Dougherty, F. M.

(February 13, 1826-December 27, 1895) Alabama native Francis Marion Dougherty came to Texas in the 1840s, moving to Gainesville in 1858. Following service in the Civil War, where he saw action in the Red River Campaign of western Louisiana, he returned to Cooke County and worked as a merchant. Elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1879 and again in 1881, he worked on a number of important issues, including fence law, county boundaries, agriculture and railroad development. He was also a Gainesville banker and businessman, leading the board of trade, which helped develop the county fair. Recorded – 2003