Welcome to
Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
|
|
|
|
Andrew French A
well known and influential business man and citizen of Jasper County who is
deserving of the success he has attained in the world's affairs, because he has
worked along proper avenues and been careful of his conduct at all times, is
Andrew French, who was born near Geneseo. New York, August 27, 1866, and he is
the scion of an excellent old family of the Empire state, being the son of
Charles L. and Hannah (Emery) French, both of whom are natives of New Hampshire.
The father emigrated from his native state to Monroe, Jasper County,
Iowa, in 1872 and lived here ten years, then moved to a farm near Reasnor, where
he lived until his death at the age of seventy-five years; his wife is still
living at the age of seventy-eight. In
her girlhood she had the rare privilege of being the pupil of John Greenleaf
Whittier, the poet. To Mr. and Mrs.
Charles L. French two sons and two daughters were born, all living, namely: Mrs. Alvin Dodge, of Larrabee, Iowa; Mrs. Clarence Bennett,
of Creighton, Nebraska; Augustus E. has no fixed residence, traveling
extensively; Andrew, of this review. Andrew
French came to Iowa with his parents: with whom he made his home until he was
twenty years of age, then went to western Kansas, where he found employment on
cattle ranches for six years. He
then went to Oklahoma City, where, among other things, he served as United
States marshal, his chief duties being to keep down the lawless elements in the
Indian country. He performed the
duties of this important office in a manner that reflected much credit upon
himself and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned,
making a most commendable record and proving himself to be a man of tact,
foresight, courage and unswerving determination.
He remained in that country nine years, and he saw the site of the
present great center of industry, Oklahoma City, when there was but one house
there. Returning to Jasper County,
Iowa, he is now the owner and operator of a sawmill. On
September 26, 1888, Mr. French was united in marriage with Emma Evans, daughter
of G. W. and Lucy Evans, and to this union one child has been born, Charles W„
who resides in McCloud, Oklahoma. Mr.
French's second marriage was solemnized on September 15, 1900, when he was
united with Mrs. Anna Oliver, widow of Millard Fillmore Oliver and the daughter
of Menke Blink and Anna Vanderlaan, both natives of Holland, Mrs. French being
born in that country, May 26, 1869, and she was two years of age when her
parents brought her to America in an old sailing vessel.
Her own mother had died at the birth of Mrs. French and her father had
remarried before starting to this country.
The family settled in Chicago in 1871.
In 1887 the daughter contracted her first marriage to M. F. Oliver, a son
of James M. and Mercy (Noel) Oliver. James
M. Oliver was a native of Ohio, a cabinet-maker by trade and came to Iowa.
Mercy Noel was born July 2, 1819, in Scioto County, Ohio, married James
Oliver December 7, 1851, and died October 18, 1901, near Monroe, James Oliver
died in 1907. Of their five
children M. F. Oliver was third in order of birth.
Mrs. Anna Oliver moved to Sioux County, Iowa.
Her parents also came there to live, purchasing a small tract of land
within the corporate limits of the city, and there they followed gardening until
too old to work. The father died at the age of seventy-eight, the step-mother
reaching the remarkable age of ninety-six. Mr.
and Mrs. Oliver became the parents of two children, one of whom died in infancy,
the other, Millard F. Oliver, was born April 27, 1896, and resides with his
mother in Reasnor, and is now attending high school at Monroe,
a remarkable young man, bright, genial, well beloved and a natural musician,
being at this early age a master of the piano.
He is admired by all who know him and a great comfort to his mother. He
is upright, honorable and the making of a good man and citizen. Mr. Oliver was a
very fine cabinet-maker and skilled wood worker. His death occurred in 1898. Mrs.
French is one of a family of ten full brothers and sisters, of whom but two
besides herself survive, five having died in infancy; Alice, seven years old,
died on board ship while the family was en route to America; Mrs. John Pool died
in Chicago in 1898; Herman Blink lives in Wisconsin; John Blink lives in
Indiana. Mrs. French is well
known and much admired as a vocalist, and for many years has sung at funerals
and different public gatherings. She is a member of the United Presbyterian
Church at Monroe. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 988. |
|
|
