Frank Coombs (politician)

Frank Coombs
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 1st district
In office March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903
Preceded by	John All Barham
Succeeded by	James Gillett
United States Minister to Japan
In office June 13, 1892 – July 14, 1893
President	Benjamin Harrison Grover Cleveland
Preceded by	John Franklin Swift
Succeeded by	Edwin Dun
28th Speaker of the California State Assembly
In office January 1897 - March 1897
Preceded by	John C. Lynch
Succeeded by	Howard E. Wright
In office January 1891 - March 1891
Preceded by	Robert Howe
Succeeded by	Frank H. Gould
Member of the California State Assembly from the 22nd, 18th, and 11th districts
In office 1887-1889
In office 1891-1899
In office 1887-1893
In office 1921-1923
In office 1925-1931
Personal details
Born	Frank Leslie Coombs (1853-12-27)December 27, 1853 Napa, California, U.S.
Died	Napa, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican

Frank Leslie Coombs (27 December 1853 – 5 October 1934) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a congressman from California from 1901 to 1903.

Life

Frank Leslie Coombs was born in Napa, California, the son of Nathan Coombs and Maria Isabel Gordon. His maternal grandparents were William Gordon (who was a naturalized Mexican citizen originally from Ohio) and Juana Maria Lucero (who was Mexican). Coombs 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. Coombs was admitted to the bar in 1875 and commenced practice in Napa. He was the District Attorney of Napa County from 1880 to 1885.

Coombs was a member of the California State Assembly, serving from 1887 to 1893 and 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. Coombs 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 to March 3, 1903) from the 1st congressional district of California. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1902 in his redrawn district, which had been renumbered as the 2nd congressional district, losing by 49.2% to 48.3% to Democrat Theodore A. Bell. Coombs 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

• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
• Elwood Bruner, for Coombs presiding at a heated Assembly meeting

External links

• Frank Coombs at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Political offices
Preceded by Henry A. Pellet	California State Assemblyman, 22nd District 1887–1893	Succeeded by Eben B. Owen
Preceded by Robert Howe	Speaker of the California State Assembly January 1891 – March 1891	Succeeded by Frank H. Gould
Preceded by Owen Wade	California State Assemblyman, 18th District 1897–1899	Succeeded by Owen Wade
Preceded by Bismarck Bruck	California State Assemblyman, 11th District 1921–1931	Succeeded by Roy J. Nielsen
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by John All Barham	United States Representative for the 1st District of California 1901–1903	Succeeded by James Gillett