Frenchman
River Model Works is truly a mom and pop operation. It was begun
back in 1994 by Jim Cleveland and was produced under the name of JD
Innovations. In 1997 Jim's wife was diagnosed with a rare form of
cancer on her spine which led to multiple surgeries over the next 7
years and necessitated dropping out of the model railroad industry
during this time. Jim's wife passed away in 2003 leaving him with a
grown son and 4 daughters at home to raise.
Anna was
a stay at home mom with 7 children when her husband was diagnosed
with terminal malignant melanoma in the fall of 2003. He passed away
in the spring of 2004.
Jim and
Anna met online in July of 2004 and were married in August making a
family of 12 children. In January of 2006 they welcomed their newest
addition, a baby girl, making them truly and yours, mine and ours
family.
Jim had
been working to restart JD Innovations under the current name of
Frenchman River Model Works several months before Jim and Anna got
married. They now work together to design and produce the high
quality kits that you have come to expect from Frenchman River Model
Works.
