Micah French (1792-1889)

FRENCH, PURDY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/6/2011 at 18:43:03

From Story County Watchman June 21, 1889

DIED.--At the residence of his son Henry in Richland township on Friday last, Micah French, aged 97 years, two months and eight days.

Father French was born in Vermont but moved from that state to New York, thence westward until in 1864 he moved to Iowa and purchased a farm where he died. During the war of 1812-15 he was in Capt Clarks Company of volunteers and id the country excellent service and was wounded and to the last carried a British bullet in his arm. In 1821 he was married to Miss A Purdy with whom he lived nearly 61 years. He had seven children, six sons and one daughter, of whom Henry, and Isaac, of Colo, and Riley of Girard, Kansas, survive him.

The funeral was held at the church in Johnsons Grove and the services were by Rev. Wilson of Ames, who preached a fine discource. The church was filled to overflowing there being all that part of the country, a large delegation from Nevada including a number of the G. A. R. present with badges, and others in attendance. The remains were deposited beside his wife in the cemetery near his farm there to await the call to which all look forward with hopes.

In the same paper:

MICAH FRENCH MEMORIAL SERVICES.

At a meeting of citizens of the office of Smith & Son, June 18th, 1889, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, Thet the long and eventful life of our late fellow citizen Micah French, which closed in peace on the morning of June 14th, at the age of ninety seven years, as well as his patriotic services and his work as a pioneer, calls for tribute from his neighbors and friends in recognition of his life and virtues.
Resolved, That in the discharge of that duty a public meeting he held in the Nevada Park at 2 P. M. on Sunday, June 30th, at shich all are invited to be present and to assist in memorial services.
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to arrange a suitable program.
In accordance with the aboe the necessary committtees were appointed ant the following outline of the progrm for a memorial meeting agreed upon: Time and place as named in second resolution; scripture lesson and pray; addresses by Col. Scott and Capt. McCall, and appropriate selections of music. To this service family friends of the deceased and those of his fellow citizens throughourt the county who desire to thus publicly recognize his patriotism and sturdy manhood, are earnestly invited.
W. P. PAYNE, Sec.
A. M. NORRIS, Pres.

From Story County Watchman June 21, 1889

On Sunday last the Memorial Exercises of Micah French took place at the City Park as per announcement. The meeting was largely attended and the words of the speakers listened to throughout with attention. The main remarks were made by Col. Scott and T. C. McCall who gave an interesting account of how frontier life of 75 years ago was carried out, and paid high tribute to the sterling worth of Mr. French. Mr. French, as we have already stated, was in the war tof 1812-15 and carried a British bullet in his arm until the day of his death. he was also in many of the frontier wars in which the Indians were the other participants. Many anecdotes of him were related by the speakers who had known him for the past thirty years all of which showed his kindliness of heart and love of right and justice. He was a link which connected the time of the founders of the republic with the present day and showed that sterling merit will receive its own reward.

The chairman of the meeting called to the platform all who were over 70 years of age and some 25 answered the dall and were placed in a prominent position. The exercises passed off in the best of shape and the only thing was the scare of rain which drove quite a number off the grounds but it blowed over and everything passed off well.