5.
Thomas (2nd) FRENCH Ensign
(1) SOURCE: Robert Charles Anderson. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633 [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Original data: Robert Charles Anderson. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, vols. 1-3. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.
THOMAS FRENCH
ORIGIN: Assington, Suffolk
MIGRATION: 1632
FIRST RESIDENCE: Boston
REMOVES: Ipswich 1635
OCCUPATION: Tailor. John Stratton writes from Boston under date of 17 March 1633/4: "I have put my sister a suit of mohair to making at Goodman French's. She were best get the tailor to take her measure and send per Jno. Gallop" [ WP 3:157]. Thomas French's inventory included eleven yards of homemade cloth.
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Admitted to Boston church as member #128, which would be no later than mid-1632 [ BChR 14]; on 27 January 1638/9 "our brother Thomas French was with the consent of the congregation dismissed to the church of Ipswich" [ BChR 22].
FREEMAN: 6 November 1632 [ MBCR 1:367].
EDUCATION: He signed his will.
OFFICES: Essex grand jury, 28 September 1652 [ EQC 1:260]. Petit jury, 30 September 1651, 31 March 1657, 28 September 1658, 29 March 1659, 27 March 1660, 25 March 1662, 27 September 1664, 26 September 1665, 28 September 1669, 24 September 1672, 31 March 1674, 30 March 1675, 24 September 1678 [ EQC 1:232, 2:11, 111, 138, 195, 347, 3:182, 270, 4:175, 5:79, 269, 6:1, 7:82]. Coroner's jury on the body of Samuel Adams, Jr., 30 September 1676 [ EQC 6:234].
Had service in the Pequod War. Proposed for Lieutenant, 25 March 1639 (but apparently not confirmed; in a letter of that date Daniel Dennison writes to John Winthrop "Our company wanting some officers, have according to their liberty, made choice of some, whom they desired me to propound to the Court or Council. They were willing to express their love and liking to Sergeant French and Sergeant Howlett proposing the former for Lieutenant, the other for Ensign" [ WP 4:106]). On 18 May 1664 "Sergt. Thomas French deposed that being ordered by Major Genll. Denison to carry two soldiers who were stubborn off the field to prison, he went to them and persuaded them to submit themselves, promising to mediate for them" [ EQC 3:140]. Appointed ensign at Ipswich 18 May 1664 [ MBCR 4:2:106].
ESTATE: At a selectman's meeting 31 January 1660[/1] eight men, including Thomas French, were granted liberty to "clear and break up a parcel of land at Scott's hill to have two acres each for six years upon condition that they sow four bushels of good hay seed on every acre, to keep up the fence a year so that the English grass should get head, the hay seed to be sown with the last crop" [ EQC 3:271].
In his will, dated 3 August 1680 and proved 28 September 1680, "Thomas French Senior of Ipswich ... being weak of body" bequeathed to "Mary my beloved wife the bed whereon I used to lie, with all the appurtenances and furniture belonging thereto"; to "my son Thomas French" clothing; to "my son John French" one cow "to make up the full sum of £30 which I formerly promised him for his portion"; to "my daughter Mary Smith" one cow; to "my son Samuel French" a bed and bedding; "my sons Thomas and Samuel French" in consideration of £20 paid to "my son Ephraim French" as the remaining part of his portion, "my two sons Thomas and Samuel" shall receive the Pequod lands and division lot of marsh to be equally divided betwixt them; to "my son Thomas French" my dwelling house and homestead, also my lot in Labour-in-vain fields of twelve acres, also the rest of my cattle, stock, and moveable goods; to "my son Samuel" two acres of upland and two acres of meadow at Reedy marsh; "my son Thomas French" to give free liberty to "Mary my wife his mother" to dwell in the said house and to make use of any room or rooms thereof for her convenient accommodation ... likewise ... any such moveables as I do now leave in the hands of my son Thomas"; after her [Mary's] decease, "my son Thomas" shall deliver to "my three children John, Samuel and Mary" three of the biggest pewter dishes; "my two sons Thomas and Samuel" to provide for "their mother's" comfortable maintenance, and if she is not satisfied, they to allow her £9 paid by Thomas and 20s. paid by Samuel annually; and if she suffers sickness and the aforesaid £10 does not suffice, "my two sons Thomas and Samuel" shall supply her with necessaries and my lot in Labour-in-vain fields and two acres of meadow at Reedy Marsh shall stand bound respectively to my said wife during her natural life as security for the true performance of this my will as respecting her maintenance by my two sons; "my son Thomas French" sole executor [ EPR 3:379-81].
The inventory of Ensign Thomas French was taken 25 August 1680 and totalled £217 15s. 6d. including £150 in real estate: "his dwelling house & barn & homestead with the privilege belonging," £70; "twelve acres of land at Labor in vain," £60; "two acres of land by Scotes Lane," £10; and "two acres of marsh in the common field," £10 [ EPR 3:380-81].
BIRTH: Baptized Assington, Suffolk, 27 November 1608, son of Thomas and Susan (Riddlesdale) French [ Dudley Wildes Anc 64].
DEATH: Ipswich 8 August 1680.
MARRIAGE: By 1632 Mary _____; she died at Ipswich 6 May 1681.
CHILDREN:
i MARY, bp. Boston 23 September 1632 [ BChR 278 (corrected from 1631)]; d. soon.
ii MARY, bp. Boston 2 March 1633/4 [ BChR 278]; m. by 1657 Robert Smith (called Mary Smith in father's will) [Amos Towne Anc 25-27].
iii JOHN, b. about 1635 (deposed aged "about forty-eight" about March 1682 [ EQC 8:329] unless this is someone else); m. by 1657 Phebe Keyes (son Thomas born Ipswich 25 May 1657), daughter of ROBERT KEYES .
iv THOMAS, b. about 1636 (deposed aged 22 in 1656 [ EQC 2:140], deposed aged "about forty-seven" in March 1683 [ EQC 9:16], deposed aged "about forty-eight" about March 1684 [ EQC 9:191]); m. Ipswich 29 February 1659/60 Mary Adams.
v SARAH, b. say 1638; on 30 September 1656 "Hackaliah Bridges, accused by Sarah French of his getting her with child, and bound over, being brought by Sergeant French, was discharged" [ EQC 2:2]; if she was a daughter of Thomas French, she had apparently died without issue prior to 1680, as she is not named in his will.
vi SAMUEL, b. say 1641; convicted for fornication, 26 March 1667 [ EQC 3:398]; d. Ipswich in 1688 (day and month not stated in town vital records), apparently unmarried.
vii EPHRAIM, b. about 1643 (deposed in 1658 aged 15 [ EQC 2:139]); d. Enfield, Massachusetts (now Connecticut), in September 1716, unmarried [Amos Towne Anc 50].
ASSOCIATIONS: Thomas French and his sister Alice had arrived in New England by 1632, and their two next younger sisters, Dorcas and Susan, came in 1633. Their parents and younger siblings sailed for New England after 1633, and are not included in this phase of the study. [See Parker-Ruggles 412-29, Dudley Wildes Anc 63-64 and NEHGR 142:250-52, 143:213-20, 363-64 for the ancestry of this group of French siblings.] Alice married THOMAS HOWLETT and Dorcas married first CHRISTOPHER PEAKE and then GRIFFIN CRAFTS (sketches for these families will be found elsewhere in this work). Susan may have been a servant in the household of John Winthrop Jr. for a time, but otherwise left no record in New England.
In a letter dated Groton 14 March 1632/3 John Bluett asked John Winthrop Jr. to remember him to "my schollers Thomas French and John Clarke" [ WP 3:108].
COMMENTS: With most of the adult male population of Ipswich, Thomas French signed the petition to keep Mr. John Winthrop Jr. in town, 21 June 1637 [ WP 3:433].
Ensign Thomas French and Thomas French Jr. were sureties on the bond of Samuel French when young Samuel was charged with a misdemeanor with Lydia Browne, at court 26 March 1667 [ EQC 3:398].
INTERNAL SOURCES:
1] WP - Winthrop Papers, 1498-1654, 6 volumes, various editors (Boston 1925-1992)
2] BChR - The Records of the First Church in Boston, 1630-1868, Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Volumes 39, 40 and 41, Richard D. Pierce, ed. (Boston 1961)
3] MBCR - Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1628-1686, Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, ed., 5 volumes in 6 (Boston 1853-1854)
4] EQC - Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1636-1686, 9 volumes (Salem 1911-1975)
5] EPR - The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1635-1681, 3 volumes (Salem 1916-1920; rpt. Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1988). Citations to the unpublished probate records are to case numbers, or to register volumes (which begin with volume 301).
6] Dudley Wildes Anc - Walter Goodwin Davis, The Ancestry of Dudley Wildes, 1759-1820, of Topsfield, Massachusetts (Portland, Maine, 1959)
7] Parker-Ruggles -- John William Linzee, Jr., The History of Peter Parker and Sarah Ruggles of Roxbury, Mass., and Their Ancestors and Descendants (Boston 1913)
8] NEHGR - New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 1 through present (1847+)
Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England, Pages 113-114; Author: John Farmer; Call Number: R929.1 F233
This book contains a genealogical register of the first settlers of New England.
Bibliographic Information: Farmer, John. Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England. No publication information.
"FRENCH, EDWARD, Ipswich 1636, probably removed to Salisbury, and a proprietor there in 1640. Ten of the name of French had grad. at Harvard and the other N. E. colleges in 1826.
JACOB, Weymouth, admitted freeman 1652.
JOHN, Cambridge, freeman 1644, whose children were, Sarah, b. Oct. 1637; Joseph, b. 4 April, 1640, m. Experience Foster and settled in Billerica, from whence he removed; Nathaniel, b. 7 June, 1643. Joanna, his wife, d. 20 Jan. 1646; his housekeeper d. in Feb. 1646, and he d. soon after.
JOHN, Dorchester 1639, whose sons John and Thomas were b. 28 Feb. 1641 and 10 July 1643, may have removed to Braintree, where Dependence, Temperance, William, Thomas, and Samuel, children of John and Grace French, were b. in 1648, 1651, 1654, 1657, and 1659. One of these was ancestor of the late Rev. Jonathan French, of Andover who was b. at Braintree, 30 Jan. 1740; grad. at H. C. 1771; d. 28 July 1809. JOHN, Ipswich 1648.
*STEPHEN, Weymouth, freeman 1634, representative in 1638, was perhaps father of Jacob, freeman 1652.
[ %%% ] THOMAS, Boston, admitted freeman 1632, member of the church, from whence he was dismissed 27 Jan. 1639 to Ipswich, where he appears to have resided as early as 1634. He may have been the ensign of the ar. co. in 1650.
THOMAS, Guilford 1650.
WILLIAM, brother of John French, of Cambridge, came to N. E. as early as 1635, was admitted freeman 1636, and settled at Cambridge, from whence he went to Billerica with the first settlers; was a lieutenant, appointed to solemnize marriages, and was the first representative in 1660, and again in 1663. He died 20 Nov. 1681, aged 78. His children were, Elizabeth and Mary, b. in England, John b. in Cambridge and settled with his father in Billerica, had a large family and d. Oct. 1712, aged a. 78; Sarah, b. March, 1638; Jacob, b. 16 Jan. 1640, settled in Billerica, had a large family, and d. 20 May, 1713, '. 73; Hannah, b. 21 Feb. 1641; Samuel, b. 3 Dec. 1645, the five last b. in Cambridge. He had other children by a second wife. His posterity have been numerous in Billerica, and still remain so. "
MY NOTE: [ %%% ] "Our" direct ancestor. vlww
(2) SOURCE: Cousin, Cousine - Descendants of Thomas French of Ipswich, MA, and others; Updated: Tue Apr 1 07:05:39 2003; Contact: Jim French - aroid@rci.rutgers.edu
"ID: I18083
Name: Thomas French , Jr.
Sex: M
Birth: BEF. 27 NOV 1608 in Assington, Suffolk, England [Parish Record}
Death: 8 AUG 1680 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts [10]
Note:
Sources: J. B. Threlfall, "Thomas French of Assington..." NEHGR 1988, 250-252. [Edith Lillie Bartley listing] , Robert Charles Anderson, "The Great Migration Begins" Vol 1, Ipswich Vital Records,
Possibly from "Fifty Families from Essex County, England", sent by Mara French, book by John Threlfall:
" Thomas was baptized 27 Nov. 1608 at Assington, Suffolk, England. He came to New England with the Winthrop Fleet of eleven ships carrying about 700 colonists, which sailed from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, in April and May, 1630, and which arrived in June and July following. The first of these ships landed at Salem on 13 June. Thomas French first settled in Boston and presumably was married there about the next year, 1631. His wife is identified only as Mary. Thomas French was made a freeman of the colony on 6 Nov. 1632. About 1634 he moved to Ipswich and appears there on record first in 1635 in the following land records.
20 April 1635-There was Granted to Thomas Scott...Likewise an hous lott in Mill Streete havinge Thomas French on the Southeast.
20 April 1635--There was Granted to Robert Mussey...likewise an hous lott in Mill Streete lyinge betweene Thomas French and Richard Jacob.
20 Feb. 1636/7--There was granted to Serg. French ten acres of upland at the hither end of a Neck lying beyond Reedy marsh, to be laid out by the lott layers. Granted to Serjent French, a parcell of upland and medow containing about three acres on the South side of th River, adjoyning his planting lott.
From these we know that his house was on Bridge Street just off Mill Street.
About 1637 his parents and his younger brother and sisters joined him at Ipswich. Three sisters had crossed over to New England earlier.
Thomas French fought in the Pequot War in 1637, for in 1672, he petioned the colonial government for a grant of land northeast of Salisbury in behalf of himself and eight other Ipswich men who had been of service in that campaign."
Brian Berry [10]: " His name [Thomas French, Jr.] appears on the list of original members of the First Church of Boston between those of John Winthrop, Jr. and his wife."
Thomas took the Freeman's Oath in Boston 6 Nov. 1632. He was in Boston when, "this 17th of the first month Called March, 1634" John Stratton wrote to John Winthrop, Jr. "in Aggawaam per Jno. Gallopps boate" that "I have putt my sister a suite of Moyheare to making att Goom. Frenches, she were best gett the taylor to take her Measure and send per Jno. Gallop." (Winthrop Papers, Vol. III, pp. 156-7). Agawam, later Ipswich, had been planted by John Winthrop Jr. and twelve others in 1633). From this, and from a 1647 deed, we know he was a tailor.
[10]: His will, dated Aug. 3, 1680, was proved 28 Sept. 1680; inv. 25 Aug. 1680.
[10]: There is no record of Thomas and Mry's marriage, but seven children are known, the conception of the first is consistent with a marriage in MA in 1631.
Will of Thomas French, Sr.
In the name of God, Amen. I Thomas French Senior of Ipswich being weak of body yet of perfect understanding and memory doe in case of death make this my last Will and Testament. In the first place I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God who hath redeemed it by the precious blood of his Son; and I commit my body to the Earth, whence it was taken, to be buried in a Christian decent manner by my friends in hope of a blessed resurrection to eternal life. And as for my outward Estate which God
hath graciously given me in this world I doe thus dispose of it:
Inprimis, I give and bequeath to Mary my beloved wife the Bed whereon I use to ly, with all the appurtenances and furniture belonging thereto.
Moreover, I give to my son Thomas French my cloak and close-coat. Also I give to my son John French one Cow, which is to make up the full summe of thirty pounds which I formerly promised him for his Portion.
Also I give to my daughter Mary Smith, one Cow.
And to my son Samuel French, I give and bequeath he bed where he usually lieth, together with the Bedding and Bedstead belonging to the same.
Further, as concerning my lands at the Pequod lots, and my division lot of marsh at Plum Island, my will is that my sons Thomas and Samuel French for and in consideration of twenty pounds by them engaged according to to order unto my son Ephraim French as the remaining part of this portion (which summe of twenty pounds is almost all paid, and the remainder due upon demand), I say my Will is that those my two sonns Thomas and Samuel shall possess and enjoy the said Pequod lands, and division-lot of marsh to themselves and to their heirs forever, to be equally divided betwixt them.
Furthermore, I give and bequeath to my sonn Thomas French my dwelling house and homested with all the appurtenances and priviledges thereof and belonging thereto, and also by Lot lying in Labour-in-vain fields containing twelve acres more or less; with all the rest of my cattell, stocke of all sorts and moveable goods (not disposed of by this my will and testament) and to my son Samuel I give and bequeath two acres of upland joyning to Joseph Quilter's and two acres of meadow-ground at Reedy marsh; to be possessed by them respectively after my decease, provided always and my will is that my son Thomas French doe give full and free libertie to Mary my wife his mother to abide ad dwell in the said house and to make use of any room or rooms thereof for her convenient accommodation therein; as likewise to make use of all or any such moveable as I doe now leave in the hands of my son Thomas (not disposed of) as my be necessary ad convenient for her use and occasions from time to time; and all these during the term of her natural life, and after her decease my son Thomas shall deliver to my three children John, Samuell and Mary three of the biggest pewter dishes which shall then be left and remain that is to say, to each of them, one. Provided also, and my will is that my two son Thomas and Samuel doe carefully provide for their mothers comfortable maintenance and livelyhood and what is requisit thereto during her natural life; each of them allowing thereto proportionally to that part of my Estate which shall be by them received by vertue of this my testamt. And if through any neglect of failure, this way of maintenance should not be to their mother's satisfactin and content, my Will is, that those my two sons Thomas and Samuel shall allow to their mother ten pounds yeerly; nine pounds thereof to be paid by Thomas and twenty shillings by Samuel, in such pay as shall be suitable and necessary for her comfortable maintenance and livelyhood. And further, if it shall pleas God to exercise her with much prevailing weakness or continuing sickness that the aforesaid then pounds should not suffice to defray the charges of her expenses, my Will is that (over and above the ten pounds, and according to the like rate of proportion) those my two sons Thomas and Samuel shall supply her with necessaries suitable as her condition may require, that she be not exposed to suffering for want of what ought and might be procured for her. Also my Will is that my Lot in Labour-in-vain fields, and the two acres of meadow at Reedy Marsh shall stand bound respectively to my said wife during her natural like as securitie for the true performance of this my Will as respecting her maintenance by my two Sonns; and after he decease, the said lands (except what shall bee alienated (if any so be) by means of the securitie aforesaid) to remain to each of those my Sonns and to their heirs forever as is before mentioned and declared. And lastly, I doe name, appoint and constitute my son Thomas French to be the sole Executor of this my last will & testament.
August 3 1680
Witness: (no signatures)
Proved in Ipswich Court 28 Sep 1680, by Mary French and Samuel French.
{copied by Linda, sent to Essex-Roots}
Father: Thomas French , Sr. b: BEF. 11 OCT 1584 in [baptismal date, Bures St. Mary Parish Register, never published.]
Mother: Susan Riddlesdale b: BEF. 20 APR 1584 in Boxford, Suffolk, England [baptismal date]
Marriage 1 Mary Scudamore b: ABT. 1612 in Gloustershire, England
Married: ABT. 1631 in MA [10]
Children
Mary French b: 23 SEP 1632 in Boston, MA [10, and Records of First Church of Boston, baptized]
Mary French b: BEF. 22 MAR 1633/34 in Boston, MA [10, Records of the First Church of Boston, baptised]
Thomas French b: ABT. 1635 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts [10]
John French b: ABT. 1637 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts [3]
Sarah French b: AFT. 1637 in [The Shapely Connection, V. 5 #2, Was Mary French a Scudamore, by Brian Berry]]
Samuel French b: ABT. 1641 in [10]
Ephraim French b: ABT. 1643 in Ipswich, MA [10]"
