James Edgar French

As printed in 1906

JAMES EDGAR FRENCH, whose business life has gained him a wide acquaintance in Michigan, while his genuine, personal worth has made for him many friends throughout the state, is now living in Buchanan and is serving as supervisor of Buchanan township, being thus active in community affairs. He was born in Onondaga county, New York, September

2, 1838, and was the seventh son and fourteenth child in a family of fifteen children, numbering seven sons and eight daughters. Thirteen of the family reached adult age, while three are still living. The father, Titus T. French, was born and reared in Vermont, and when a young man removed from the Green Mountain state to St. Lawrence county. New York, where he was united in marriage to Miss Betsy Thayer, who was born in 'Massachusetts and was reared in the place of her nativity to the age of fifteen years. At a later date Mr. and Mrs. French removed to Onondaga, New York,, and the year 1856 witnessed their arrival in Michigan, at which time they located in Buchanan township, Berrien county, where Mr. French carried on general farming. He was a substantial and trustworthy citizen,, whose life was one of usefulness, activity and honor. He died at the age of seventy-eight years in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, in which he had been a deacon for more than forty years and one of its most active and helpful members. His wife passed away when sixty-seven years of age. The surviving members of the family are: Mittie C, now widow of David Fisk, and a resident of Cassopolis, Michigan; James Edgar, of this review; and Darius, who is living in Cassopolis.

James Edgar French spent the first sixteen years of his life in the Empire state and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Berrien county, Michigan. He began his education in the schools of his native county and continued his studies for one term after the removal to the west. His youth, however, was largely a period of earnest toil for he began working on the farm when only nine years of age and remained at home up to the time of his marriage, assisting his father in the improvement and development of the farm property. In 1860 he was limited in marriage to Miss Harriet J. Parrish, who was born in Berrien county, Michigan, and is a daughter of Archibald Parrish. She was reared, however, by Frederick Howe, of Bertrand township, Berrien county.

At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. French located on the old farm home-

Istead in Buchanan township and he took care of his parents until their demise. For about seven years he carried on general agricultural pursuits in Bertrand township, and in 1868 he turned his attention to the grocery business in Buchanan, conducting the same until 1870. He then sold out and engaged with Kellogg & Barrett, of Chicago, as a traveling salesman, his territory being Michigan. He sold groceries throughout this state and was with the firm for seven years. On the expiration of that period he formed a business relation with Warder, Bushnell & Glessner, manufacturers of reapers and mowers, continuing with that firm for eight years, during which time he traveled in Michigan and Illinois. He next represented the Economist Plow Company at South Bend, Indiana, traveling in Michigan for two years, after which he became general agent for the firm, opening up the territory in seventeen different states of the union for this company. He was with the house for fourteen years and for one year was with the Syracuse Plow Company, so that altogether he was upon the road as a traveling salesman for thirty years. He was state agent for Michigan for fourteen years, and general agent for ten years, and at length resigned his position on account of the ill health of his wife. For five years he was connected with the marble business at Buchanan in partnership with a Mr. Beistle. Alert and energetic, he possesses excellent business qualifications, sound discrimination and keen judgment and his efforts have always resulted in success, for he overcomes any difficulty and obstacle in his path.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. French have been born two children: Mabel A., who is now the wife of Frank W. Bosworth, a merchant carrying on business at Plymouth, Indiana; and George Walter, who is an engineer and resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. French have as valuable relics an old teapot, which is over a century old, and also a spinning wheel over sixty years old on which Mrs. French spun in her girlhood days.

Mr. French has been a life-long Republican, casting his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, since which time he has voted for each nominee at the head of the ticket. He has taken an active interest in Republican politics, earnestly desiring the success of the party, yet always declining to hold office himself. However, he consented to become a candidate for the office of supervisor in 1906 and was elected by a majority of ninety-nine over Democratic and Prohibition candidates. He is now serving also as a member of the village council as a capable official with due appreciation for the duties and responsibilities which devolve upon him. He belongs to the Masonic lodge in Buchanan, exemplifying in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. His residence in Berrien county covers a half century and he is hardly less widely known in other parts of the state. A genial manner, social and courteous disposition and genuine personal worth have gained him many friends wherever he has gone and it is with pleasure that we present to our readers the record of his life.

As printed in A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.