David R. Francis

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David Rowland Francis (October 1, 1850 - January 15, 1927) was an American politician. He served in various positions including Mayor of Saint Louis, Governor of Missouri, and United States Secretary of the Interior. He was the U.S. Ambassador to Russia between 1916 and 1917, during the Russian Revolution of 1917. He was a Democrat.

Francis was born in Richmond, Kentucky in 1850. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1870. He was a successful businessman in St. Louis and served as the president of the Merchant's Exchange. On a personal note, he was married to the former Jane Perry, a granddaughter of former Missouri State Treasurer James Earickson. [1]

He was elected the mayor of St. Louis, Missouri in 1885. In 1888 he was elected Governor of Missouri, becoming the only Mayor of St. Louis ever elected Governor of the state. Francis served as the United States Secretary of the Interior under President Grover Cleveland between 1896 and 1897.

Francis was one of the main promoters of the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904, serving as President of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

President Woodrow Wilson appointed Francis as the U.S. Ambassador to Russia between 1916 and 1917, during the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Francis died in St. Louis January 15, 1927 and was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery.

Preceded by Albert P. Morehouse	Governor of Missouri 1889–1893	Succeeded by William Joel Stone
Preceded by Michael Hoke Smith	United States Secretary of the Interior 1896–1897	Succeeded by Cornelius Newton Bliss

United States Secretaries of the Interior

Ewing • McKennan • Stuart • McClelland • Thompson • C Smith • Usher • Harlan • Browning • Cox • Delano • Chandler • Schurz • Kirkwood • Teller • Lamar • Vilas • Noble • M Smith • Francis • Bliss • Hitchcock • Garfield • Ballinger • Fisher • Lane • Payne • Fall • Work • West • Wilbur • Ickes • Krug • Chapman • McKay • Seaton • Udall • Hickel • Morton • Hathaway • Kleppe • Andrus • Watt • Clark • Hodel • Lujan • Babbitt • Norton • Kempthorne

Governors of Missouri

McNair • Bates • Williams • Miller • Dunklin • Boggs • Reynolds • M. Marmaduke • Edwards • King • Price • Polk • H. Jackson • Stewart • C. Jackson • Gamble • Hall • Fletcher • McClurg • Brown • Woodson • Hardin • Phelps • Crittenden • J. Marmaduke • Morehouse • Francis • Stone • Stephens • Dockery • Folk • Hadley • Major • Gardner • Hyde • Baker • Caulfield • Park • Stark • Donnell • Donnelly • Smith • Donnelly • Blair • Dalton • Hearnes • Bond • Teasdale • Bond • Ashcroft • Carnahan • Wilson • Holden • Blunt