Frank Coombs (politician)

For other uses, see Frank Coombs (politician) (disambiguation).

Frank Leslie Coombs

Frank Leslie Coombs (December 27, 1853 – October 5, 1934) was a United States Representative from California.

Life

Frank Leslie Coombs was born in Napa, Napa County, California, the son of Nathan Coombs and Maria Isabel Gordon. He attended the public schools in California and Dorchester High School in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from the law department of Columbian University (now George Washington University Law School), Washington, D.C., in 1875. He was admitted to the bar in 1875 and commenced practice in Napa. He was the District Attorney of Napa County from 1880-1885.

Coombs was a member of the California State Assembly from 1887 to 1893 and from 1897 to 1899, each time representing Napa County, and served as speaker in 1891 and again in 1897. On the death of John F. Swift, he was appointed United States Minister to Japan and served from June 1892 to August 1893. He was the State Librarian of California from April 1, 1898 to April 1, 1899. He was the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California from April 1, 1899 to March 1, 1901.

Coombs was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-seventh Congress (March 4, 1901 - March 3, 1903). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1902. He resumed the practice of law in Napa, and was again a member of the State Assembly from 1921 to 1931, representing Napa and Lake counties. He died in Napa at age 80, and was buried in Tulocay Cemetery.

See also

• Elwood Bruner, for Coombs presiding at a heated Assembly meeting

References

• United States Congress. "Frank Coombs (id: C000741)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.