ENOCH FRENCH. The French family in Pennsylvania is an old Revolutionary one. Alexander French, the great-grandfather of Enoch (the subject of this sketch), having been a member of Gen. Washington's bodyguard. He resided near Philadelphia, Penn., at the time of his death. A son, Enoch, married a Miss McElroy, of Chambersburgh, Penn., and moved to Fayette county, this State, where he reared a family of children, of whom George French was one. He died in Fayette county. George French was born March 14, 1799, and in 1823 married Mary Porter, a daughter of Judge Charles Porter, of Fayette county. In 1832 he removed to Morris township, Washington county, and purchased the farm located one-half mile north-east of Dunn's Station, on which his son, Enoch, now resides, where he remained until his death, October 8, 1890, his life embracing a period of fifty-eight years. Mrs. French died in 1839, having become the mother of eight children - five boys and three girls. A.D., the eldest, enlisted in the Eighth Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves, and was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg; Charles P., a Presbyterian minister of La Salle county, Ill., died February 8, 1870; Washington, born in 1830, died at the age of fourteen years, October 10, 1844; one child died in infancy; Anne A. Miles died in May, 1869; J.C., born October 10, 1836, served in the Fifth West Virginia Cavalry during the Civil war, and is now a prominent citizen of Prosperity, Washington county; Jane resides at Amity, and Enoch in Morris township. Enoch French, the immediate subject of this sketch, was born where he now resides, June 28, 1834. He received a common-school education and remained with his father, assisting in conducting the farm until the beginning of the late war. On August 22, 1862, he enlisted at Amity in Company D, One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment, P.V.I., and served fourteen months, when he received an honorable discharge and returned home. The failing health of his father rendered it necessary for him to assume the management of the farm. On August 28, 1876, he married Lizzie J. Gardner, a daughter of John Gardner, of Amwell township. Under his management the splendid farm, on which he has worked since boyhood, has been much improved, and is made to yield a good income. Mr. French is a man of much more than ordinary intelligence, is an omnivorous reader, and is possessed of a remarkable memory, whereby he is enabled to give dates and recite events of historical importance with great preciseness. He is an authority on matters of this kind. He is a Republican in politics, though not bitterly partisan.

Text taken from page 1053 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Bobbi Steele of Indianapolis, IN as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]