John R. French

John Robert French
Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate
In office March 22, 1869 – March 24, 1879
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 1st district
In office July 6, 1868 – March 3, 1869
Preceded by	Vacant
Succeeded by	Clinton L. Cobb
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
In office 1858–1860
Personal details
Born	May 28, 1819 Gilmanton, New Hampshire
Died	October 2, 1890 (aged 71) Boise, Idaho
Resting place	Boise City Cemetery., Boise City, Idaho
Political party	Republican
Relations	Nathaniel Peabody Rogers
Profession	Publisher Editor Politician

John Robert French (May 28, 1819 – October 2, 1890) was an American publisher, editor and Republican politician. He served as a Congressional Representative from North Carolina, as Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate and as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives during the 1800s.

Early life and career

French was born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire and received an academic education in Gilmanton and Concord, New Hampshire. He learned the printer’s trade, and for five years worked as publisher and associate editor of the New Hampshire Statesman in Concord. In 1847, while at the New Hampshire Statesman, French published a volume of writings by Nathaniel Peabody Rogers titled, A Collection from the Newspaper Writings of Nathaniel Peabody Rogers.^[1] He was the publisher and associate editor of Herald of Freedom in Concord, one of the first anti-slavery newspapers.^[2][3]

He worked as editor of the Eastern Journal in Biddeford, Maine for two years. In 1854, French moved to Lake County, Ohio where he worked as editor of the Telegraph,^[4] the Press, and, in 1856, the Cleveland Morning Leader.

Political career

In 1858 and 1859, French served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.^[5] In 1861, he was appointed by Secretary Salmon P. Chase to a clerkship in the Treasury Department in Washington, D.C..^[6]

French was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln as a member of the board of direct-tax commissioners for the State of North Carolina.^[7] He settled in Edenton, North Carolina at the close of the Civil War. In 1867, he served as a Delegate to the State constitutional convention.

Upon the readmission of the State of North Carolina to representation following the Civil War, French was elected as a Republican to the Fortieth Congress, serving from July 6, 1868 to March 3, 1869.^[8] He was not a candidate for renomination in 1868.

He was elected Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate on March 22, 1869 and served in that capacity until March 24, 1879.^[9] French was appointed secretary and disbursing office of the Ute Commission in July 1880, whereupon he returned to Washington, D.C..^[10][11]

In his later years, French moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and then to Boise City, Idaho, where he was editor of the Boise City Sun until his death.^[12] He is interred in Boise City Cemetery.

Personal life

French was Nathaniel Peabody Rogers's son in law.^[13][14]

References

1. Garrison, William Lloyd (1971). A House Dividing Against Itself, 1836-1840. Harvard University Press. p. 464.
2. Appleton (1891). Appletons' Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events: Embracing Political, Military, and Ecclesiastical Affairs; Public Documents; Biography, Statistics, Commerce, Finance, Literature, Science, Agriculture, and Mechanical Industry, Volume 30. Appleton. p. 647.
3. Robertson, Stacey M. (2006). Parker Pillsbury: Radical Abolitionist, Male Feminist. Cornell University Press. p. 67.
4. Chase, Salmon Portland (1998). The Salmon P. Chase Papers: Correspondence, April 1863-1864. Kent State University Press. p. 39.
5. Ohio. General Assembly (1920). Manual of Legislative Practice in the General Assembly of Ohio. Westbote Company. p. 265.
6. Chase, Salmon Portland and Niven, John (1993). The Salmon P. Chase Papers. Kent State University Press. p. 356.
7. Appleton (1891). Appletons' Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events: Embracing Political, Military, and Ecclesiastical Affairs; Public Documents; Biography, Statistics, Commerce, Finance, Literature, Science, Agriculture, and Mechanical Industry, Volume 30. Appleton. p. 647.
8. Wheeler, John Hill (1884). Reminiscences and Memoirs of North Carolina and Eminent North Carolinians. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 13.
9. Hinds, Asher Crosby (1907). Hinds' Precedents of the House of Representatives of the United States: Investigations, inquiries, electoral count, impeachments, privilege. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 918.
10. Appleton (1891). Appletons' Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events: Embracing Political, Military, and Ecclesiastical Affairs; Public Documents; Biography, Statistics, Commerce, Finance, Literature, Science, Agriculture, and Mechanical Industry, Volume 30. Appleton. p. 647.
11. U.S. Government Printing Office (1913). United States Congressional Serial Set. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 658.
12. Prosser, William Farrand (1903). A History of the Puget Sound Country, Its Resources, Its Commerce and Its People: With Some Reference to Discoveries and Explorations in North America from the Time of Christopher Columbus Down to that of George Vancouver in 1792. Lewis Publishing Company. p. 267.
13. Robertson, Stacey M. (2006). Parker Pillsbury: Radical Abolitionist, Male Feminist. Cornell University Press. p. 67.
14. Metcalf, Henry Harrison and McClintock, John Norris (1883). The Granite Monthly: A New Hampshire Magazine Devoted to History, Biography, Literature, and State Progress, Volume 7. H.H. Metcalf. p. 40.

External links

• Senate website biography
• John R. French at Find a Grave

• John R. French at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress