FRENCH, S. B.

FRENCH, KEECH, HELLINGER, KELLEY, SNYDER, STONER, RUMMELL, ALMY

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 4/7/2004 at 10:15:07

Biography reproduced from page 527 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

S. B. French, who is traveling auditor for the Queal Lumber Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was born near Mount Gilead, Ohio, April 28, 1866. The French family is of English origin and traces its ancestry back through five hundred years. Its representatives came to the United States prior to the Revolutionary war and participated in the struggle for independence. The grandfather, Sampson French, possessing a venturesome spirit, moved west in an early day and improved a raw piece of land in Morrow county, Ohio, where he lived until his death. The father, Oscar French, coming west with his parents from the state of New York, settled with them in Morrow county, Ohio, before the county was organized. There he made his home, following in the footsteps of his father, both having been farmers all their lives. Oscar French served all through the Civil war, enlisting three times. He was a native of Otsego county, New York, and passed away in 1895. It was in Pennsylvania that he wedded Miss Cidney Keech, a native of that state. She is still living on the old homestead in Morrow county, Ohio. She was the mother of eight children, as follows: Mary, the wife of George Hellinger, of Marion county, Ohio; Laura, twin sister of Mary, who is the wife of K. Kelley and resides in Ohio; B. T., living in Hawarden, Iowa; Garfield, deceased; S. B., of this review; Minnie, the wife of E. Snyder, of Morrow county, Ohio; Lucy, who gave her hand in marriage to C. C. Stoner, of Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Belle, who is the wife of B. Rummell, of St. Clairsville, Ohio.

S. B. French was reared in Ohio and was educated in the common schools of that state, remaining at home until he was eighteen years of age. At that time he came west for the Queal Lumber Company, beginning work in their yards in Des Moines. Later he was made the manager of one of the yards of that company and subsequently acted in the capacity of traveling auditor for fifteen years. In 1905 he came to Algona and is manager of nineteen yards for the Queal Company. His office is over the First National Bank and he owns a comfortable home in Algona.

In 1893 Mr. French was married to Miss Georgia Anna Almy, who was born in the state of New York. They are the parents of seven children, all living at home, whose names are, Howard A., Cidney E., W. P., Gordon R., Netha, Harriet and Herbert. The two last named are twins.