Season’s Greetings from May Treat Morrison
by Fran Cappelletti

One of the treasures in the Moya/RHS archives is a set of Christmas cards sent by May Treat Morrison during the 1920s and 30s. They offer a glimpse of a part of Ross from nearly a century ago, along with the warm wishes she sent each year.

Born in 1858 San Francisco as May Treat, she was the daughter of George Treat. He was a Gold Rush-era pioneer businessman, member of the first Committee of Vigilance of San Francisco, and horse racing enthusiast.

May married Alexander Francis Morrison in 1893. They met at the University of California, where they both graduated in 1878. Alexander became an attorney and was one of the founding partners of the law firm Morrison and Foerster. They were also patrons of the California Academy of Sciences and the Planetarium was named in his honor. May had a long and active role in causes for women and education. After her husband died, she continued to support many causes and serve as an Academy trustee.

The University of California benefited greatly from the Morrisons. A significant gift was the A.F. Morrison Memorial Library, dedicated in February 1928. With the interior designed by notable architect Walter Ratcliff, Jr. and the family library on the shelves, it is a fitting memorial from May to her husband, still in place and in name to this day. After her death, Mrs. Morrison endowed the University with additional funding for scholarships and infrastructure. Another lasting memorial on the Berkeley campus is May T. Morrison Hall, home of the Department of Music. Opened in 1958, it was designed by mid-Century master architect Gardner Dailey.

The Morrisons lived in Ross and San Francisco for many years. The photos that follow are from their expansive estate, along and above Laurel Grove Avenue, some 40 acres between Makin Grade and Winding Way. Subdivided over time, their front gate and home are still in place.

Portion of Ross Property Map, 1909

Tragedy struck in November of 1921 when Alexander died from Pneumonia during a trip to Singapore. When his body arrived in San Francisco on December 14, Christmas celebrations were likely not foremost in the minds of the family.

 Our collection starts a year later, in 1922, with a poetic message and a work of art,

The second year, in 1923, the lines were hand-written,

The sundial returned in 1926 with a view of Mount Tamalpais in the distance,

Our collection ends with 1938-39,

This was her last card as May passed away in October of 1939 at the age of 81.
She left very much to a great many, and lost much along the way. In this dark winter of 2020, may her personal wishes inspire us to remember those we cherish.

 We are thankful to Mrs. John McCormack for donating this wonderful collection to our organization, one of many collections preserving and celebrating Ross history.