Francis R. Lassiter

Francis Rives Lassiter (February 18, 1866 – October 31, 1909) was a U.S. Representative from Virginia, great-nephew of Francis E. Rives.

Francis Rives Lassiter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 4th district
In office March 4, 1907 – October 31, 1909
Preceded by	Robert G. Southall
Succeeded by	Robert Turnbull
In office April 19, 1900 – March 3, 1903
Preceded by	Sydney P. Epes
Succeeded by	Robert G. Southall
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
In office April 13, 1893 – October 2, 1896
Appointed by	Grover Cleveland
Preceded by	Thomas R. Borland
Succeeded by	William H. White
Personal details
Born	(1866-02-18)February 18, 1866 Petersburg, Virginia
Died	October 31, 1909(1909-10-31) (aged 43) Petersburg, Virginia
Resting place	Blanford Cemetery, Petersburg, Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Virginia
Profession	lawyer
Military service
Branch/service	Virginia State Militia
Rank	Captain
Unit	Fourth Infantry Regiment

Biography

Francie Rives Lassiter was born in Petersburg, Virginia on September 29, 1867, a son of Dr. Daniel W. Lassiter and Anna Rives (Heath) Lassiter.^[1] His siblings included William Lassiter, who was a career United States Army officer and attained the rank of major general.^[1]

Lassiter attended McCabe's University School at Petersburg and was graduated from the law department of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1886.^[1] He was admitted to the bar in 1887 and commenced practice in Boston, Massachusetts. He returned to Petersburg, Virginia, in 1888 and continued the practice of law. He became the City attorney of Petersburg from 1888 to 1893. Lassiter was appointed by President Grover Cleveland to be United States attorney for the eastern district of Virginia in 1893 and served until 1896, when he resigned. He served as captain of Company G, Fourth Regiment, Virginia State Militia. He was appointed supervisor of the Twelfth Census for the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia in 1899.

Lassiter was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-sixth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Sydney P. Epes. He was reelected to the Fifty-seventh Congress and served from April 19, 1900, to March 3, 1903.

Lassiter was elected to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses and served from March 4, 1907, until his death in Petersburg, Virginia, October 31, 1909. He is interred in Blandford Cemetery. His family papers are held by the Special Collections Research Center at the College of William & Mary.^[2]

Electoral history

• 1900; Lassiter was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 98.65% of the vote in a special election, defeating Independent James Seldon Cowdon; he was re-elected with 60.06% of the vote in the general election, defeating Republican C.E. Wilson.
• 1906; Lassiter was re-elected unopposed.
• 1908; Lassiter was re-elected unopposed.

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49)

References

1. Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, ed. (1998) [1915]. Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. Vol. V. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company. p. 762. ISBN 978-0-8063-1552-2 – via Google Books.
2. "Lassiter Papers". Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William & Mary. Retrieved 4 February 2011.

External links

• Finding aid for the Lassiter Papers
• Francis Rives Lassiter, late a representative from Virginia, Memorial addresses delivered in the House of Representatives and Senate frontispiece 1910
• United States Congress. "Francis R. Lassiter (id: L000106)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Sydney P. Epes	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 4th congressional district 1900–1903	Succeeded by Robert G. Southall
Preceded by Robert G. Southall	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 4th congressional district 1907–1909	Succeeded by Robert Turnbull