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.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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. ISBN 9780873384131.