Los Angeles County
Biographies
JAMES WILLIAM FRENCH
FRENCH, JAMES WILLIAM, Machinery, Los Angeles, California, was born on a farm near Colfax, Iowa, December 3, 1859, the son of Thomas Andrew French and Elizabeth (Harmon) French. He married Nettie Wood at Harlan, Iowa, on November 22, 1883, and to them there were born two children, Gertrude and Irene French.
Mr. French was educated in the common schools of Iowa and spent his youth on his father’s farm. He left there in 1885 and went to Kirkman, Iowa, where he went into the drug business. He remained in that line for about five years and in 1888 was elected Auditor of Shelby County, Iowa, in which office he served until 1895. He was appointed postmaster of Harlan, Iowa, by President Grover Cleveland on Feb. 18, 1896, and served four years.
When he left office, Mr. French embarked in the hardware business in Harlan, remaining until 1902, and serving a term meanwhile as a member of the City Council of Harlan. He sold his business and became associated with the Austin-Western Company, Ltd., of Chicago, heavy machinery builders, as traveling salesman and Manager of the Iowa territory. He worked in that section for about a year and then was transferred to the Pacific Coast as General Agent. He held this position until May, 1911, when he was named Southwestern Manager for the company, having charge of its business in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. Two of the largest plants in the country, one at Los Angeles, the other at San Dimas, California, were installed by Mr. French.
Mr. French is a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, honorary member of the Jonathan Club, a Mystic Shriner and Knight Templar.
Transcribed by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 771,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Joyce
Rugeroni.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES