Frank McCoppin | |
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| 11th Mayor of San Francisco | |
| In office December 2, 1867 – December 4, 1869 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Perrin Coon |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Henry Selby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1834-07-04)July 4, 1834 County Longford,Ireland |
| Died | May 26, 1897(1897-05-26) (aged 62) San Francisco, California |
Frank McCoppin (July 4, 1834 – May 26, 1897) was the firstIrish-born, and foreign-bornMayor of San Francisco.
McCoppin was a member of theRoyal Irish Constabulary from 1851 until he emigrated to the United States in 1853. In 1860, he was made supervisor of the Market Street Railway, where he encouraged planting among the railroad tracks, to lessen the problem of drifting sands. Shortly thereafter, he was elected to theSan Francisco Board of Supervisors. He then was elected mayor in 1867, serving from December 2, 1867, to December 5, 1869. He and the Board of Supervisors approved the plan forGolden Gate Park January 14, 1868. However, questions regarding his citizenship (word had leaked that he was not a naturalizedU.S. citizen when he was supervisor or that he applied for citizenship during his term) led to his defeat in the 1869 election.
In 1886, he ran for a seat in theUnited States House of Representatives but lost toWilliam W. Morrow. He later served two terms in theCalifornia State Senate. In 1894, PresidentGrover Cleveland appointed himPostmaster of San Francisco, a position he held until his death from stomach cancer on May 26, 1897.
He is credited with recommending the use ofladybugs to control insect pests affecting the California citrus crop.
In 1862, he was married to Elizabeth Bird Van Ness in San Francisco, thereby becoming the son-in-law of former mayorJames Van Ness.
A small park, McCoppin Square, located in the Parkside District of San Francisco, is named in his honor, as are McCoppin Street in theMission District and Frank McCoppin Elementary School, nearGolden Gate Park.
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