Tench Francis, Sr.
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Tench Francis (born probably in Ireland; died 16 August 1758) was a prominent lawyer and jurist in colonial Maryland and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Francis was the son of Rev. John Francis, Dean of Linsmore and Rector of St. Mary's Church in Dublin, Ireland. 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, and in 1724 married Elizabeth Turbutt. 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.
He later settled in Philadelphia, where he was attorney-general of Pennsylvania, succeeding Andrew Hamilton, from 1741 till 1755, and recorder of Philadelphia from 1750 till 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. His son Tench Francis (Jr.) became a prominent merchant and financier in Philadelphia. His daughter Margaret married Chief Justice Edward Shippen, and a grandson, Tench Tilghman, became an aide to George Washington. Another grandson, Tench Coxe, was a delegate from Pennsylvania to the last Continental Congress. Tench Francis died in Philadelphia in 1758.
