The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-01-04

T FRANCIS !.
IS DEAD
Fitting Resolutions Are
Adopted and Made Part
of the Court Record.
HIS LIFE REVIEWED
In Memory of Him the Court
Takes a Recess until
Friday Morning.

Michael J. Francis, sherir Of the
county, after an illness OF only
three hours of acute indigestion.
fdted in the sherif's residence here
Monday afternoon at 4:55 o'clock:
THE funeral in the Catholic church,
Ito O'Clock Thursday morning was
very largely attended, thus showing
the high esteem in which he was
held. The 'interment was in the
Holy Cross cemetery
sheriff Francis was born at Rey-
noldsviileS this county. in 1861, and
was son ofMrr and Mrs. Thomas j.
Frahcis. both now deceased, who
were natives of ireland. His
father was section foreman a
number of years for the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company.
The son after attending the pub
lie school at Reynoldsville became
engaged as miner in the Coketon
coal mine at Reynoldsville, owned
and operated at that time by the
late DR.. ]. W. Ramsay, of this city.
at first he was employed as mule
driver. After short time in the
mine he became a track walker for
the railroad company for one year,
and then went back to the mine,
this time at Wilsonburg, and later
in the West Fairmont shaft near Fair
mont, where in 1886 he was caught
by heavy fall of slate, which re-
suited in the necessity of amputating
one of his feet. About this time N.
G, Cunningham resigned as postmas-
ter at Wilsonburg and Mr.. Francis
vas appointed to succeed him BY
this time he had saved some money
even from his limited income, and
he and his brother, William also
hard-handed son of toll, entered the
mercantile business in a small way
in connection with the postofflcc.
The firm of Francis Brothers soon
became very popular, and in few
years it was doing business Of over
$4,000 a year.
In 1904, after twenty years in
the mercantile business, William
Francis died, as the result of a mine
disaster, and not caring to continue
longer, Mr.. Francis sold the store,
and began devoting his time to other
INTERESTS. HE was the moving spirit
in the organization OF the Hutton
Oil and Gas Company, which leased
and drilled the property of mum
Der of farmers in the western part
of the county and brought to the
people of Wilsonburg and Adamston
cheap fuel which they could not
have otherwise attained. He spent
abont 5000 ]driliinB water wells IN
Wilsonburg for the use of his neigh
bers entirely free OF charge. He
was vice president and a member OF
the board OF directors in the Home
Bank for Savings in this city,
The deceased sheriff sought the
elevated eompanionship of the lead
ing citizens of his community, and
became valued member of many
influential fraternal organizations,
being Knight of the Maccabees, a
j Knight of Columbus, a Knight of
st. John and member OF the local
lodge of Elks. Mr. Francis was al
ways friend to the free school sys-
TEN, and so great was his interest
in the education of his peighbore'
children and his contributions to
this end so liberal, that when the
new school building was erected at
Wilsonburg, board of education
of the opposite political faith named
1t. the Francis School,"
In 1903, yielding to external pres-
;sures and signed regulations he be-
came candidate on his party's
ticket for the House of Delegates
but was defeated.
In 1908 the Democratic party OF
the county nominated Mr.. Francis
for Sheriff of the county and he was
elected by plurality of 612. The
first day of the following year he
succeeded John NJ. Flanagan as such
and became the first Democratic
sheriff the county had had in
twenty years. sheriR Francis con
Quoted his Office in business-like
manner and his ADMINISTRATION was
a success. He was capable and
faithful to the trust reposed in him
by the people.
Immediately surviving are the
widow and daughter, Mary vir-
NINA ared two reara ar5 tn,0