The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-30
P0RTKATT OF PETTUS
HANDSOME OIL PAINTING SENT
 TO ARCHIVES OF STATE.
Likeness of Former Speaker of House and President of Senate is Presented by Hon. J.
 Craig Smith.

As a gift from Hon. J. Craig Smith, State Treasurer. the Department or Archives and History yesterday received a handsome oil portrait of the late Hon. Francis L. Pettus, who was many years factor in the public life of Alabama.
 MT. Pettus was a warm personal friend of MT. Smith. and 1t was at the home of the latter in this city that Mir. Pettus died in the early morning of March [, 1901. the day after the House of Represen- tatives, of which he had been speaker. had adjourned.
 . Mir. Pettus was born at Cahaba. Dallas county, Oct. :. 1s5s and was the son of Alabama's distinguished junior senator. Hon. Edmund Winston Pettus. who was gallant abrigadier-general from Alabama in the War between the States. and his wife, who was Mary Chapman, daughter of Judge Samuel Chapman, late of Sumter county. His grand parents were John Pettus. and Alice Taylor Winston, daugh- ter of Capt. Anthony Winston, of Vir- ginia, Revolutionary soldier.
 Mir. Pettus was reared for the most part In Selma. to which city General Pet tus removed shortly after the war. Here he received his early education. and was then sent to the Virginia Military Insti- tute, at Lexington. where he remained one year. He then. in consequence of falling health, returned to his home. and for a short time engaged in farming. Upon re- covering his health, he attended Dav.-scn College. N. C.. where he completed a classical course of two years.
 Leaving college in 1877. he went to G:.l- weston. Tex. where for a year he was employed in the commission house of John D. Rogers & Co. large cotton factors. Re- turning to Selma. he entered the law of- flee of his father, with whom he read law. and on April g. 1879. he was admit ted to the bar. Opening a law office in Selma. he began the practice of his chos- en profession. Subsequently he became associated with hts father. and with Col. N. H. R. Dawson of Selma, in the prac- tice of law. the name of the firm being Pettus & Dawson.
 In 1880 he began to play an important part in the politics of the State, being elected q delegate to the State Democratic Convention. and he was a delegate to all subsequent state conventions. In 1882 he became Private Secretary to the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, and held that position until November, 1884. during which time he resided in Montgomery. In 1886 he was elected as a Democrat to the Alabama House of Representatives from Dallas county. and was reelected in 1888. 1sSO 1892 and agaiA in 1900.
 From the first Mir. Pettus took an &C., tive part In shaping legislation and soon gained a reputation among his constitu- ents for faithfulness and ability, thus se- curing their confidence and esteem. In 1888 he was chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the House, and such was his display of intelligence and power that during the session of 1890 he became a strong candidate for speaker of the House. the contest being an enthusiastic and heated one, and though he was de- feated it was by only a small majority showing that he was a popular and high ly esteemed memUer of the House At the session of 1892 he was the successful candidate. In 1894 he was elected to the State Senate from Dallas county, and was chosen president. He did not stand for reelection to this position in 1896, but gave his vote and influence to his friend, Hon. A. D. Sayre of Montgomery.
 In 1900 he was again speaker of the House, and 1t was the day after the ad- journment of the House on March 6, 1901, that he died. His death occurred after A lingering illness. at the residence of his friend. Hon. J. Craig Smith, in Mont gomery. His remains were inferred '.n Selma.
 MT. Pettus was a prominent Mason. having been grand master of the Grand Lodge of Alabama. He was also a mem- Der of the Knights of Pythias. of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. and of the Alabama Historical Society In October 2S. 1880. MT. Pettus married Miss Mary Eleanor Knox. daughter of the late Major William s. Knox of Selma, who, with a son and daughter, survive him.
 The portrait of MT. Pettus was painted ~F Is a striking likeness. It was made from a photograph taken when MT. Pettus was speaker of the House of Representatives in 1892 It is handsomely framed in gilt.
 Director Thomas M. Owen of the depart ment. said yesterday that the portrait would be hung in the Senate chamber with the group of pictures directly over the desk of the presiding officer.