Francis R. Smith

Francis Raphael "Frank" Smith (September 25, 1911 – December 9, 1982) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Frank R. Smith
Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee
In office December 28, 1963 – December 1, 1967
Preceded by	Bill Green, Jr.
Succeeded by	Bill Green, III
Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner
In office January 18, 1955 – January 15, 1963
Governor	George Leader David Lawrence
Preceded by	James F. Malone, Jr.
Succeeded by	Audrey Kelly
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 5th district
In office January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943
Preceded by	Fred Gartner
Succeeded by	Fred Pracht
Personal details
Born	September 25, 1911 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	December 9, 1982 (aged 71)
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	St. Joseph’s College

Born in Philadelphia, all four of Smith's grandparents were Irish immigrants.[1] He graduated from St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia in 1933, and from the law department of Temple University in Philadelphia in 1938. He was a bank examiner with the Pennsylvania State Banking Department in 1938 and 1939. He unsuccessfully sought election to one of Philadelphia County's allotted at-large seats in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in 1938.

Smith was elected as a Democrat to the 77th Congress, but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1942. After his term in Congress, he became a United States Marshal for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, serving from January 29, 1943, until his resignation on April 30, 1945. He was appointed collector of internal revenue at Philadelphia on May 1, 1945, and served in that capacity until 1952. He ran for Register of Wills in Philadelphia in 1953, but was unsuccessful. In 1955, Governor George Leader appointed Smith State Insurance Commissioner. In December 1963, he was elected to succeed the recently deceased Congressman Bill Green as Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party.[2] He was also an elected member of the Board of Revision of Taxes of Philadelphia and member of Board of View of Philadelphia.

Sources

1. "United States Census, 1920", FamilySearch, retrieved March 25, 2018
2. "Democrats Pick Aide to Succeed Green as Philadelphia Chairman; Haste Opposed In Post Since 1962". The New York Times. December 28, 1963. Retrieved February 12, 2012.

• United States Congress. "Francis R. Smith (id: S000532)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

External links

• Francis R. Smith at Find a Grave