Tench Francis (? probably in Philadelphia – 16 August 1758) was a prominent lawyer and jurist in colonial
Maryland and
Philadelphia.
Early life
Francis was the son of Rev. John Francis, Dean of Linsmore and Rector of St. Mary's Church in
Dublin, Ireland.[1]
Career
Maryland
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
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
In 1724, he married Elizabeth Turbutt. Together, they had:
Rachel Francis, who married John Retfe
Turbutt Francis, who married Sarah Mifflin; later their descendants dropped the surname Francis and used the name Mifflin
Philip Francis, who married Henrietta Maria Goldsborough, who were the grandparents of
Philip Francis Thomas
Tench Francis Jr., who became a prominent merchant and financier in Philadelphia; married
Ann Willing Francis, daughter of Philadelphia mayor
Charles Willing and Anne Nancy Shippen (1710–1791) [Anne Nancy [Shippen] Francis was the granddaughter of Philadelphia Mayor
Edward Shippen and aunt to
Edward Shippen IV.} Anne [Willing] Francis was also the sister Mary Willing the second wife of
William Byrd III
^Oscar Jewell Harvey, 1909, A history of Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
^His Philadelphia estate records August 19, 1758 book L:141 mention Wife: Elizabeth. Children: Rachel, Turbutt, Philip, Anne, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret and Tench.