializing from 1934 in labor relations. In 1952 he became president and chief negotiator for the Pacific Maritime Association and was elected chairman of the Board in 1965. He retired on September 1, 1966 and died on September 26.
The papers were given to The Bancroft Library in 1979 by Ellen St. Sure Lifschutz and Elizabeth St. Sure Birr, daughters of J. Paul St. Sure. Fragmentary in nature, they include material relating to the careers of both men. The key to arrangement describes them in greater detail.