Thomas French (1658 - 1717)

Born 10 Mar 1658 in Braintree, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Elizabeth (Belcher) French — married about 1696 in Braintree, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 22 Sep 1717 at age 59 in Braintree, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Christopher Smart [send private message]

Biography

Thomas French was born in 1657/58 at Braintree, Massachusetts.

Thomas married Elizabeth (Belcher) French (1677-1718) of Braintree.^[1][2]

They had ten children, all born in Braintree, Massachusetts:

1. Elizabeth (French) Chapin (1696-), born 6 Dec 1696;
2. Thomas French (1698-1759), born 5 Aug 1698;
3. Moses French (1700-1768), born 16 Feb 1700;
4. Jonathan French (1702-), born 20 Jun 1702
5. Rachel (French) Thayer (1704-abt.1782), born 26 Mar 1704
6. Samuel French (1706-), born Sep 1706
7. Abijah French (1709-1786), born 25 May 1709
8. Ebenezer French (1711-1783), born 9 Sep 1711
9. Sarah (French) Chapin (1714-bef.1738), born 16 Feb 1714
10. Seth French (1716-), born 25 Oct, 1716

Thomas died in Braintee, 22 Sep 1717, at age 59.^[3]

He was buried in Braintree's Elm Street Cemetery (aka First Burial Ground of Second Precinct).^{[3] [4]}

He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, who died in Braintree the following year, 23 Dec 1718, at age 41.

Research Notes

Date of birth is probably from the "Thayer Memorial" and does not appear in town records. ^[5] Thomas is mentioned as an heir in a petition regarding the estate of John: ""The persons concerned in said estate are John French, the oldest son, Dependence French, Thomas French, Samuel French, William French, the orphan of William French deceased, two daughters viz: Temperance Bowditch wife of John Bowditch, Elizabeth Wheelock of Mendon, children of Mary Lamb deceased are Mary Poole [alias] Thayer by her first husband Poole, and John Lamb, Samuel Lamb, Margaret Lamb, Mary Lamb, Grace Lamb, Hannah Lamb, which, if your honor shall please to grant will greatly oblige your humble servants." (Register Vol.12-253)." ^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage Record (as transcribed from source by Christopher Smart): "FRENCH, Thomas (-1717) & Elizabeth [BELCHER (1677-1718); [by] 1696; Braintree." Torrey, Clarence Almon. 1985. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co. Page 285.
2. ↑ 1941 Belcher Biography (citation elsewhere in this profile): "Elizabeth ... m. Thomas French of Braintree."
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Death Record: "Thomas French died 22d September 1717." Braintree (Mass.), and Samuel A. Bates. 1886. Records of the Town of Braintree, 1640 to 1793. Randolph, Mass: Daniel H. Huxford, printer. Page 676. Available online without restriction courtesy of Hathitrust, here.
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/112295770/thomas-french : accessed 31 May 2021), memorial page for Thomas French (10 Mar 1658–22 Sep 1717), Find A Grave: Memorial #112295770, citing Elm Street Cemetery (aka First Burial Ground of Second Precinct), Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA. Maintained by Jay (contributor 46914342).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Genealogies of the Families of Braintree, MA by Waldo Chamberlain Sprague on French Family Association website.

• Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Savage) (this indicates two sons named Thomas died young, unmarried)

• Bartlett, Joseph Gardner. The Belcher Families in New England, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1906) Vol. 60, Page 131.