John Brown Francis

John Brown Francis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 31, 1791, son of John Francis and Abigail Brown.^[3] Francis' grandfather, John Brown, was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island and a member of the family for whom Brown University was named.^[4][5][6][7]

He attended the common schools of Providence, Rhode Island, and graduated from Brown University in 1808.^[1]

He engaged in mercantile pursuits, attended the Litchfield Law School, and was admitted to the bar but never practiced. Francis was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1821 to 1829 and a member of the board of trustees of Brown University from 1828 to 1857. He was a member of the Rhode Island Senate in 1831 and 1842, and was the 13th Governor of Rhode Island from 1833 to 1838.^[1]

From 1841 to 1854, Francis was chancellor of Brown University; he was elected as a member of the Law and Order Party to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Sprague and served from January 25, 1844, to March 3, 1845. He was not a candidate for reelection; while in the Senate, he was chairman of the Committee on Engrossed Bills (Twenty-eighth Congress).^[1]

Francis was a member of the Rhode Island Senate from 1845 to 1856, and then retired from public life and engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death at "Spring Green," Warwick, Rhode Island, in 1864; interment was in North Burial Ground, Providence.^[1]

In 1822, he married Anne Carter Brown, daughter of Nicholas Brown Jr. and granddaughter of Nicholas Brown Sr. Before her death in 1828, they had:^[3]

• Abby Francis (1823–1841), who died unmarried^[3]
• John Francis (1826–1827), who died an infant^[3]
• Anne Brown Francis (1828–1896), who married Marshall Woods (1824–1899), son of Alva Woods and Almira Marshall, in 1848.^[3]

In 1832 he married his cousin, Elizabeth Francis, widow of Henry Harrison and daughter of Thomas Willing Francis and Dorothy Willing. Together, they had:^[3]

• Elizabeth Francis (1833–1901), who did not have children^[3]
• Sally Francis (1834–1904), who did not have children^[3]
• Sophia H. Francis (1836–1860), who married George William Adams (1834–1883), son of Seth Adams and Sarah Bigelow, in 1860, who did not have children^[3]
• John Brown Francis (1838–1870), who did not have children^[3]

On August 9, 1864, John Brown Francis, aged 73, died in Warwick, Rhode Island.^[3][1]