James H. French Biography

Although called to that bourne whence no traveler returns, this gentleman so lived, while here on earth, as to win him the universal respect and confidence of his fellow mortals, and is especially deserving of mention in this volume, devoted to the history of prominent and useful citizens. He was born in the Old Dominion March 26, 1835, in Warrenton, Fauquier County. His paternal grandfather, Stephen French, was born in the north of Ireland, but emigrated from that country with two brothers, William and James, in colonial times, and settled in Prince William County, Va. At the age of eighteen years Stephen enlisted in the patriot
army, endured the hardships of Valley Forge, and took part in the battle of Yorktown.

James French, his son, and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Prince William County, Va., March 18, 1801, and became a farmer of enterprise and intelligence, and for three years was a member of the House of Delegates from Fauquier County, Va., and after a well-spent life died May 7, 1850. The maternal grandmother, Martha Williams, was a member of the distinguished Williams and Lanier families, of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively.

The subject of this sketch had two sisters and two brothers, Marcellus, Junius B., Matilda and Rosalie. Marcellus French
moved to Texas in 1852, and in 1857 he commanded an expedition for the relief of Gen. Walker, in Nicaragua, and in August of the same year he was elected to the Legislature from Bexar and Atascosa counties. He returned to Virginia in July, 1861, and was in the Confederate army of Northern Virginia, which he joined in October, 1861, ranking as Captain in Lamb's brigade of cavalry, and since the war has resided in Virginia. Junius B. was also an officer in the Confederate army, being Adjutant of the Forty-third
North Carolina Regiment, and was killed at Gettysburg July 1,1863. Matilda became the wife of David Hewes, of Oakland, Cal., and is now deceased, while Rosalie married Arthur Brown, whose father was British Consul at Hawaii, Sandwich Island, in 1861.

James H. French received a liberal education at the academy of his native town, which was supplemented by a course in the
preparatory school of Columbia College, Washington, D. C. An enterprising spirit led him to emigrate to the new State of Texas. He located at San Antonio in 1851, and made that city his home mainly until his death, and having inherited considerable property from his father, he employed it with such prudence and sagacity as to accumulate quite a handsome estate. When the Civil War broke out he entered the Confederate army, in May, 1861, and served in the Adjutant-General's office until the 19th of October, 1861, when
he was appointed Captain, and was assigned to the Commissary Department of the army under Gen. Herbert, on the Rio Grande River. In January, 1863, he was transferred to the purchasiug department, where he remained until March, 1865, when he took charge of the reserve department of supplies located at San Diego, for the forces operating under Col. John S. Ford. At the close of the war he found that his fortune had been swept away, leaving him little more than his energy, enterprise and push, with which to retrieve what he had lost, and place his young family again in comfortable circumstances. At the close of the war he was thirty years of age, and possessd the qualities that rarely fail to win success. He inspired confidence in those with whom he came in contact, and won many warm friends by his manly conduct and honorable bearing, and he was admirably adapted to discharge the duties which he was afterwards called upon to perform. The city of San Antonio had been wretchedly misgoverned, its credit had fallen to a low ebb; its treasury was depleted; its bonds were hawked in public at a heavy discount; its script was looked upon as of little worth; its public School system had been abandoned; debt rested like a nightmare upon the city, paralyzing its business energies and clogging the channels of commerce; bankruptcy stood like a gaunt and hungry wolf at the door; recklessness and negligence had marked
previous administrations of public affairs, and ruin or repudiation seemed the only alternatives. It was at such a time that the people of this city began to disregard party liues in local affairs, and to look about for some good man of business tact, who would be able to reconstruct the municipal government out of the chaotic mass. Capt French, though voting with the Democrats, was by no means a partisan. At city affairs he looked with a business and not a party eye. He longed to see badly kept books overhauled and the balance sheet struck, so that property holders might know how heavily their property was mortgaged. He desired to see schools revived, improvements begun, and new enterprises projected and carried out. His fellow-citizens had confidence in his judgment and integrity, and therefore, in 1875, he was brought forward without distinction of party as a candidate for city Mayor, in opposition to the regular Democratic nominee, and after a spirited contest he was elected by a majority of 104 votes. Had the board of aldermen the progressive ideas that characterized him, there would have been an immediate and healthful revolution, but he found himself confronted by a hostile and stubborn opposition, and could make but slow headway. He familiarized himself with the details of municipal affairs, looked into the public debt, made himself acquainted with the cause of former failures, and projected and advocated plans to relieve the city of its burdens, and pointed out the nicety of certain improvements, and suggested the means by which they might be accomplished. In short, he addressed himself heart and soul to the task of redeeming San Antonio, and
street contracts were carried out and paid for in money, confidence was again restored to the people, the doors of the public schools were thrown open, the amount and character of the city debt was ascertained and classified, and public business was conducted on such principles only as a strict business man would adopt At the end of the first year of his service he was able to present an intelligent view of the solution, and to show tax payers how their city business had been conducted. At the end of two years he had fully ingratiated himself in the favor of the conservative class, and when he was nominated in 1877 for a second term, he was triumphantly elected, and received a largely increased majority. Although he was again confronted with difficulties, and was compelled to fight his way inch by inch, yet he succeeded in introducing many needed reforms and improvements. The credit of the city was partially restored, and all felt the influence of his wise and patriotic measure. In 1879 he was again nominated for Mayor, and elected by a majority of 803 votes. He endeared himself to the citizens by bringing order out of chaos, lifting the city out of the mire and placing it upon solid rock. He was re-elected in 1881, again for the fifth term in 1883, but in 1885 declined to become a candidate for the office, but was nominated Alderman, and for the following two years fulfilled the duties of this position, which
ended his career as a public man; twelve of the best years of his life having been given to the service of his city, the home of his adoption.

Capt. French was married in San Antonio, Texas, October 15, 1850, to Miss Sarah L. Webb, who was born at Detroit, Mich., October 6, 1836, a daughter of Henry Webb, who was Cashier of the Bank at Ithaca, N. Y. Mrs. French, through her father, is descended from the Webb family who came from England and settled in New England in 1640, and intermarried with the Adams and Bradford families, of Revolutionary and Plymouth Rock fame. Her mother was Olive Ann Sellsrigg, whose grandfather, Jeremiah Sellsrigg (formerly Sellkirk), enlisted at the age of sixteen and served through the Revolution. His wife was a sister of Matthew Vassar, the founder of Vassar College. Mrs. French is a scholarly and eminently talented lady. She was appointed Regent for
Texas of the General Society of the Daughters of the Revolution, and has been very active in enrolling members, the membership in Texas being quite large. She was also recently made a member of the Historical Society of the State of Virginia.

To the union of Mr. and Mrs. French five children were given: Junius B., born January 29, 1858, graduated from Roanoke College,
Virginia, in 1879, and afterwards, in 1883, at Hampton-Sidney College, where he studied theology, and is now pastor of the Broadway Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth. He married Miss Annie Dial, of San Marcos, and has three children. Olive Ann was born February 25, 1860, and was educated at Vassar College. She married Joseph P. Devine, of San Antonio, and they have
had six children, one of whom is now dead. James Vassar, born June 25, 1864, attended Hampton-Sidney College, and married Miss Augusta Hirshfield, of Fort Worth; Sarah L., born February 21, 1867, and Franklin G., born July 25, 1872.

Mr. French was reared under Presbyterian influence, and was regarded as orthodox in his religious views. His personal appearance
was attractive and pleasing. His features were clear cut and expressive, his eyes were deep blue, his hair gray, and in height he was six feet and one inch tall, and weighed 240 pounds. He was a distinguished figure in any assembly, and his talents would cause him to be recognized as a gentleman of fine ability and distinction. His death occurred in San Antonio September 6, 1893. The following article is taken from the editorial of the San Antonio Express of September 8, 1893: "James H. French is dead, an Apollo with silver hair, a Chesterfieldian gentleman under any circumstances, to all a monitor, to man an example, to age a staff, to youth a guide, philosopher and friend. All knew him, and to know him was to love him, for his heart was a well-spring of courtesy and kindness, pure as a child's, broad and deep as humanity. He was brave as Cassar, generous as Macenas, tender as Guaetemu, and true as the stars to their appointed courses. He looked quite through the outward show of things into the things themselves, and none, however poor their lot or lowly their condition, were passed by without a graceful, cheery recognition that added a new significance to life. The market woman and the leader of society shared alike his cordial salutation, and the honest toiler in his working blouse received the same courtly consideration as the distinguished citizen. It is strange that all, without distinction, should feel that death had
dispoiled them of one near and dear—that the entire city should mingle its tears with those of the stricken family. For ten years Mayor of the city, for more than four years Alderman, he left an unblemished reputation. His hands were ever clean and his character above reproach. He possessed great administrative and executive ability, and considering the limited means at his command left many enduring monuments of his progressive spirit. In public and private life his counsel was eagerly sought, and to him the poor and
helpless turned as instinctively as the helianthus turns its face to the rising sun. Honored as a citizen, esteemed as a neighbor, belovod as a friond, idolized as a husband and father, such was he whom death has claimed, who now lies before us, the pathetic ruin of his former self, the strong hand irresponding to our convulsive pressure, the warm heart chilled at last, the cheery voice which scattered bowers of sunshine shimmering like purest gold down many a desolate path now hushed forever. The heart sinks low in anguish,
and beneath the dark shadow, and the hand still tingling with his cordial salute, trembles and hesitates at the task so unexpectedly forced upon it, that of recording that James H. French has passed from time to eternity. Our loss is irreparable. We only unite in tendering our sympathy to those nearer and dearer to him than all others, so suddenly called upon to yield to God their greatest treasure. Mr. French was buried at the City Cemetery on Powder House Hill, September 8, and the funeral services were conducted by Rev. D. Hanson Irwin, whose text was 'Thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.' The sermon was a touching and appropriate tribute to the dead. The City Hall remained closed that day, and business was suspended in many of the leading commercial houses of the city, as a token of respect and affection to him who had passed from among them."

Transcribed from:
"Memorial and Genealogical Record of Southwest Texas"
Chicago: Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers
1894
page 619 - 622