Francis Cherry (governor)

Francis Adams Cherry (September 5, 1908 – July 15, 1965) was an American politician. He served as governor of Arkansas from 1953 to 1955.

Life and career
Cherry was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He attended Oklahoma State University and the University of Arkansas Law School.

Cherry practiced law from 1936 to 1937 and then became a U.S. Commissioner at Jonesboro.

In 1942, he was elected judge of the 12th Chancery District Court of Arkansas.

Cherry served in the United States Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1944.

In 1952, Cherry was elected to the Arkansas governorship, defeating Sid McMath who was running for a third term. Cherry defeated McMath even though McMath had gained the endorsement of then President Harry Truman. He served until 1955, when he was defeated for re-election by Orval Faubus. At the time of his defeat, he was only the second Arkansas Governor to lose re-election in the century.

In 1955, President Eisenhower appointed Cherry to the Federal Subversive Activities Control Board. Cherry was appointed to a second term in 1960. In 1963, President Kennedy made Cherry the chairman of the board. At the time of his death in 1965, Cherry was the Chairman of the Federal Subversive Activities Control Board.

Cherry died from a heart ailment related to a prior heart attack on July 15, 1965, at his home in Washington, D.C., at the age of 56.