Frank A. Briggs

Frank A. Briggs (September 15, 1858 –August 9, 1898) was an American Republican elected official who served as the fifth governor of North Dakota from January 6, 1897 until his death nineteen months later.

Biography
Frank A. Briggs was born in the town of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was variously employed as a printer and journalist. He married Nannie Rachel Meek on July 12, 1877 and they had two daughters, Stella and Bessie. Twenty-three years old in 1881, he moved to the city of Mandan, the county seat of North Dakota's Morton County, where he dealt in real estate. At that time the area was still Dakota Territory.

Career
Campaigning for public office, he was elected county treasurer, serving from 1885 to 1887, gained the statewide post of auditor in 1894 and, finally, in November 1896, prevailed in the gubernatorial election. An activist executive, he participated in discussions of laws being drafted by the state legislature, including passage of the revenue bill as well as a general railway law which regulated movement of freight and passengers.

Death
Having struggled with tuberculosis, Governor Briggs lost the battle in Bismarck five weeks before his 40th birthday. Lieutenant Governor Joseph M. Devine served the remaining four-and-a-half months of the governor's two-year term. He was buried in Howard Lake Cemetery, Howard Lake, MN. Briggs was the first North Dakota Governor to die while in office.