Francis Thomas

Francis Thomas


United States Minister to Peru
In office July 10, 1872 – July 5, 1875
President	Ulysses S. Grant
Preceded by	Thomas Settle
Succeeded by	Richard Gibbs
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 4th district
In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869
Preceded by	Henry May
Succeeded by	Patrick Hamill
In office March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833
Preceded by	Michael Sprigg
Succeeded by	James P. Heath
26th Governor of Maryland
In office January 3, 1842 – January 6, 1845
Preceded by	William Grason
Succeeded by	Thomas Pratt
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 5th district
In office March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863
Preceded by	Jacob Michael Kunkel
Succeeded by	Benjamin Gwinn Harris
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 6th district
In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1841
Preceded by	William Cost Johnson
Succeeded by	John Thomson Mason, Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 7th district
In office March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835
Preceded by	John Leeds Kerr
Succeeded by	Daniel Jenifer
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
In office 1822 1827 1829
Personal details
Born	February 3, 1799 Frederick County, Maryland
Died	January 22, 1876 (age 76) Frankville, Maryland
Political party	Republican Unconditional Unionist Democrat

Francis Thomas (February 3, 1799 – January 22, 1876) was a Maryland politician who served as the 26th Governor of Maryland from 1842 to 1845. He also served as a United States Representative from Maryland, representing at separate times the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh districts.

Thomas was born in Frederick County, Maryland, close to South Mountain, known as "Merryland tract", and attended St. John's College of Annapolis, Maryland. He later studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1820, commencing practice in Frankville, Maryland. He entered politics after becoming a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1822, 1827, and 1829, and served the last year as 34th Speaker of the House.

Thomas was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-second through Twenty-fourth Congresses and as a Democrat to the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Congresses, serving from March 4, 1831 until March 3, 1841). In Congress, he served as chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary (Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Congresses), and as a member of the Committee on Naval Affairs (Twenty-sixth Congress). He also served as president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Company in 1839 and 1840.