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 church, Evansville, Ind. , 1898-99. He was elected bisliop of Indiana
