His wife, the mother of Francis Jr., Elizabeth Scott Hord, descended from a prominent family from York County, Virginia.

The older brother of Francis Jr., Oscar B. Hord, also served as Indiana Attorney General from 1862 to 1864.

He served in the position for four years under Governors Albert G. Porter (a Republican) and Isaac P. Gray (a Democrat).

During his time as Attorney General, Hord wrote a number of opinions on various questions surrounding Indiana law.

[1][3] In 1897, following the death of William S. Holman (a U.S. Representative from Indiana), Governor Isaac P. Gray nominated Hord to assume his seat in Congress.

"[3] Hord was a friend of Thomas A. Hendricks, Indiana Governor and U.S. Vice President under Grover Cleveland.

William B. was later hired as attorney and general counsel for a gasworks and waterworks corporation in Chicago and was then employed by a large banking-house in New York City to purchase the debt accured by the U.S. Government to the Cherokee Nation following the government's purchase of the Cherokee Outlet.