Tench Francis (? probably in Philadelphia – 16 August 1758) was a prominent lawyer and jurist in colonial Maryland and Philadelphia.

Early life

Francis was the son of Rev. John Francis, Dean of Linsmore and Rector of St. Mary's Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Career

Maryland

Sometime before 1720, after studying law in London, he moved to America as an attorney for Lord Baltimore. In Kent County, Maryland, he opened a law office. From 1726 to 1734 he was clerk of Talbot County Court before being elected for a three-year term as legislative representative for Talbot County.

Pennsylvania

He later settled in Philadelphia, where he was attorney-general of Pennsylvania, succeeding Andrew Hamilton, from 1741 to 1755, and recorder of Philadelphia from 1750 to 1755. He was a founding trustee of the college, academy, and Charitable Schools of Philadelphia (which became the University of Pennsylvania), and he sent his sons Philip and Turbutt there to study.

Personal life

In 1724, he married Elizabeth Turbutt. Together, they had: Tench Francis died in Philadelphia in 1758.