Rufus S. French, Deputy Supreme Chief Ranger, I. O. F., located at Nos. 35 and 36

Wenham building, Grand Rapids, Mich., is a native of Chatham, Canada, was born October 6, 1869, and is a son of Peter and Julia (Jacobs) French, natives of the same country the father’s family being of German and English, and the mother’s of French extraction.

Peter French is a farmer of Kent county, Canada, where he was born in 1822, and is

still hale and hearty; his wife, born in the same county in 1843, is his second spouse. To his first marriage were born six children, all of whom are still living in Chatham, and by his second wife he is the father of three children, viz: Rufus S., the subject of this sketch; Ella, wife of D. McDonald, who is engaged in the commission business at Chatham, and Earnest, who is in the far west engaged in speculating. Rufus S. French was primarily educated in the country schools in the neighborhood of his birth place, next attended the Chatham Collegiate institute for three and a half years, and then took a six months’ course in McLachlan’s Business college in the same city. He began life on his own account as a bookkeeper for a commission broker in Chatham, but remained with him for less than a year, when he secured a similar position in a wholesale and retail grocery in the same town. He next made a start for British Columbia, but was induced to stay at Detroit, Mich., to fill a position in a grocery, but soon secured a more advantageous position as bookkeeper in the office of the chief engineer of the Grand Trunk railway at Detroit, and a year later was transferred to Grand Rapids, to take charge of the books in the road master’s office, and was thus employed from 1892 until July, 1897. Mr. French had been a member of the Independent Order Foresters for the previous eleven years, but in 1897 he became identified with the active work of promoting the order’s interests, prosperity and general usefulness. He began his effective work as an organizer of courts, etc., succeeded in securing numerous new members, and did much other good work until December, 1898, when he was given charge of the Grand Rapids office, with the title mentioned at the opening of this article, which carries with it a good salary and permanency, and is the only office in Michigan established under the supreme court of the order. Since Mr. French began his active work in promoting the progress of the order, it has been increased from four to eight courts in the city of Grand Rapids, and the membership now exceeds 800. Mr. French also visits other localities, instructing new courts and stimulating those that are older, but which may be growing lax or indifferent.

November 10, 1892, Mr. French married Miss Mabel A. Welch, only child of James H. Welch, foreman of the D., G. H, & M. warehouse, Grand Rapids. She was born in Lowell, Mich., and was educated in the Grand Rapids high school, and is now the happy mother of one child, Earle Forbes, born May 10, 1896. Mrs. French is a member of the Congregational church, while Mr. French was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church; but their home is the home of harmony. Fraternally Mr. French is a Knight of Pythias and in politics is a republican.

Mr. and Mrs. French enjoy the friendship and esteem of a large circle of acquaintances, and their many personal merits make them general favorites in society.