James B. French
James B. French was born in Virginia, Dec. 1830. In ’50 he immigrated to Iowa where he spent about four years, after which he visited Kansas and then returned to Iowa. In April ’56 he was married to Miss Rebecca Lambert; again he visited Kansas; thence removed to Missouri, where in ’57 he was bereft of his wife. He again returned to Kansas, and in July ’57, pre-empted the farm he now resides upon. He was personally acquainted with John Brown, and was in the immediate vicinity when one of his sons was killed by the border ruffians; was also present at the burning of Osawatomie. In ’63 he enlisted in the 15th regiment of Kansas cavalry, and after serving two years and four months, was honorably discharged, and returned to his farm in Lexington Township.
Atlas Map of Johnson County, Kansas, E. F. Heisler and Co., 1874, p. 64.
