Thomas French (1610 - aft. 1673)

Born 1 Jul 1610 in Lewes, Sussex, England

Husband of Mary (Button) French — married 1639 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

Husband of Deborah (Wathen) French — married before 1667 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut Colony

Descendants

Died after 11 Feb 1673 after age 62 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

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Thomas French migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 122) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Disambiguation: There are two men named Thomas French, of a similar age in early New England. Please be careful not to confuse them:

• This profile is for Thomas French (1610-aft.1673) of Sussex who lived in Guilford, CT. See French Family Assoc.
• Thomas French (bef.1608-1680), son of Thomas French and Susan Riddlesdale, of Assington, Suffolk, lived in Ipswich, MA.

Biography

This profile is part of the French Name Study.

Birth

Thomas French was christened on 1 July 1610 in Lewes, Sussex, England, at All Saints Parish, where his father's name is recorded as John French.^[1]

Marriage

Thomas married, first, Mary (Button) French by 1652.^[2][3]

He married, second, before 1667, Deborah (Wathen) French.^[2][3]

Death

No death record, will or estate files have been found. He died after 11 February 1673:

11 February 1673. On this date, Thomas French, planter, asked the town to accept his son in law, John Dudley (to whom he planned to give 20 acres), as a planter, which the town did accept^[3]

Note

Thomas French came to Guilford either in 1643 or in 1648 (depending on the source), having gone first to Charlestown, MA about 1638. He is named on the 1650 list as a planter, but not a freeman. His home lot of three and one-half acres was next north of Henry Goldham's on Whitfield Street. In addition, he leased some lands and houses from John Caffinch for a period of time. Mr French had two wives. The first was Mary Button, and the second is known only by her first name of Deborah. He had a total of twelve children: Mary, Mercy, Elizabeth, Deliverance, Sarah, John, Martha, Thomas, Ebenezer, Rebecca, Samuel and Abigail. It is thought that he was one of the poorer planters. His name appears in the records of the Guilford Court in two lawsuits against John Evarts for damage to French's crops from Evarts' hogs. ***** His property, listed above, is directly adjacent the Town Green, probably the existing site of St. George's Church or close to it. {citation needed}

Research notes

Great Migration Directory: French, Thomas: Unknown; 1639; Charlestown, Guilford [ChTR 46; Parker-Ruggles 419-23; NEHGR 47:357-61]. Key

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch  : 19 March 2020), Thomas French, 1610. [1]
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Torrey, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004. pg 285 $
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Smith, Ralph D.. Thomas French of Guilford CT , The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1847-); Vol. 47, p. 357-61

• Pendery, Joyce S., Descendants of George and Margery Wathen of Salem, Massachusetts, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 2000) Vol. 154, Page 329-30.
• Smith, Ralph D.. Thomas French of Guilford CT , The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1847-); Vol. 47, p. 357-61
• http://www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA/CHARTS/Chart009/Gen1.htm
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 April 2019), memorial page for Thomas French, II (27 Nov 1608–1679), Find A Grave: Memorial #161656731, citing Village Green Cemetery, Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by Mookie (contributor 47515129) . [As of 9.20.23 the memorial conflates the wives and death of this Thomas French with the birth, parents and family of the Thomas French of Ipswich. Suggested edits submitted].
• http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~millard/genealogy/pafg33.htm#2933
• Lloyd, Abigail Parkman. Family of Aaron and Sarah Bradley of Guilford, Conn. (Case, Lockwood & Brainard and Co., Hartford, Conn., 1879)

• Page 9-10: He came from England in 1638; lived at Charlestown, Mass., until 1648. He married Mary Buttons. They removed to Guilford in 1648 and had ten children.