František Meissl was a Slovak painter, pharmacist, savings bank director and fireman of Austrian origin.

He came from a family of Austrian noblemen. His grandfather owned an estate in Freyendorf.

At his baptism he was given three names - František, Karol, Imrich. Of these, he used only the name Francis.

He attended the Elementary School in Pezinok, followed by the Piarist grammar school in Svätý Jur. His next student steps led to Vienna, where he was graduated as a pharmacist.

In the early 1860s he returned to Pezinok, where he spent most of his productive life. He took over the management of the pharmacy from his father, became the pharmacist of Pezin in 1862 and gradually became involved in activities for the town and its inhabitants. He was a member of the Municipal Council, co-founder and director of the savings bank (Pezinsko-Modransko-Svätojurská Savings Bank). He was also the founder and commander of the firefighters' association and then an honorary member until his death.

He was the first, albeit brief, summariser of the history of Pezinok.

He spent the last period of his life after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary outside Pezinok in Austria. He is buried in Sierndorf near Stockerau in Lower Austria.

In 1896, the monarch Franz Joseph I awarded him the honorary knighthood - the title of knight - for his merits in public activity.