FRANCIS, John Morgan, journalist, born in Prattsburg, Steuben County, New York, 6 March 1823. His father, Richard, a native of Wales, was a midshipman in the British navy, served in Admiral Rodman's flagship, and, resigning about the close of the Revolutionary war, emigrated to the United States and settled near Utica, N.Y. The son was educated in the common schools and in Prattsburg academy, and when fourteen years old was apprenticed to a printer. In 1843 he became editor of the "Wayne Sentinel" at Pahnyra, New York, in 1845 an editorial writer on the "Rochester Advertiser," and in 1846 on the Troy "Budget," of which he was subsequently editor and associate proprietor. After serving editorially on the Troy "Post" and the Troy "Whig," he established the Troy "Times" in 1851, and has been its controlling proprietor and editor-in-chief ever since. He was City clerk of Troy in 1851'5, and was a member of the New York state constitutional convention of 1867'8. In 1871 President Grant appointed him to U. S. minister of Greece, which office he resigned in November 1873. He was minister to Portugal in 1882'4, and to Austria Hungary in 1884'5. He made the tour of the world in 1875'6.