Francis J. Rooney, who is engaged in an extensive law practice at Appleton, Wisconsin, was born in Sheboygan county, March .25, 1866, a son of Thomas and Ellen (Murphy) Rooney, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Massachusetts. Thomas Rooney came to the United States in 1848, and in April, 1855, came to Sheboygan county, where he took up wild land and established a home.

In 1862 he married Ellen Murphy, and he continued to engage in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in Sheboygan county July 5, 1895, his widow still surviving him. They had a family of five children. Francis J. Rooney received his preliminary educational training in the public schools, after which he entered the normal school at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and secured his legal training at Valparaiso, Indiana, graduating there June 1, 1898. He practiced for a short time with Gillen & Hughes, at Sheboygan, and February 1, 1899, located at Seymour, Wisconsin, where he was elected district attorney. Among the many cases prosecuted by Mr. Rooney was the well-known Paul Krause case, the prisoner being convicted of murdering his divorced wife and being sent to the penitentiary for life. He served for seven years as city attorney of Seymour, and then changed his residence to Appleton where he has since continued in a general practice. Mr. Rooney was married June 27, 1906, to Margaret E. O'Connel, a native of Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, and a daughter of John and Margaret O'Connel, farming people of that locality. Two children have been born: to Mr. and Mrs.,Rooney, namely: Margaret, born March 7, 1908, and Thomas F., born February 16, 1910. Mr. Rooney is an active democrat in politics, and one of the leaders of his party in this section. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Eagles, the Equitable Fraternal Union and the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin. Mr. 'and Mrs. Rooney are members of the Catholic church. The comfortable family residence is situated in Appleton, and Mr. Rooney may always be counted upon to assist with his time and means any movement which has for its object the advancement of his adopted city.

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