Biography of JOHN C. FRENCH of Manchester NH

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Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com/Manchester
On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE 
TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN 
Please see the web site for my email contact.
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The original source of this information is in the public domain, 
however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is 
restricted without written permission from the transcriber 
(who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same).
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SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire 
Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885
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page 133
JOHN C. FRENCH
John C. French, one of the leading business men of Manchester, was born
in Pittsfield, NH, March 1, 1832. He came of sturdy New England stock,
his grandfather being Abram French, a carpenter and builder, who 
completed the interior of the first meeting-house in Pittsfield, and 
also the parsonage building for Rev. Christopher Paige, stepfather of
the "beautiful Grace Fletcher," the first wife of Daniel Webster.
Abram French bought the farm of Rev. Christopher paige, known as the
French homestead.
  Enoch, the eldest son of Abram French, who married, in 1823, 
Eliza Cate, of Epsom [NH], a most estimable woman, was the father of
five children, the subject of this sketch being the only survivor.
His boyhood was passed upon one of the rocky farms of Pittsfield where
his opportunities for obtaining an education were very limited. He
attended the common schools of his native town, and by teaching winters
and working on a farm summers he secured means which enabled him to
attend several terms at the academies at Pittsfield, Gilmantaon and
Pembroke. Here he succeeded in acquiring an education which well
qualified him for his subsequent successful business career.
  At the age of twenty-one he entered the employ of J.H. Colton & Co.,
the well-known publishers, as salesman for their mounted maps. He soon
developed a remarkable ability as a solicitor, and his executive
ability, combined with his rate tact in dealing with such a variety of
persons, attracted the attention of his employers, who rewarded him by
giving him, a yar later, the Boston agency for "Colton's Atlas of the
World."  The success which he attained with the maps followed him in
this also, selling, as he did, more than twelve hundred copies of this
expensive work.  In 1855 he was apopinted by this house their general
agent for New England, and subsequently gave considerable attention to
the introduction of Coltons' series of geographies into the public
schools.  He was also subsequently associated with Brown, Taggart & Co.
and Charles Scribner & Co. in bringing out their school publications.
  In May 1865 he was appointed State agent for the Connecticut Mutual
life Insurance Company. He then located in Manchester, where he has
since resided, although he still retains possession of the delightful
old homestead in Pittsfield, where he first saw the light of day.
  Three years later, having become interested in the insurance interests
of the State, he conceived the idea of establishing a stock fire 
insurance company, and by untiring persistency and zeal characeristic 
of the man, he succeeded in overcoming the almost universal prejudice
existing against such an organization, enlisted in its support some of
Manchester's most prominent citizens, secured a charter and a capital
stock and began the business, which under his energetic and prudent
management, has since grown to great proportions, its capital having 
been increased from one hundred thousand dollars to five hundred
thousand dollars, and its cash assets to ove one million dollars, while
it enjoys a national reputation for excellent management and financial
success.
  Notwithstanding he has been engrossed in the management of a large
business in Manchester, he has ever manifested a lively interest in his
native town, and when the project for building a railroad which would
promote its growth and prosperity took shape, he gave himself heartily
to the support of the enterprise, and it was largely through his 
efforts that the three hundred and fifty thousand dollars necessary to
build the Suncook Valley road was secured by subscriptions to the 
capital stock and gratuities from the towns along the line. As one
methods of helping this work to a successful completion, he established
the "Suncook Valley Times" at Pittsfield, and for two years contributed
regularly to its columns in a series of historical and biographical
articles which attracted much attention in the locality and were widely
copied and read elsewhere. He also at one time published and edited at
Manchester a journal devoted to insurance interests, and has established
a reputation as a vigorous, versatile and popular writer. He is deeply
interested in the literature of his native State, and probalby no man
has so thorough a knowledge of its resources, industries, and local
history. He is a member of Trinity Commandery, Knights Templar, and
a director in the Merchants' National Bank. He attends the Franklin
Street Church. In 1858 he united in marriage with Annie M., daughter of
L.B. Philbrick, Esq., of Deerfield, and their family consists of three
children,--Lizzie A., Susie P., and George Abram.
  Mr. French is a genial companion, a stanch friend and a man who wins
and holds the good opinion of his fellow-citizens.

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