Micah French (1792-1889)

FRENCH, PURDY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 1/2/2016 at 22:34:28

From Nevada Representative June 19, 1889

A Veteran Gone.

Died, under the weight of years, at his home in Richland township, Story county, Iowa, June 14, 1889, Micah French, aged 97 years, 2 months and 8 days.

Thus is peacefully closed an eventful life, given in the faithful performance of duty and comprehending in its extraordinary span most of the greatness and development of the American Republic. Micah French was born in eastern Vermont, April 6, 1792, removed with his parents in 1798 to the wilderness of western New York and again in 1811, the year of Tippecanoe, to Ohio. He helped build the first log house at Sandusky, but the family settled in Springfield. The following year he returned on business to New York, and while there enlisted as a minute man in Captain Clark's company of New York Volunteers. He marched with his company to the Niagara frontier; and, authority being lacking to take militia out of their own State, he volunteered, October 12, 1812, to cross the river for the attack on Queenstown. In that attack, near where the monument now stands to mark the spot on which the British General Brock was killed, he was wounded in the left forearm by an Indian in the British service, on whom he was himself in the act of drawing a bead. he was then sent back with the wounded to the American side of the river and thus escaped the capture which befell the most of the attacking force. The following year he returned to Ohio, where he remained until 1819; when he went to Strawtown on the White River, Hamilton county, Indiana, accompanying thither the first family in that settlement, before the founding of Indianapolis. In April 1821 he took a trip to Springfield and married Miss Azubah Purdy. They lived at Strawtown until 1830, when they again moved to Vermillion county, Illinois, the eastern frontier except for the settlement 75 miles northwest on Fox river, which were murderously attacked in 1832 by Black Hawk and his Indians. Mr. French volunteered for service in the Black Hawk war; but being then a disabled veteran, he was no accepted. In 1840 he made the only move of his life to the eastward and settled not far from Indianapolis. here he remained until 1853 when he removed to Jasper county, Iowa and three years later, in 1856, he made his last change, buying and occupying at the age of 63 the farm upon which he spent the remaining 33 years of his life, and where his wife died in February 1882 in the 85th year of her age and after a married life of nearly 61 years.

The British bullet which Brock's Indian ally lodged in Micah French's elbow, was carried there for nearly 77 years. It partially stiffened the joint, and after being there for forty years caused a running sore which continued for 15 years but finally healed. In 1828 he made a trip to New York to secure necessary evidence and was granted a pension of $4 per month. This pension was afterwards increased to $6, and, under the general law for veterans of 1812, to $8. Finally by special act of Congress his very exceptional claims upon the consideration of his countrymen were recognized January 16, 1889, by the grant of a pension of $30 per month. He had seven children, six sons and a daughter, of whom three sons, Henry C., at whose home he died, Isaac S., of Colo, and Riley, of Girard, Kansas, all three veterans of the War for the Union, survive him. At the time of his death he had living, three children, 23 grandchildren, 31 great-grand children, and 1 great-great-grand child, in all 58 descendants.

It is hard to believe that anyone of another generation can ever be a witness of and a participant in affairs so great as was Micah French. He lived in all the administrations of our government from Washington's first to Benjamin Harrison's. He saw the people of his country increase from four millions to sixty., the narrow strip of States along the Atlantic border broaden across the continent, and the frontiersman from the east join hands with his brother from the west. Born in Vermont the year following its admission to the Union, he was a pioneer in New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa; and not till his locks were whitened and his shoulders bowed, nor until the frontier had swept beyond the Missouri, did he drop out of line among the skirmishers in the front of civilization's army. He was of Puritan ancestry, only four or five generations removed from Plymouth Rock, and thus witnessed the marvelous maturity of his country as a representative of its earliest founders.

In politics he was a Whig and a Republican, voting that ticket steadily from the younger, Adams to Blaine and naming his eldest son for Henry Clay. He hoped to cast his last ballot for the younger Harrison; but on election day was too feeble to be taken to the polls. In religion he was a earnest and devout member of the Baptist church, and even in his latest years seldom failed to attend if there were services in his church at Nevada. In personal character he was modest almost to a fault, and worthy in every way of the reverence and consideration, which all who met or knew him delighted to pay.

His funeral was conducted Saturday afternoon by Elder Wilson of Ames and he was buried in a little cemetery adjoining his farm.

Micah French Memorial Services.

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

Resolved, That 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 a tribute from his neighbors and friends in recognition of his life and virtues.

Resolved, That in the discharge of that duty a public meeting be held in the Nevada Park at 2 P. M. on Sunday, June 30th, at which all are invited to be present and to assist in memorial services.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to arrange a suitable program.

In accord with the above the necessary committees were appointed and the following outline of the program for a memorial meeting agreed upon: Time and place as names in second resolution; scripture lesson and prayer; addresses by Col. Scott and Capt. McCall; and appropriate selections of music. To this service the family, friends of the deceased, and those of his fellow citizens throughout the county who desire to thus publicly recognize his patriotism and sturdy manhood, are earnestly invited.

W. P. PAYNE, Sec. A. M. NORRIS, Pres.