Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/191

 FRANCIS

FRANCIS

labors of Mr. Francis iu the coustitutioual con- ventiou imdoubteilly led to the breaking down of his health and the illness which tenuinated fatally. For many 3ears prior to his death his son, Charles S., had been associated with him in conducting the Troy limes, holding an equal partnership, the firm name being J. M. Francis & Son. During that period Charles S. Francis had the active management of the Times, and became sole editor and proprietor upon his father's deatli. which occurred at his residence in Troy, N.Y., June 18, 1897.

FRANCIS, John Wakefield, physician, was born in New York city Nov. 17, 1789. His father was a German emigrant who arrived in New York about 178-t, and the son was apprenticed to a printer, meanwhile preparing himself for the sophomore class of Columbia, where he was graduated in 1809. He studied medicine under Dr. David Hosack and at the College of physi- cians and surgeons, receiving his M.D. degree in 1811. He was associated with Dr. Hosack in the editing of the American Medical and I'hilosophical Beijister, 1810-14, and in the practice of medicine, 1811-30. He was professor of materia medica at the College of physicians and surgeons, 1813-16; spent one year in study in Europe under Aber- nethy; was professor of the institutes of medi- cine and of medical jurisprudence, 1817-18, and of obstetrics 1820-20; and was professor of obstetrics and forensic medicine in Rutgers med- ical school, 1826-28. He was a member of the Typograpliical society; of the New York histori- cal society; of the New York lyceuni of natural history, and director of the Woman's hospital and of the State inebriate asylum. He was a reor- ganizer and the first president of the I'eorganized New York academy of medicine in 1847-48; editor of the Medical and Physical Journal, 1822-24, and the author of biographical sketches of many old New Yorkers. He was a trustee of the College of physicians and surgeons, 1814-20. His sons, Valentine Mott and Samuel Ward, became well-known physicians and authors, practising in New York city and in Newport, R.I. He re- ceived the honoraiy degree of LL. D. from Trinity college. Conn., in 1850 and from Columbia in 1860. He published: Use of Merctmj (1811); Coses of Miirhid Anntnmy (1814); Febrile Contaijion (1816); Xotice of Thomas JETiWy (1823); Denmans Practice of Midwifi'y with notes (1825). Letters on Cholera Asphyxia of 1S32 (1832); Mineral Waters of Avon (1834); TTie Anatomy of Drunkenness; and Old yev) York, or Peminiscences of the Past /^i.rty Years (1857, reprint, 1865). He died in New York city. Feb. 8, 1861

FRANCIS, Joseph, inventor, was born in Bos- ton, Mass..:Marcli 12. 1801 He developed a peculiar skill as a boat builder and when eleven

years old exhibited his handiwork. In 1819 he was the prize winner for a fast row boat, ex- hibited at the Meclianics' institute fair, Boston. When he reached his majority he established a boat-yard in New York city. He built wooden life-boats for the Santee and for the Alabama at the Portsmouth navy yard, but won his greatest reputation as designer of life-boats, life-cars and surf -lifeboats adopted by the life-saving ser- vice and constructed from iron. At this time, 1842, only wooden boats were supposed to be practicable. His metallic life-car was built at liis own expense and furnished to the life-saving station at Squau Beach, N.J., the crew saving 200 of the 201 persons on the Ayrshiie, which was wrecked on the beach in January, 1850; and dur- ing the first four years, 1850-53, of the use of his life-boats, 2150 lives were saved. His inventions were adopted by the governments of every civil- ized nation in constructing life-saving apparatus, steamships, floating docks, harbor-buoys, pontoon bridges and wagons and other marine devices, from corrugated sheet-metal. The sovereigns of Europe recognized his genius long before the U.S. congress honored him, and in 1842 he was pre- sented with medals and diplomas by the life-saving societies of France, of England and of the Impe- rial Royal European society. He received a gold snuff box set in diamonds, valued at 17,500 francs, from Napoleon III. in 1856, and was made a Knight of St. Stanislaus in 1861. The congress of the United States recognized his " life-long ser- vices to humanity and his country " in March, 1887, and in August, 1888, ordered a special gold medal to be struck and presented to him as " the inventor and fi'amer of the means for life-saving service of the country." President Harrison presented the medal, whicJi cost 83000, April 12, 1890, when Mr. Francis was in his ninetieth year. He published Life Sarin;/ AppUances (1885). He dieil at Cooperslowii, N.Y., ilay 10. 1893.

FRANCIS, Joseph Marshall, fifth bishop of Indiana and 192d in succession in the American episcopate, was born at Eaglesmere, Pa., April 6, 1862; son of James B. and Augu.sta (Marshall) Francis, and a descendant of John Francis of Pliiladelphia. He was educated at the Episcopal academy. Philadelphia, at Racine college. Wis., and at Oxford university, England. He was ordained deacon, 1884, priest, 1886. and was missionary at Milwaukee and Greenfield. Wis., 1884-86; canon of the cathedral at Milwaukee, 1886-87. and rector of St. Luke's church. White- water, Wis.. 1887-88 In 1888 he went to Japan and became i>riest in cliarge of the cathedral at Tokyo and professor in the Trinity divinity school there. He returned to the United States in 1897, and was rector of St Paul's cliurch, Evansville, Ind. , 1898-99. He was elected bisliop of Indiana