Just discovered these:

http://books.google.com/books?id=yxoVAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA6...

( or http://tinyurl.com/dctuf6 )

I suspect this is the same Samuel French who was in the Champaign County census 1850, and in Hutton, Coles Co. after that. He lived near Terre Haute at one time, and according to a Coles Co. historian made frequent trips back there to buy or sell scrap.

Would appreciate any leads on him or his family from Piatt Co.

thanks

Hi took a quick look at the cards at the Hist. library here in Monticello.
there does not seem to be a Samuel
There is:
an E.F. French marriage license May 5, 1875 to a Mary V. Lindsy
-a Jane French who died in Deland 11/19/1900 and was taken to Farmington for burial
--Funeral for Mrs. Mary French at Allenville-French cemetery burial. She died at daughters home, Mrs. Alice Vaughan. she was Mary Isabel Long born May 4, 1842 and married a Simon French 12/30/1858. They had 11 children.
--9/6/1900 Piatt co. Republican newspaper - there is a notice: Mr and Mrs. French went to Farmington for Mr. French's fathers death.
--S.R. "Dick" French of Lovington a farmer born 1868 has died.
There are several later obits. All seem to be connected to Allenville. hope this helps see ya Lucia

Thanks.
None of those names fit what I know of the family.
Vermillion C., IN 1840
Coles Co., IL 1860
Champaign Co., IL, 1850

So maybe Centerville was a very brief stop.