Tench Francis Sr.

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Tench Francis (? probably in Philadelphia – 16 August 1758) was a prominent lawyer and jurist in colonial Maryland and Philadelphia.

A 1746 portrait of Francis by Robert Feke

Early life

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Francis was the son of Rev. John Francis, Dean of Linsmore and Rector of St. Mary's Church in Dublin, Ireland.[1]

Career

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Maryland

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Sometime before 1720, after studying law in London, he moved to America as an attorney for Lord Baltimore. In Kent County, Maryland, he opened a law office. From 1726 to 1734 he was clerk of Talbot County Court before being elected for a three-year term as legislative representative for Talbot County.

Pennsylvania

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He later settled in Philadelphia, where he was attorney-general of Pennsylvania, succeeding Andrew Hamilton, from 1741 to 1755, and recorder of Philadelphia from 1750 to 1755.

He was a founding trustee of the college, academy, and Charitable Schools of Philadelphia (which became the University of Pennsylvania), and he sent his sons Philip and Turbutt there to study.

Personal life

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A portrait of Francis' wife, Elizabeth Francis (1708-1800), by Robert Feke, c. 1748

In 1724, he married Elizabeth Turbutt. Together, they had:

Tench Francis died in Philadelphia in 1758.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Oscar Jewell Harvey, 1909, A history of Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
  2. ^ His Philadelphia estate records August 19, 1758 book L:141 mention Wife: Elizabeth. Children: Rachel, Turbutt, Philip, Anne, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret and Tench.
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