Joseph Nathaniel French

Joseph Nathaniel French, Sr. (October 24, 1888 – February 28, 1975) was an architect with Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. from 1914 to 1967. cite book |first=W. Hawkins |last=Ferry |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Society |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DHRTAAAAMAAJ&q |quote=Joseph N. French ... |publisher=Michigan Society of Architects |date=1952 ] He was the chief architect for the Fisher Building in Detroit, Michigan.

Biography

He was born on October 24, 1888 in Boston, Massachusetts, and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and graduated in 1911. [cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Technology Review |year= |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alumni Association |quote=Joseph Nathaniel French, '11 | url=http://books.google.com/books?id=_vUQpLQCB04C&q=%22Joseph+Nathaniel+French%22&dq=%22Joseph+Nathaniel+French%22&ei=nInFR6TOPI6UzATinZXZBQ&pgis=1 |isbn= ] French first married Amie Gertrude Lathe (1885-1921) around 1912 in Boston, Massachusetts. [cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Technology Review |year=1912 |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alumni Association |quote=Along with the invitation to Dick's wedding, came the announcement from Joseph N. French, a Course IV man, of his marriage with Miss Annie [sic] Gertrude Lathe of ... | url= |isbn= ] He was put in charge of the last stages of construction on Henry Ford's Fairlane Manor in Dearborn, Michigan in 1913. [cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Technology Review |year=1913 |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alumni Association |quote=Joseph N. French, Course IV, patriotically wrote to the secretary on Independence Day. At present he has charge of construction work on Henry Ford's new ... | url= |isbn= ] In 1914 he started work for Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. in Detroit, Michigan, as a draftsman and then as an architect. [cite book |last=Ferry |first=W. Hawkins |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Buildings of Detroit |year=1968 |publisher=Wayne State University Press |quote= | url= |isbn= ] [By 1916 he was living at 2098 Woodward Avenue in Detroit] On June 10, 1921 his wife Amie died, and on June 8, 1926 he married Yolanda Christina Tandberg (1902-2003). [cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Technology Review |year=1925 |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alumni Association |quote=It is a pleasure to announce the engagement of Miss Yolanda Christina Tandberg and Mr. Joseph Nathaniel French of Detroit. But wait, you ain't heard nuthin' ... | url= |isbn= ] Yolanda was the daughter of Thorvald Martin Tandberg (1874-1970) and Alvilde Marie Magdalene Naess (1875-1933) of Norway. She was 14 years younger than Joseph. They had several children including, Joseph Nathaniel French, Jr. [cite book |first=Joseph Nathaniel | last =French, Jr. |url= |title=Customs and Manners of Elizabethan London as Reflected in Thomas Dekker's ... |accessdate=2008-03-01 |quote= |publisher=Columbia University ] While at Kahn he was chief architect for the Fisher Building in 1928. From 1930 to 1932 he worked at the Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. Moscow office with twenty-four other Kahn engineers and architects. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Industry's Architect. |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,795936,00.html |quote=In 1928 the Soviet Government, after combing the U.S. for a man who could furnish the building brains for Russia's industrialization, offered the job to Kahn. Twenty-five Kahn engineers and architects went to Moscow. |publisher=Time (magazine) |date=Monday, June 29, 1942 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Joseph Nathaniel French |url= |quote=|publisher=American Architects. Third edition. Edited by John F. Gane. New York: R.R. Bowker |date=1970 ] One of his projects was the steel work of the General Motors Futurama building at the 1939 New York World's Fair. He worked on the design of the Chrysler plant near Kansas City. cite news |first=W. Hawkins |last=Ferry |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Buildings of Detroit: A History |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=qO1PAAAAMAAJ&q |quote=Joseph N. French of Albert Kahn Assoc. |publisher= |date=1968 ] He died on February 28, 1975 in Livonia, Michigan. He was buried in Roseland Park Cemetery at 29001 Woodward Avenue, Berkley, Michigan. cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Joseph N. French, Fairlane Architect |url= |quote=A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he came to Detroit in 1913 to work as an architect on Henry Ford's home, Fairlane. He joined the architectural firm of Albert Kahn Associates in 1914 and retired from that company in 1967. In the meantime he had served as chief architect for the Fisher Building, taught methods of industrial construction in Russia and during World War II, designed installations for the Army and Navy throughout the world. |publisher=Detroit Free Press |date=February 29, 1975 |accessdate=2007-09-25 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=french&GSmid=46580804&GRid=14280203& Joseph Nathaniel French] at Findagrave
* [http://genealogy.wikia.com/wiki/Joseph_Nathaniel_French_I_%281888-1975%29 Joseph Nathaniel French] at Wikia Genealogy