My Genealogy Hound

A. J. FRANCIS was born in Fauquier County, Va., February 10, 1818, and is the eighth child in a family of ten born to Henry and Sarah (Cockrell) Francis. Henry Francis, also a native of Fauquier County, Va., was a live, energetic and enterprising farmer, who devoted the whole of his life to agricultural pursuits; he died in 1862; he was a son of Andrew Francis, who was a native of Ireland. A. J. Francis left, his native county in October, 1840, and went to Washington, D. C., where he learned to manufacture scales, and also learned the carpenter’s trade. He subsequently moved to Covington, Ky., where he worked at the carpenters trade for several years, and then moved to Cincinnati, where he worked at scale manufacturing for some time. He was employed to superintend the iron work in the building of the Cincinnati courthouse, which was commenced in 1851, finished in 1854 and burned in 1884. Mr. Francis was city marshal of Covington for two years, and declining to accept the office any longer, he was elected constable, serving in that capacity for about ten years, after which he served as magistrate until 1878. In 1881 he opened a real estate and loan office. In 1842 he was united in marriage to Sarah Reed, of Virginia, who has borne him three children, only two of whom are living: Thomas P. and Lizzie I. Mrs. Francis died in 1848, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. In 1849 Mr. Francis married Elinor B. Dalton, of Hamilton County, Ohio, daughter of Elisha Dalton, who was a noted Methodist Episcopal preacher. Five children blessed this union — four of whom are living: Emma, Hattie, A. J., Jr., and Joseph D. Mr. and Mrs. Francis are members of the Fifth Street Christian Church, and Mr. Francis has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for forty-six years, having passed all the chairs. He is a member of the encampment, and also of the A. O. U. W.