William French

Abt 1605 - 1681

• Name	William French
  Born	Abt 1605	England
  	William French was said to have been "aged about seventy & six years" of age when he died in 1681.
  Gender	Male
  Will	05 Jun 1679
  	His will was dated June 5, 1679 at which time he called himself "aged abt. seaventy & six years". William had already provided for his children prior to the time of writing his will. However he did make bequests to his grand children. These bequests were: "to the eldest son of John ffrench to Wm the son of Jacob ffrench 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 grand children". His wife and son Jacob were made executors. The will was witnessed by Samuel Whiting, Jr. and Jonathan Danforth, Sr. "Inventory of the Estate of Lt. Wm ffrench of Billerica who deced. 20 November 1681 being in his 78 year of his age" was taken by Jonathan Danforth Senior and Patrick Hill and amounted to 231.12.10. Division of the estate was made to the widow and to daughters Mary French (now Sharp), Sarah French, and Hannah French.
  Died	20 Nov 1681	Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts   [1, 2]
  Notes	He came in the ship "Defense" in the summer of 1635.[1] The ship, being old and unseaworthy, sprung a leak in a storm but arrived safely after a 34-day journey. William settled first in Cambridge, Mass., and in 1652 was one of the original proprietors of Billerica. He was granted lot 24 of 150 acres in the Shawshine grant in 1652.[4] In 1660 he was elected a Selectman, a seat which he held for nine years. In 1661 he was one of a committee to examine children and servants in reading, religion, and catechism. William French was the first Deputy (i.e. representative) of Billerica to the General Court.[5] He was a lieutenant of the militia and afterwards captain. He also served as a selectman and was a deputy to the General Court at Boston in 1663. Evidence of his activity in the cause of Indian instruction is found in a letter written by him to a "godly friend in England" published by the Massachusetts Historical Society (3rd Series, Vol. 2). In this letter (called "Strength Out Of Weakness") he gives a detailed account of the testimony of an Indian convert. He had a brother John of Cambridge, Mass., whose estate he administered in 1645-46. This William French was not the one baptized in Halstead, Essex 15 Marc 1603, son of Thomas. See NEHGR 65:284-86
  Person ID	I12587	Bryant
  Last Modified	30 Dec 2001

  
  

  Family 1	Mary Lathrop,   b. Bef 04 Oct 1640, Barnstable, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts ,   d. Aft 1735
  Married	06 May 1669	Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts   [2]
  Children	1. Mary French,   b. 03 Apr 1670, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. 1696   2. Sarah French,   b. 29 Oct 1671, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts   3. Abigail French,   b. 14 Apr 1673, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. 13 Apr 1674, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts   4. Hannah French,   b. 25 Jan 1675/76, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. 02 Jan 1766, Watertown, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts
  Family ID	F835	Group Sheet

  
  

  Family 2	Elizabeth,   d. 31 Mar 1668, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts
  Married	1625
  Children	1. Francis French,   b. Abt 1625, England ,   d. 14 Feb 1681   2. Elizabeth French,   b. Abt 1629, England ,   d. 27 May 1672, Dedham, Norfolk Co, Massachusetts   3. Mary French,   b. Abt Jan 1633, England ,   d. 27 May 1672   4. John French,   b. Abt Feb 1635, England ,   d. Oct 1712   5. Sarah French,   b. Mar 1638, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. 1694   6. Jacob French,   b. 16 Mar 1639/40, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. 20 May 1713   7. Hannah French,   b. 02 Feb 1641/42, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. 20 Jun 1642, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts   8. Hannah French,   b. 16 Feb 1644, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. 09 May 1674, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts   9. Samuel French,   b. 03 Dec 1645, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts ,   d. Bef 15 Jul 1646, Cambridge, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts
  Family ID	F839	Group Sheet

  
  

• Event Map		Born - Abt 1605 - England Married - 06 May 1669 - Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Died - 20 Nov 1681 - Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts  = Link to Google Maps   = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S203] Lawless, Parker, Lawless, Thomas, (Author, 1981 & 1983 (Revised edition:1990)), Stearns family. [S315] The Great Migration, Anderson, Robert Charles & George F. Sanborn, Melinde Lutz Sanborn, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2001), p. 591.