ABEL FRENCH
Sheriff from April 7, 1851 until 1854
Abel was born at Brattleboro, Vermont in 1804 and married Angeline Rust about 1825 in Ellicottville, N.Y. They had 2 children, Justin and Albert. Angeline died in 1828 and Abel then married Ann E. in 1830 and they had the following children: Franklin, Sarah, Angeline, Ann E., John, Daniel and Mary. They moved to Fairplains Township sometime in the late 1840s. Abel served as Clerk of Montcalm Township for the year 1847. On January 20, 1848 Abel was appointed Postmaster of the newly formed Greenville Post Office. His wife is said to have managed the details of the office part of the time. About the year 1850 he erected a store in Greenville and embarked in business with John Green, whose extended credit enabled the firm to do a lucrative trade. This store apparently served as the County jail for a period of time. Minutes from the County board of supervisors for the date October 12, 1852 stated that the "upper part of Abel French's store be used as the jail of this county." It was during this time that Abel was elected sheriff and served from 1851-1854.
Abel's partnership with John Green also included Josiah Russell and Charles C. Ellsworth and they formed the John Green Company. They built a saw mill in an area that had no human habitations aside from the Indians in what would eventually become Pine Township. They operated that mill for two years until it failed. From the History of Montcalm County, Michigan by John S. Schenck concerning the City of Greenville is the following: "Nelson Robinson, having purchased the mill property of John Green and others, employed Abel French to look after his interests, and he brought with him a stock of goods furnished by Mr. Robinson, and opened a store for the payment of the hands employed in the mill. Mr. French afterwards engaged with Henry M. Moore in trade, having built a store for that purpose in the suburbs." According to history Abel was not a popular business man and he eventually left Montcalm County. His son Albert's biography says his father moved to Chicago and engaged in business there until about 1867 when he exchanged his business for a farm in Colon Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan where he died in 1868.
(Sources: History of Ionia and Montcalm Counties, MI by John S. Schenck; census records) |
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