The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-01-02
Time Will Not Be Decided on
until Brother in.law Ar
riyes in City
SORROW is GENERAL
Sudden Death Of the Sheriff
Causes Grief in the
County.

me hour OF the funeral OF
Michael ]. Francis, sheriff, who died
at 1855 o'clock Monday afternoon In
his residence on South Third street
from acute indigestion i rew hours
after eating a hearty meal. although
medical treatment was given him at
8 o'clock. from which he improved.
and again just before he died hay
ing become critically m. win not be-
fixed until John Fitzgerald, cf st.
Louis, brother Of Mrs. Francis, ar
rives this evening on No, 10 1T 5ss2
O'Clock. The funeral WIN take place
in the church of the immaculate
Conception and will likely be held
Thursday morning. The interment
will be in the Holy Cross cemetery,
where his parents were buried
Sheriff Francis was born, at Rey-
noldsville, this county, in 1881, ana
was son of Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas ].
Francis, 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 Reynoldsvflle became
engaged as miner in the coketoni
coal mine at ReynoldsyilIe, owned
and operated at that time by the
late DIR. ]. w. Ramsay, OF this city:
at first he was employed as mule
driver. After a 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 Fairtn6at sh hi near I,air.
mont, where In ] sS5 he was caught
by a heavy fan 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
was appointed to succeed him. By
this time he had saved some money
even from his limited income, and
he and his brother, William also i
hard-handed son Of, toll, entered the
mercantile business IN a small way
in connection with the postofice.
The firm OF Francis brothers soon
became very popular, and in a few
years it was doing business of over
$4,000 a year.
In 1904, after twenty years in
tho mercantile business, william
Francis died, as the result of a mine
disaster, and not caring to continue
longer, Nr Francis sold the store, (,
and began devoting his time to other,
interests. lie was the moving spirit !,
In the organization OF the Hutton
OIL and Gas Company, which leased
and drilled the property Of num=
Der of farmers in the western part
of the county and brought to The 2
people of Wilsonburg and 'Adamstop
cheap fuel which they could not
nave otnerWise attained R4e spent
about $4,000 drilling water wells IN
Wilsonburg for the use of his neigh-
bors entirely free Of charge. re
was vice president and member Of
the board of directors in the Home
Bank for Savings In this city.
The deceased sheriff sought the
elevated companionship of the lead
ing citizens of his community, and
became valued member of many
influential fraternalA organisations
being knight Of the Maccabees, a
knight of columbus, knight OF
st. John and member Of the local
lodge Of Elks. Mr.. Francis was al 4
Continued on page dye.l