When Melvin George French was born on 28 October 1881, in Edwardsport, Knox, Indiana, United States, his father, George H French, was 43 and his mother, Mary M Fields, was 33. He married Ada M Castner on 16 February 1907, in Marion, Indiana, United States. He lived in Sacramento, Sacramento, California, United States in 1920 and Long Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States in 1930. He died on 26 November 1965, in Indiana, United States, at the age of 84, and was buried in Edwardsport Town Cemetery, Edwardsport, Knox, Indiana, United States.