The origins of William French are unknown. I quote another researcher: "There are so many discrepancies and suppositions concerning the English ancestry of William FRENCH that it is best to omit all references to possibilities until such time as the conflicts are resolved."

He definitely was not the William French reported in earlier genealogies as baptized in Halstead, Essex, England, on 15 Mar 1603; as a 1637 London, England, will for another William French has been found and proved to be the one born in Halstead. See NEHGR 65:284-86 and TGM.

His origins are reported as unknown in TGM.

Born:  About 1603-5. Per reference in his will that he was 76 when he made his will in 1679 = 1603. Age on passenger list was 30 in 1635 = 1605.

Immigrated:  1635 on the ship Defence, probably with first wife, Elizabeth (___) and four children, ages 5 months to age 10. Embarked probably Harwich, England August 10, 1635, landed Boston, October 2, 1635. On Cambridge Freeman's list of 3 Mar 1635/6.
 

See passenger list of the Defence Note William is listed in a different section from his family. Note he is shown as servant to Roger Harlakenden. I haven't learned what that was about.... Also note that an Elizabeth French, aged 30, was named once with children and no father; and an Eliza French, aged 32, was named in a different place, directly under William French, servant of Roger Harlankenden... I haven't learned what that is about, either. Was she listed twice? A different woman?? The children listed here do appear to be confirmed later in his will, so this does appear to be his family, but the presentation in this passenger list does raise some questions.

This situation is not mentioned in TGM, leading me to believe the above may be a transcription error and that there was only one Elizabeth Lathrop listed on that list.

Occupation:   Tailor (TGM)

Residence:  Landed at Boston, moved within days to Cambridge (1635). Was then one of the founders of Billerica, Middlesex Co, Mass and removed there probably about 1652. (Billerica was called the Shawhine Grant until 1655.) On Freeman's list of 03/03/1635/36.

Spouse:  He was married twice:
 

1) Elizabeth, identity unknown, born about 1605 (aged 30-32 on Defence passenger list, England, died March 31, 1668, in Billerica, Mass. She was about 63 years of age when she died. Ten children born from about 1624-1648.(I have seen references to her surname as both Godfrey and Symmes, but TGM reports her identity as unknown. There was a Sarah Simes on the Defence passenger list with them.)

2) Mary Lathrop (Thomas2, John1), born October 04, 1640 in Barnstable, Mass, her second husband. She was 37 years younger than William French! They married May 06, 1669, when William was approaching 70 years of age, and then they had four children! Mary first married John Stearns and had five children with him. So this household had 14 children and five step-children!!

Mary married Isaac Mixer, Jr. on June 29, 1687, as her third husband, after William French died. Mary outlived Isaac Mixer, Jr. and died sometime after 1735, after she was 95 years old.
 

Titles, Positions:  Was a Selectman for Billerica for nine years. He was sometimes referred to as "Lieut", a role he had in the militia.

Died:  November 20, 1681, in Billerica, Middlesex Co, Mass

Will/Estate:  His will was made June 5, 1679, inventory taken November 20, 1681.  William had already provided for his children prior to the time of writing his will. However he did make bequests to his grandchildren. The children from his second marriage, and his wife, participated in the division of the estate.
 

From: The History of Peter Parker and Sarah Ruggles, p 208:

(Midd. V: 276-278) I William French of Billerica aged about seaventy & six I have already given to all my children that have been already married their portions, I add as followeth to eldest son John French, to Wm. the son of Jacob French, to Elizabeth ye Daughter Richard Ellis, to Jonathan ye son of Jonathan Hides, to ye eldest Daughter of Jonathan Peake, to Marah ye Daughter of Jno. Brackett, which are all my grandchildren.

         Remainder unto my wife, & to those children born to me by her. Wife and Jacob French to be executors. Made 5 June 1679. Presnce of Samll. Whiting Junr., Jonath. Danforth Sen. Proved 20 Dec. 1681.

         8 Dec. 1681. Mary French Executrix to ye Estate of Lt. French her dec'd Husband made oath to Inventory.

         (Midd. XVI: 413) Lt William French of Billerica (Who deceased 20 Nov. 1682) Division of his Estate, the widow one third, to Mary French (now Sharp) eldest dau., to Sarah French, to Hannah French. Dated 6 Dec. 1687.

         The widow's part was set off from the estate of her 1st husband John Stearns, deceased, consented to by Sarah Crosby, Mary Dunklin, Hannah Child, daughters of the within mentioned Wm. French. Dated 20 Aug. 1722.
 

Probable Siblings:
 
William French administered the estate of John French of Cambridge and was named his brother in those probate records. This John was also a tailor.

He may also have been a brother to Richard French of Cambridge. (Lived in vicinity, named a son Samuel, as did William, etc - but no firm proof). Richard is probably the father of Samuel French who married Sarah Cummings (see below and TGM.)
 

 On-line biographies of William French:
 
Biography of William French at the Michael Roman Page.

Biography of William French and one line of his family, along with English ancestry, at the Stephen Lawson page. (This page has moved. If anyone know where it moved to, please write me. Thanks.)
 

 Notable French's include Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph and Charles Goodyear, discoverer of the vulcanization process for rubber.

Primary Source
 
The primary source for William French is the recently released "The Great Migration", 2001, Vol 2, pp 588-593, by Anderson, Sanborn, and Sanborn. This is a series of books that follows the "The Great Migration Begins", and is a part of the Great Migration Study Project of the NEHGS.


Other Sources
 

Ancestry of Hattie Whitney, Michael Roman

The History of Peter Parker and Sarah Ruggles, 1913

History of Cambridge, Massachusetts 1630-1877, Pg 278

There were several other New England immigrants with the surname French. Be careful out there... lots of opportunity for mixups.

NOT son of Thomas French of Halstead, Essex, England. That Thomas French did have a William French born in 1603, but he has been proven to be a William French who died in England and is not our immigrant. See NEHGR 65:284-86 and TGM.

Three Daughters Named Hannah
 

William had three daughters named Hannah. The first, born 1641, died young. The second, still from the first wife, born 1644, lived to adulthood and married John Brackett. But, she died in 1674, and he then named yet another daughter Hannah, this one from the second wife, Mary Lathrop. She was born 1676, married John Child, and is my ancestor.
Samuel French md Sarah Cummings, was probably son of Richard French - not William.
 
From The History of Peter Parker and Sarah Ruggles, 1913. p 207, which shows Samuel as a son of Richard and Martha (___) French of Cambridge:

"Proof has not been discovered, of the statement found among written authorities, that Lieut. Samuel French, who m. Sarah Cummings, is the son of Lieut. William and 1st wife Elizabeth (Symmes?) French of Billerica. From the Cambridge Records we find that [a] Samuel, the son of William and Elizabeth French, was b. 3 Dec. 1645, and bur. 15 July 1646, and no other son by the name of Samuel was born to William French in Cambridge. But the Cambridge records do show that Richard and Martha French had a son Samuel b. 13 July 1653."

This conclusion is shared by TGM.
 

Thomas French family taken by Indians at the Deerfield Massacre. Thomas French's wife was killed as the Indians took a group of 112 English citizens north to Canada. Thomas and two children were "redeemed" (I guess that means released, probably for ransom, but I don't see details.), two children married Canadians (I don't know if that means they were "sold" to French Canadians or what happened there), and one lived an Indian life. I had this reference here when I thought, based on Bullard, that this Thomas was a grandson of John French of Cambridge, brother of William French of Billerica. It now seems that most believe him to be a descendant of Thomas and Susan (Riddesdale) French of Ipswich (Thomas > John > Thomas m Mary Catlin). If that is true, he's not related to us, but I will leave this link here anyway, as it is fascinating history.

 
Descendants of William French
 
 1   William French 1604 - 1681

..  +Elizabeth (___) 1605 - 1668

........... 2   Francis French 1624 - 1681
...............  +Lydia Bunnell 1643 - 1708
........... 2   Elizabeth French 1629 - 1681
...............  +Richard Ellis 1629 - 1694
........... 2   Mary French 1633 - 1672
...............  +Jonathan Hyde 1626 - 1711
........... 2   John French 1635 - 1712
...............  +Abigail Coggan 1637 - 1662
...........  *2nd Wife of John French:
...............  +Hannah Burrage 1643 - 1667
...........  *3rd Wife of John French:
...............  +Mary Rogers 1650 - 1677
...........  *4th Wife of John French:
...............  +Mary Littlefield 1640 - 1719
........... 2   Sarah French 1638 - 1694
...............  +Jonathan Peake 1637 - 1700
........... 2   Jacob French 1640 - 1713
...............  +Mary Champney 1640 - 1681
...........  *2nd Wife of Jacob French:
...............  +Mary Convers 1650 - 1686
...........  *3rd Wife of Jacob French:
...............  +Mary (___) 1650 - 1709
...........  *4th Wife of Jacob French: << this wife not in TGM
...............  +Ruth (___) 1650 - 1730
........... 2   Hannah (1) French 1641 - 1642
........... 2   Hannah French 1644 - 1674
...............  +John Brackett 1637 - 1686
........... 2   Samuel French 1645 - 1646

  *2nd Wife of William French:
..  +Mary Lathrop 1640 - 1735

........... 2   Mary French 1670 -
...............  +Robert Sharp 1670 -
...........  *2nd Husband of Mary French:
...............  +Nathaniel Duncklee 1670 -
........... 2   Sarah French 1671 -
...............  +Joseph Crosby 1671 -
........... 2   Abigail French 1673 - 1674
........... 2   Hannah French 1676 - 1766 << my ancestor
...............  +John Child 1669 - 1748
 

Descendants of Mary Lathrop

 Descendants of Mary Lathrop

 1   Mary Lathrop 1640 - 1735

..  +John Stearns 1630 - 1669

........... 2   Isaac (1) Stearns 1658 - 1659
........... 2   Samuel Stearns 1659 - 1735
........... 2   Isaac Stearns 1661 - 1739
...............  +Mary Merriam 1664 -
........... 2   Nathaniel Stearns 1663 -
........... 2   Thomas Stearns 1665 - 1696
...............  +Rebecca Chamberlain 1662 -

  *2nd Husband of Mary Lathrop:
..  +William French 1604 - 1681

........... 2   Mary French 1670 -
...............  +Robert Sharp 1670 -
...........  *2nd Husband of Mary French:
...............  +Nathaniel Duncklee 1670 -
........... 2   Sarah French 1671 -
...............  +Joseph Crosby 1671 -
........... 2   Abigail French 1673 - 1674
........... 2   Hannah French 1676 - 1766
...............  +John Child 1669 - 1748

  *3rd Husband of Mary Lathrop:
..  +Isaac Mixer 1630 - 1716
 

 
Direct Descendants of William French

 1   William French 1604 - 1681 b in England
..  +Mary Lathrop 1640 - 1735 b in Barnstable, Barnstable Co, Mass
 2   Hannah French 1676 - 1766 b in Billerica, Middlesex Co, Mass
....  +John Child 1669 - 1748 b in Watertown, Middlesex Co,  Mass
... 3   Mary Child 1700 - 1776 b in Westborough, Worcester Co, Mass
.......  +Nathaniel Whitney III 1696 - 1776 b in Watertown, Middlesex Co, Mass
..... 4   Nathaniel Whitney IV 1728 - 1776 b in Westborough, Worcester Co, Mass
.........  +Abigail Joslin 1735 - b in Westborough, Mass
........ 5   Abigail Whitney 1763 - 1847 b in Grafton, Worcester Co, Mass
............  +Elijah Bruce 1760 - 1835 b in Westborough, Worcester Co, Mass
........... 6   Abigail Whitney Bruce 1806 - 1884 b in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
...............  +Nehemiah Willis Fisher 1805 - 1859 b in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
............. 7   Eleanor Serepta Fisher 1843 - 1924 b in Marlboro, Windham Co,  Vermont
.................  +Henry Gilbert Baldwin 1836 - 1894 b in Dover, Windham Co,  Vermont
................ 8   Arthur Willis Baldwin 1876 - 1961 b in Near Ada, Fountain Twp, Ottawa Co, Kans
....................  +Inez Evangeline Hallock 1886 - 1976 b in Near Milo, Lincoln Co, Kans

Top of Page

Related Links:

Return to Mom's Side.

Downleg spouses: Child, Whitney, Joslin, Bruce, Fisher, Baldwin.

| Top of Page |  Home | Heritage | Fam Histories - Mom's | Surnames | Other Stuff | What's New | E Mail |

Copyright 1998-2001 Norris Taylor