Collection on William A. French and Company

William A. French (also known as Bill French, W.A. French, William Albert French) was born on April 2, 1863 in Plainfield, N.J and died on February 2, 1942. After moving to Minnesota in the 1880’s, French became a nationally recognized furniture maker and interior decorator known for his hand-made furniture. He was a founder and director of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Institute of Interior Decorators and owner of William A. French & Co., and then of William A. French Studios Inc. on Park and Nicollet Avenues. While French started his company in St. Paul and then moved to Minneapolis, his businesses operated out of factories and storefronts as far away as Winnipeg and New York. He had a summer home on the St. Croix River where he stayed with his wife, Fannie K. French, and daughter, Sally Hunt Tearse (also known as Sally Hunt). After his death, the main office of the William A. French Co. was moved to Duluth, MN.