Francis, David Rowland, 1850-1927

David Rowland Francis was born in Kentucky in 1850. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1870 and went to work as a shipping clerk. In 1877 Francis established a successful brokerage firm and by 1884 had risen to president of the Merchants Exchange in St. Louis. He then served as mayor of St. Louis (1885-1889), governor of Missouri (1889-1893), secretary of the Interior (1896-1897), and president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Francis was appointed U.S. ambassador to Russia in 1916, charged with renegotiating a new commercial treaty and overseeing the affairs of Austrian and German prisoners of war. He remained in Russia during the Revolution but left in July 1918 when the embassy staff was evacuated.

From the description of Russia in transition: the diplomatic papers of David R. Francis, U.S. ambassador to Russia, 1916-1918 (inclusive), [microform]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122556244