BIO:  POSEY, Hon. Francis B., s/o John W. & Sarah (Blackburn) Posey

Submitted by:  phill@redrock.net   (Phyllis Hill)

HISTORY OF PIKE AND DUBOIS COUNTIES, INDIANA,
Chicago: Goodspeed Bros. & Co. Publishers, 1885

Pike County, Washington Twp, p. 407

HON. FRANCIS B. POSEY, a prominent attorney of Pike County, was born in
Petersburg, April 28, 1848.  He is the youngest of six children, only two of
whom are now living, born to the marriage of John W. Posey and Sarah
Blackburn, natives of South Carolina and Kentucky, respectively.  The father
when a child came to Indiana in 1804 with his parents, who located in Knox
County near Vincennes.  In 1830 he came to Pike County, where he was engaged
in the practice of medicine until 1855, when he retired from the profession.
He was especially skillful in surgery, and during the Rebellion was at Shiloh
in charge of a field hospital at Evansville.  His death ocurred August 12,
1884.  His wife died August 12, 1851.  As a young man he was noted for his
remarkable feats of strength.  He could lift a barrel of whiskey by the chime,
and place it in a wagon, and on one occasion carried six bushels of wheat up
five flights of stairs.  He was a man of great force of character and was
fearless in the expression of his principles.  He was one of the first to
champion the cause of the slave, and his house was known as a station on the
underground railroad.  Previous to the organization of the Republican party he
was a Whig.  In 1844 he was elected to the office of county treasurer, and was
re-elected in 1846.  He also served several terms as trustee of the township.
He obtained his professional knowledge in the office of Dr. Burnside, the
father of Gen. Burnside.  Frank B. Posey is a man of fine attainments and is
widely known as an able lawyer, a skillful politician, and an eloquent orator.
His early education was obtained in the schools of the county.  He afterward
attended Asbury College completing the sophomore year.  His professional
education was obtained at the Indiana University from which institution he
graduated in the class of 1869.  Since leaving school he has been engaged in
the practice of his profession in Petersburg with the exception of two years
when he was at Vincennes.  He is the owner of 300 acres of coal land bordering
on White River and is operating what is known as the Blackburn Mines.  January
17, 1878, he united in marriage with Emma Brown, a native of this county, and
to their union have been born two children; Helen and Francesco.  In politics
Mr. Posey is a Republican and holds a prominent place in his party in the
State.  In 1872 he was appointed prosecuting attorney by Gov. Baker; in 1880
was an elector on the Garfield ticket; in 1882 was a condidate for the
senatorship from Pike and Warrick Counties.  He was defeated by only 200 votes
in a district which gave the State ticket a Democratic majority of 750 votes.
In 1884 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention.


 
From: "Phyllis Hill" 
<phill@redrock.net>
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1998