Dallas County AlArchives Biographies.....Pettus, Francis L. October 7 1858 - living in 1893
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Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    HON. FRANCIS L. PETTUS, attorney and counselor at law, at Selma, Ala., was
born at Cahaba, Dallas county, October 7, 1858. He is a son of Gen. E. W.
Pettus, a distinguished lawyer, whose memoir appears elsewhere in this work.
Hon. F. L. Pettus was reared for the most part in Selma, to which city his
parents removed shortly after the Civil war. Here he received his early
education and was then sent to the Virginia Military institute at Lexington,
Va., where he remained for one year. He then in consequence of failing health
returned to his home and for a short time engaged in farming. Upon recovering
his health, he attended Davidson college, North Carolina, where he completed a
classical course of two years. Leaving college in 1877, he went to Galveston,
Tex., where for a year he was employed in the commission house of John D.
Rodgers & Co., large cotton factors. Returning to Selma he entered the law
office of his father, with whom he read law, and on April 9, 1879, he was
admitted to the bar. Opening a law office in Selma he began the practice of his
chosen profession. Subsequently he became associated with his father, Gen. E. W.
Pettus and Col. N. H. R. Dawson, of Selma, in the practice of law, the name of
the firm being Pettus & Dawson. In 1880 he began to play an important part in
the politics of the state, being elected a delegate to the state democratic
convention, and he has been a delegate to four subsequent state conventions, in
1882, in 1884, in 1886 and in 1888. In 1882 he became clerk of the supreme court
of the state, and continued to hold that position until November, 1884, during
which time he resided at Montgomery. In 1886 he was elected as a democrat to the
lower house of the legislature to represent Dallas county, and was re-elected in
1888, in 1890 and in 1892. From the first Mr. Pettus took an active part in
shaping legislation and soon gained a reputation amongst his constituents for
faithfulness and ability, thus securing their confidence and esteem. In 1888 he
became chairman of the judiciary committee of the house, and such was his
display of intelligence and power that during the session of 1890 he became a
strong candidate for speaker of the house. The contest was an enthusiastic and
heated one, and though he was defeated it was only by a very small majority,
showing that he was a popular and highly esteemed member of the house. Mr.
Pettus is a prominent Mason, being deputy grand master of the grand lodge of the
state. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Elks. In 1880
Mr. Pettus married Miss Mary Knox, daughter of the late Maj. William S. Knox of
Selma. Mrs. Pettus is an accomplished lady and confers grace and dignity upon
the domestic circle. She is well descended on both sides of her family, being a
descendant of the distinguished McCors family of Alabama.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 904-905
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI

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