Francis C. Herr, M. D., is a talented and successful physician of Ottawa, Kan., where he has been engaged in professional services twenty-six years. His first ancestor in America was Hans Herr, who came here in 1709 when about twenty years of age, and bought 10,000 acres of land near Lancaster, Pa., where he lived and died. He was from the Swabish precinct in Germany and there the family had a coat of arms and other insignia of rank. The descendants of Hans Herr are now scattered all over the United States and a number of them have become eminent in the professions as ministers, physicians, civil engineers, lawyers and statesmen.

Dr. Herr was born in Lancaster, Pa., Dec. 1, 1852, to Amos F. and Anna (Frantz) Herr, both natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where the former was born in 1818 and where both resided until the father's death in 1905. The mother is still living at the age of eighty-four. Francis Herr, the father of Amos L., was also a native of Lancaster county where he became very prominent during a lifelong residence. The father of Dr. Herr engaged in farming and stock raising and became wealthy. His religious faith was that of the Mennonites. His wife, Anna, was the daughter of Christian Frantz, a native of Eden, Lancaster county, who was of German descent and became very prominent in the political and church circles of Lancaster county, he also being of the Mennonite faith.

Dr. Herr received his early education in a private school conducted by Herr brothers. After spending a year in Lehigh University in 1875, he began to read medicine under Dr. Frank Musser of Lancaster, Pa., then in 1876 entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, where he took a full course and was graduated in 1879. He spent one year as interne in the Southwestern Hospital of Philadelphia, and then began regular practice in that city, remaining there several years. In 1884 he came west and located in Ottawa, where from the first he was successful and now has a very large practice. In every plan for the development of his profession, in every matter pertaining to its advancement, he maintains a warm interest.

In Harrisburg, Pa., on July 6, 1882, Dr. Herr married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Seiler, ex-sheriff of Dauphin county. She was born in Harrisburg and there received an excellent education in a private school. Dr. and Mrs. Herr have had one son, Parvin S., who died of smallpox in 1895, aged eleven years.

In politics Dr. Herr is a stanch Republican and has always taken a very active part in political and public affairs. He has served as coroner of Franklin county, as secretary of the pension board for four years, and as vice-president of the board of education. He has been chairman of the Franklin county Republican central committee for twelve years, and in 1900 was delegate to the National Republican convention at Philadelphia. He affiliates fraternally with the Masonic order, and with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, No. 803, being a charter member of the latter order and a past exalted ruler. He and his wife express their religious inclinations by membership respectively in the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches.