century association biographical archive

Earliest Members of the Century Association

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Alexander Tison

Lawyer

Centurion, 1907–1938

Born 23 December 1857 in Manchester, Missouri

Died 16 July 1938 in Norwalk, Connecticut

Proposed by Howard Mansfield and William Church Osborn

Elected 6 April 1907 at age forty-nine

Century Memorial

Another good friend of Japan in this country was Alexander Tison. Born in the Middle West, he arrived in New York City by way of the Harvard Law School. For a year or two he practiced here and then went to Tokyo where for five years he held the post of Professor of English and American Law in the Imperial University. Returning to New York, he made his way to high rank in his profession. His practice was active and important but it never crowded out his interest in the Orient and his intimate association with Japanese organizations and individuals. He was decorated with the Order of the Sacred Treasure, fourth, third, and second class and the Order of the Rising Sun, fourth class, of Japan. He served as president of the Japan Society of New York and was a long-time member of various other Asiatic societies.

Geoffrey Parsons
1938 Century Memorials