French, Andrew

FRENCH, EMERY, DODGE, BENNETT, EVANS, OLIVER, VANDERLAAN, NOEL, POOL, BLINK

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/22/2009 at 14:55:18

French, Andrew

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, 1912, 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. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 988.