On August 9, 1879, Emma Lee and French married, in Snowflake, Arizona. They found a home near Holbrook, Arizona. They next moved to the White Mountains, but their ranch was just out the reservation. The White Mountain Apaches had an uprising in 1882 and killed 150 settlers that night. Emma was warned just before the attack on her ranch and was able to escape with her children and some ranch hands. She heard the shooting of the livestock and saw the smoke from the burning buildings. Later French sued the government for $10,000 for the loss of the ranch, but the land was resurveyed and was found to be on Apache land.