Benjamin Brown French

Benjamin Brown French (1800–1870) was a politician, telegraph business leader, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Public Commissioner of Buildings in Washington, D.C. He was a member of the New Hampshire legislature from 1831 until 1833. He moved to Washington, D.C., where he served as Clerk of the United States House of Representatives from 1845 until 1847 and was appointed Commissioner of Public Buildings. He compiled an album of salt print and albumen print photographs related to construction of the Capitol dome and other sites. He was also involved in the burgeoning telegraph industry developed by Samuel Morse and others. His journals were published posthumously in edited form as Witness to the Young Republic. The August 30, 1845, issue of the Baltimore Sun led to the composition of a ballad by French about Luther Fuller who died aboard the steamboat Erie. It was printed on September 5. French was very active in a number of clubs and societies, particularly Freemasonry. In the 1850s, he was Grand Master of the Knights Templar of the United States. He succeeded William S. Wood as Commissioner of Public Buildings in the fall of 1861. He was present at Abraham Lincoln's inauguration (and was president of the inaugural ball committee), and is reported to have physically restrained John Wilkes Booth, who had gained access to the capitol rotunda, and was trying to push through the crowd. French was also present for the Gettysburg Address, and oversaw Lincoln's funeral. He gave the main speech April 14, 1868, at the dedication of the Abraham Lincoln statue at Washington's City Hall.