William French

Male Abt 1605 - 1681


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  • Name  William French 
    Born  Abt 1605  England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 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 Find all individuals with events at this location  [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 Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1735 
    Married  06 May 1669  Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Children 
     1. Mary French,   b. 03 Apr 1670, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1696
     2. Sarah French,   b. 29 Oct 1671, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Abigail French,   b. 14 Apr 1673, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Apr 1674, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location
     4. Hannah French,   b. 25 Jan 1675/76, Billerica, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 02 Jan 1766, Watertown, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location
    Family ID  F835  Group Sheet

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

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

  • Sources 
    1. [S203] Lawless, Parker, Lawless, Thomas, (Author, 1981 & 1983 (Revised edition:1990)), Stearns family.

    2. [S315] The Great Migration, Anderson, Robert Charles & George F. Sanborn, Melinde Lutz Sanborn, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2001), p. 591.


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