Master Surname Index




Alice French

Ancestry of
Alice French

(aka Octave Thanet)
Novelist and Short Story Writer


    Alice French

    View famous kin of Alice French

    • 1st Generation
    • Ahnentafel No:
    • Birth Date:
    • 19 Mar 1850 
    • Birth Location:
    • Andover, Essex, Massachusetts 
    • Christening Date:
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    • Christening Location:
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    • Death Date:
    • 9 Jan 1934 
    • Death Location:
    • Davenport, Scott, Iowa 
    • Burial Date:
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    • Burial Location:
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    • Notes: 
    • aka Octave Thanet

      Novelist and Short Story Writer

      Alice French, who wrote under the pen name Octave Thanet, was an American novelist and short story writer born on March 19, 1850, in Andover, Massachusetts. She grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and attended several prestigious schools before returning to Iowa to teach.

      In 1884, French began writing short stories, and her work quickly gained recognition for its realism and sympathetic portrayal of rural life in the Midwest. She published her first collection of short stories, "Knitters in the Sun," in 1887, and went on to write several more collections and novels over the course of her career.

      French's stories often dealt with social issues such as poverty, racism, and gender inequality, and she was known for her ability to capture the voices and experiences of working-class people. Her work was widely read and admired, and she was considered one of the leading literary figures of her time.

      In addition to her writing, French was an active member of the Women's Club movement, advocating for women's rights and social reform. She passed away on January 9, 1934, in Davenport, Iowa.

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