Francis R. Smith

Who was Francis R. Smith?

Francis Raphael "Frank" Smith was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Smith was born in Philadelphia, PA. 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. In 1955, Governor George Leader appointed Smith State Insurance Commissioner. In December of 1963, he was elected to succeed the recently deceased Congressman Bill Green as Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party. He was also an elected member of the Board of Revision of Taxes of Philadelphia and member of Board of View of Philadelphia.