Francis A. Thomas

Francis A. Thomas (1826 – September 28, 1899) was a prominent physician and Republican politician in New York City's 19th ward.

Born in Lewis County, New York, Thomas graduated from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1853.[1] In 1854, he was appointed as house physician for Blackwell's Island, serving for one year.[2]

Thomas was a prominent Republican, helping to found the Sons of Freedom during the Civil War. The Sons of Freedom later merged into the Union League Club.

Elected in 1865, Thomas served as a councilman from the Seventh District from 1866 to 1867.[3] In 1868, Thomas ran on the Republican ticket for the United States House of Representatives against Democrat Fernando Wood, losing in a close and bitterly contested election.[2]a He subsequently was made Police Surgeon, and held that office for ten years.[2]

On September 26, 1899, Thomas was struck by a Lexington Avenue cable car while crossing 85th Street near his home and died two days later at Presbyterian Hospital.[2]

Notes
  • ^a However, in "Fernando Wood: A Political Biography", Jerome Mushkat characterizes Thomas as a "token candidate", which seems to be borne out by Wood winning with 57.6% of the vote to Thomas's 35.7%.[4]

References
  1. University, Columbia (1916). Catalogue of Officers and Graduates of Columbia University. New York. p. 335 – via Internet Archive. francis a. thomas columbia.
  2. "Death List of a Day: Dr. Francis A. Thomas". The New York Times. 29 September 1899. ProQuest 95746893.
  3. "Councilmen Elected". The New York Times. 6 December 1865. ProQuest 91936018.
  4. Mushkat, Jerome (1990). Fernando Wood: A Political Biography. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press. pp. 174–5.


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