Hi All, I thank Jan who made a post on rootsweb for sending me the following bio. I have found him in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses, but not yet in the 1850 census. I think he was probably enroute to California at the time. Would like to find out who his parents were. It is thought that he married, but the censuses thus far do not reveal that info. Thanks, David Charles Grafton Wilberton French (22 Aug 1822-14 Aug 1891) Chief justice of Arizona territory, 1876-1884, was one of the best liked and most important of the early jurists. His birthplace was Berkeley, Massachusetts, and after graduating from Brown University in 1842 he briefly taught school. He then studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced law in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In January of 1851 French arrived in California and lived in Placer County until 1854 when he moved to Sacramento. There he practiced law for many years and also at one time served as a Republican in the state legislature. President Grant appointed French chief justice in late 1875, and it was the following January when he arrived in Tucson. Receiving a second four year appointment from President Hayes in 1880, the Chief Justice was in office until the spring of 1884, thus being at his post over eight years. During hissecond term he was assigned to Prescott and generally held trial court there, although when the need arose he substituted for other judges in the other districts. French was especially noted for remaining on duty and not taking lengthy trips outside of Arizona as some other jurists did. A man of great dignity, he had ability too and left a lasting imprint upon the legal history of Arizona. In his later years he lived in Prescott and then Sacramento, but died in San Francisco, California. Arizona Biographical Dictionary by John S. Goff. Goff's sources were John S. Goff, Arizona Territorial Officials, I, The Supreme Court Justices, 1975; Daily Journal-Miner, (Prescott), 17 Aug 1891. [sources written as he wrote it].