William French departed England with his family on the ship Defence for the British colonies of North America on the 10th of August 1635. They arrived in Boston on the 3rd of October and settled in Newe Towne (which became Cambridge) Massachusetts. One year later, William became a freeman and later (1655) helped establish the town of Billerica, Massachusetts.
In 1637, a group of prominent residents of Massachusetts Bay founded the “Military Company of Massachusetts.” Later renamed the “Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company,” it is the oldest military and chartered organization in North America. William French, a member of the local volunteer militia, was recruited to join the order in 1638 and by the time of his death obtained the rank of captain. He also served as a captain in the King Philip’s War (1675-76) , a major conflict where nearly half of New England’s towns were attacked by Native warriors.
New England public records contain a substantial amount of historical information on William French, including a copy of his will, property ownership and military service.
Ten generations of the French family lived in the Boston region of Massachusetts.
Notable descendants of William French include Charles Goodyear, who discovered vulcanized rubber; Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph; and Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin.
400 YEARS OF THE FRENCH LINE
William French (1603-1681) – Elizabeth Symmes (1603-1668)
Jacob French (1639/40-1713) – Mary Champney
William French (1668-1723) – Sarah Danforth
Ebenezer French (1707-1797) – Elizabeth Hill
Jesse French (1739-1780) – Abigail Jaquith
Luther French (1767-1846) – Sally (Sarah) Bowers
Abram French (1803-1879) – Elizabeth Simonds (photograph above)
Horace French (1843-1903) – Laura Foster
Walter French (1877-?) – Mary MacEachern
George French (1898-1983) – Gladys Spencer
John S. French (1931–2014) – Mary Grace
David R. French (1962 –living) – Molly Shonka
Carole French (2003-living)
Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved by David R. French.
Recent Comments