Jacob French (1640 - 1713)

Born 16 Mar 1640 in Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Champney) French — married 20 Sep 1665 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Husband of Mary (Converse) French — married 30 Jun 1685 (to 18 Jun 1686) in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 20 May 1713 at age 73 in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Birth

Jacob was born on 16 March 1639 in the then town of Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts. He was the fifth child of William French Jr. and Elizabeth (Unknown) French.^[1][2] He resided with his family on the westerly side of Dunster Street about midway between Harvard Square and Mt. Auburn Street, an estate his father had purchased in that same year. He would later move to Billerica,^[3] probably around 1656 when his father sold the estate on June 10, 1656. William then brought the family to the newly-formed town of Billerica founded along the banks of the Shawsheen River, as he had been granted lot 24 of 150 acres in the Shawshine grant.^[4] Jacob may have been about 17 years of age.

Marriage(s) & Family

At the age of 26, Jacob first married Mary (Champney) French (1639-1681) on 20 Sep 1665 in Billerica 'before Thomas Danforth, Esq.'^[1][5] The young couple lived on the "East Road" near the home of his brother John. Jacob's house was one of the original garrisons of 1675. He was a sergeant in the Militia that had been formed to protect the town of Billerica.^[6] His brother, John, was a Colonel.^[7]

Jacob and Mary had ten children before her death in 1861. Of the ten children, only four lived to adulthood.^[1]

1. Jacob, b. December 1666; d. 1700
2. William French (1668-1723); m. Sarah Danforth
3. Mary, b. August 1669; d. Sep 1669
4. John French (1670-1670), b. August 1670; d. Dec 1670
5. Joseph, b. March 1673; d. Sep 1676
6. Jabez, b. & d. 16 July 1674
7. Mary Abigail French (1677-1727); m. Jonathan Baldwin
8. Hannah, b. & d. 23 August 1677
9. Elizabeth (French) Manning (1679-1736); m. William Manning
10. Sarah (French) Baldwin (1681-1761); m. Thomas Baldwin

Sadly, Mary Champney French died on 1 April 1681 shortly after the birth of Sarah.

Jacob died at the age of 73 on 20 May 1713 in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts.^[8]

Jacob was buried after 20 May 1713 in Billerica - South Burying Ground.

On Feb. 19, 1713/4, William French, Jonathan Baldwin, Thomas Baldwin, and William Manning “being heirs to the estate of our honrd father Jacob French late of Billerica deceased have agreed to give unto our mother in law Ruth French the relict widow of our said father thirty pounds… she accepting of it in full for her right of dowry and yielding up her power of thirds.”^[9] Further, on Nov. 10, 1714, an estate division between “the children and heirs of our honered father Jacob French late of Billerika… deceased intestate” mentions “William French the only son and heir of our honored father Jacob French deceased… Johnathan Baldwine in right of his wife Mary Baldwine one of the daughters of the sd Jacob French decesed… William Maninge in right of his wife Elizabeth Maninge one of the daughters of Jacob French above sd decesed… Thomas Baldwine in right of his wife Sarah Baldwine one of the daughters of the before named Jacob French decesed.” (Middlesex Co., Mass. Probate File#8489)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Online Book: "Genealogy of the Billerica, Massachusetts, French family from 1599 to 1944"; (H. Martin Kellogg, 1884; Bonnibel Hodgkins, 1915; B.B. Fisher, 1915 to 1958); page 2. This page cites the birth and marriage of Jacob French. Page 3 cites the names of his children. (Held in the HathiTrust Digital Library)
2. ↑ Online Record: "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch, Jacob French, 16 Jan 1639; citing Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. FHL microfilm 496,864. (accessed before 11 February 2013)
3. ↑ Webpage: Wikipedia contributors, "Billerica, Massachusetts" Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, webpage citing the location of Billerica, Massachusetts.
4. ↑ Wikitree Profile: William French Jr.
5. ↑ Online Record: "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", database with images, FamilySearch, Mary Champney in the entry for Jacob French, 20 Sep 1665; citing the couple's marriage in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009657.
6. ↑ Definition: "American Colonial Militia Systems". This webpage gives a definition of a town militia and why it may have been formed.
7. ↑ Online Book: A Genealogical History of the French and Allied Families; page 24 & 25 cites the rank of each brother in the town's militia.
8. ↑ Death: "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHDV-ZZY : 5 November 2017), Jacob French, 20 May 1713; citing Death, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 901,881.
9. ↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB536/i/14472/8489-co9/38253624

• Meyerink, Kory L., The English Origins and Family of Brothers William¹ French and John¹ French of Cambridge, Massachusetts, NEHGR (NEHGS, Boston, 2023) Vol. 177, Page 43.

See also:

• Source: Ancestry Family Trees
• Source: Author: Ancestry.com Title: U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data - Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls
• Genealogy of the Billerica, Massachusetts, French family from 1599 to 1944 (B.B. Fisher, Grafton, Vt., 1959); p. 4
• Vital Records of Billerica, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (The New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1908); page 362
• http://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Middlesex/Billerica/aDeathsF.shtml
• * http://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Middlesex/Billerica/Images/Billerica_D362.shtml
• Baldwin, Thomas. Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Wright & Potter Print. Co., Boston, Mass., 1914); page 268
• http://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Middlesex/Cambridge/aBirthsF.shtml
• * http://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Middlesex/Cambridge/Images/Cambridge_B268.shtml
• Jacob French (1640-1713) on Find A Grave: Memorial #19531444 Retrieved 17 January, 2018