SHELBY COUNTY OHIO OBIT
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OBITUARY OF JOSEPH FRENCH 

Provided by Lorri French/Submitted by Karen Williams

Dated 2/14/1953 (Probably Sidney Daily Times)

Joseph French, Spanish-American War Veteran, Dies

Joseph Walter French, 77, Spanish-American war veteran and a retired blacksmith,
died at 6 o'clock this morning in the Brown Veterans' hospital in Dayton. He was
taken to the hospital on Tuesday, February 3, when he was stricken with the flu.
He had been in ill health since submitting to surgery in July of 1951 and became 
serious when flu developed.  His wife, Mrs. Nancy Elizabeth Dunn, with whom he 
marked their 54th wedding anniversary on February 7 in their home at 803 Clinton 
avenue, survives with four of the seven children born to them; Robert M. French,
R.R. 6; John L. French, Covington, Kentucky; Mrs. Charles E. (Dorothy) Crusey, 
116 Water Street; Mrs. William C. (Betty Jane) White, 534 Jefferson Street.

The three children preceding him were: Mary L. French, who died in 1923; Ruth E.
French in infancy and Joseph W. French in 1941.

Throughout his life Joseph W. French followed the vocation of a blacksmith from 
which he retired a number of years ago.  He served during the Spanish-American 
war under Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders. He was stationed in Cuba with Troop B,
6th regiment of the calvary and of the hospital corps of the American hospital. 
He enlisted in service on April 15, 1896, and received his honorable discharge 
on April 14, 1897.  

Joseph French was born on November 19, 1875, at Careysville, Adams County, a son 
of Charles and Mary Rich French Smith. He was the youngest of their family of 
four children and is the first to pass away. Surviving are: Mrs. Anna Hayworth, 
Los Angeles, California; John L. French, San Antonio, Texas; Louis French, 
Seattle, Washington.  He has five grandchildren: Mrs. Carl (Mary) Fridley, 
Sidney; Mrs. James (Patricia) Fleckenstein, Minster; Airman Second Class Nancy 
French, California; Nancy Jayne White, Charles David Crusey, Sidney. One 
grandson, Robert French, Jr., has passed away.  There are three 
great-grandchildren; Linda Sue, Carleen, Robert Fridley, Sidney.

The deceased was a member of the Colonel W. T. Amos Camp, Spanish-American War;
The American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. 

Throughout all his life since early childhood Joseph French had lived in Sidney.
He was baptized in the Sidney First Baptist Church in 1890.  

Military honors will be accorded at the funeral rites but the date and hour will 
not be set until word comes from the granddaughter in the U.S. service. Burial 
will be in Graceland cemetery.

The body is at the Cromes Funeral Home.