When Melvin French was born on 2 March 1882, in Ione, Amador, California, United States, his father, Martin Van Buren French, was 40 and his mother, California " Cally" McCain, was 32. He married Josephine Adele Marks on 14 April 1903. They were the parents of at least 1 son. He lived in Chico, Butte, California, United States in 1920 and Oroville Judicial Township, Butte, California, United States in 1940. He died on 22 February 1968, in Oroville, Butte, California, United States, at the age of 85, and was buried in Mount Olive Memorial Park, Commerce, Los Angeles, California, United States.