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Francis Marion Griffith (August 21, 1849 – February 8, 1927) was an American educator and politician who served four terms as a
U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
from 1897 to 1905.


Biography

Born in
Moorefield, Indiana Moorefield is an unincorporated community in Pleasant Township, Switzerland County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. History Moorefield was plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divis ...
, Griffith attended the country schools of the county, the high school in
Vevay, Indiana Vevay ( ) is a town located in Jefferson Township and the county seat of Switzerland County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,683 at the 2010 census. History The first settlers who arrived in 1802 were Swiss imm ...
, and Franklin College,
Franklin, Indiana Franklin is a city in Johnson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 23,712 at the 2010 census. Located about south of Indianapolis, the city is the county seat of Johnson County. The site of Franklin College, the city attracts n ...
. He taught school. He was appointed school superintendent of Switzerland County in 1873. He studied law. He was
admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in 1875 and commenced practice in Vevay. County treasurer 1875-1877. He served as delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1880. He served as member of the State senate 1886-1894 and served as Acting Lieutenant Governor 1891-1894. He was an unsuccessful candidate for attorney general of Indiana in 1894.


Congress

Griffith was elected as a
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
to the Fifty-fifth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William S. Holman. He was reelected to the Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, and Fifty-eighth Congresses and served from December 6, 1897, to March 3, 1905. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1904.


Later career and death

He resumed the practice of law in
Vevay, Indiana Vevay ( ) is a town located in Jefferson Township and the county seat of Switzerland County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,683 at the 2010 census. History The first settlers who arrived in 1802 were Swiss imm ...
. City attorney 1912-1916. He served as judge of the circuit court of the fifth judicial district 1916-1922. He again engaged in the practice of his profession. He died in
Vevay, Indiana Vevay ( ) is a town located in Jefferson Township and the county seat of Switzerland County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,683 at the 2010 census. History The first settlers who arrived in 1802 were Swiss imm ...
, February 8, 1927. He was interred in Vevay Cemetery.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, Francis Marion 1849 births 1927 deaths People from Switzerland County, Indiana American people of Welsh descent Indiana lawyers Franklin College (Indiana) alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana People from Vevay, Indiana 19th-century American lawyers