My Genealogy Hound

WALTER W. FRENCH, retired physician, residence Sec. 10; P. O. Hollandsburg. He was born in Jefferson Co., Va., March 1, 1792; his father, Samuel French, was a teacher, and gave his family more than ordinary advantages; when Walter was about 20, he enlisted in the army, but was mustered out in about six months, without seeing any service in the field. Soon after his return, he was married to Rachael P. Blue. For several years he acted as collector, at the same time reading medicine; in 1823, they removed to Brownsville, Ohio, and the following year his wife died, leaving three children—James W., Samuel J. and Mary J.; he then returned to Virginia, and her mother took care of the children until his marriage with Lavina Bailey, after which he purchased a farm in Jefferson Co., Va., where they lived until 1838, when he came with his family to Darke Co., first settling in Washington Township, and practiced medicine there about six years; then removed to Hollandsburg, where he practiced and also kept store for more than twenty years; in 1869, he was robbed of over $8,000 in cash; in 1871, he purchased and removed to the farm, where he now resides, with his widowed daughter, Jane; in 1874, his second wife died; she bore him six children, viz.: Phoebe L., now Mrs. Robert Little, of Columbus, Ind.; Rachel A., now Mrs. J. G. Harland, of Union City, Ind.; Elizabeth, now Mrs. D. Ryan, of Hollandsburg; Emily E., now Mrs. J. M. Harrison, of Hollandsburg, and Martha L. and Walter J. B., both deceased; of his first wife’s children, Samuel J. is deceased; James W. resides near Princeton, Ind.; Mary Jane was married July 16, 1839, to John C. Heironimus, whose death occurred July 23, 1879, he being 69 years of age; they had eleven children—Elmira L., born April 20, 1840, married to David Tittle in 1872, and died July 3, 1877; Walter A., born Nov. 29, 1841; Eliza J., born Nov. 22, 1843, now Mrs. Jacob Anderson, of Wayne Co., Ind.; Eliza A., born Dec. 5, 1845, died Aug. 6, 1865; Narcissus V., born Oct. 27, 1847, now Mrs. Leander Anderson, also of Wayne Co., Ind.; John W., born Feb. 17, 1850; Andrew P., born March 13, 1852, died Aug. 6, 1874; Camelius P., born Oct. 25, 1853, died Jan. 19, 1855; Charles W., born March 7, 1856, now a resident of Wayne Co., Ind.; Minerva C., born June 12, 1857, now Mrs. Oliver P. Anderson, also of Wayne Co., Ind., and Emma R., born May 24, 1861; Mr. French is an old resident of Darke Co., and one of the three oldest men now living in Harrison Township, being in his 88th year; he has been successful as a merchant, and in his day enjoyed a large practice as a physician; he has not practiced any for the past ten or twelve years; he now lives with and is cared for by his daughter, Jane Heironimus, her sons, Walter and John W., farming the place.