Master Surname Index



Alice French

Ancestry of
Alice French

(aka Octave Thanet)
Novelist and Short Story Writer


Who was Alice French (aka Octave Thanet)?

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.


Some of the most recently added connections of famous kin for Alice French

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George Palmer Putnam

Founder, G.P. Putnam's Sons

8th cousin
via Allerton

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Maj. Gen. George Owen Squier

Inventor of Muzak

8th cousin
via Alexander Carpenter

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Allison Janney

TV, Movie and Stage Actress

8th cousin 5 times removed
via Allerton

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Phil Scott

82nd Governor of Vermont

7th cousin 4 times removed
via Rev. John Lothrop

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Phil Scott

82nd Governor of Vermont

7th cousin 3 times removed
via George Watson

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Horatio Collins King

Medal of Honor Recipient
U.S. Civil War

6th cousin
via William Hodges

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Horatio Collins King

Medal of Honor Recipient
U.S. Civil War

5th cousin 1 time removed
via Thomas Leonard

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Charles K. Williams

20th Governor of Vermont

3rd cousin 3 times removed
via Thomas Leonard

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Charles K. Williams

20th Governor of Vermont

4th cousin 2 times removed
via John Tisdale

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Waldo Peirce

American Painter

7th cousin 2 times removed
via George Morton

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Waldo Peirce

American Painter

6th cousin 3 times removed
via Thomas Tupper

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John L. Barstow

39th Governor of Vermont

7th cousin 1 time removed
via Alexander Carpenter

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William Allen

3rd President of Bowdoin College

6th cousin 2 times removed
via Alexander Carpenter

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Walter F. Lansil

American Painter

7th cousin
via George Watson

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William A. Barstow

3rd Governor of Wisconsin

6th cousin 2 times removed
via Alexander Carpenter

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Hoyt Vandenberg

2nd Director Central Intelligence

7th cousin 2 times removed
via George Watson

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Richard A. Snelling

76th and 78th Governor of Vermont

8th cousin 3 times removed
via Alexander Carpenter

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Orson Bean

TV Actor

8th cousin 3 times removed
via Alexander Carpenter

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Matthew Perry

TV and Movie Actor

8th cousin 3 times removed
via Isaac Stearns

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Matthew Perry

TV and Movie Actor

7th cousin 6 times removed
via Degory Priest

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Stephen King

Author of The Stand

7th cousin 3 times removed
via George Morton

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Jim Douglas

80th Governor of Vermont

8th cousin 3 times removed
via Alexander Carpenter

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Jim Douglas

80th Governor of Vermont

7th cousin 4 times removed
via George Watson

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Richard Thomas

TV and Movie Actor

7th cousin 3 times removed
via Rev. John Lothrop

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Charles A. Sprague

22nd Governor of Oregon

6th cousin 2 times removed
via Philip Taber

View entire list of famous kin for Alice French

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