1602 Thomas French, son of John and Elizabeth French, was baptized on May 30 at Stowe, Nine Churches, Northamptonshire. [1]
Thomas French the sonne of Jhon French and Elizabeth his wife was christened the 30 of May
1637 "Patientia French filia Thome French & Sare", was baptized on September 16, at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [2]
1639 "Thomas French filius Thome French and Sare xxor" was baptized on November 3, at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [3]
1643 "Sara French filia Thome French iun [junior] & Sare", was baptized on April 30, at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [4]
1645 "Elizabeth filia Thome French iun [junior] & Sare", was baptized on November 23, at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [5]
1648 "Maria filia Thome French jun & Sare", was baptized on May 7, at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [6]
1651 "Johes French filius Thome French jun & Sare xxor", was baptized on May 4, at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [7]
1654 Sara, the wife of Thomas French was buried on February 9 at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire. [8] [9] [10]
1657 Robert French, child of Thomas French, cooper, and Martha French, was baptized on June 26 at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [11]
1660 "Martha filia Thome French Coop sen & Marthe uxor" was baptized on October 19 at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire, England. [12]
1673 The will of Thomas French was dated on April 25 at Nether Heyford, Northhampton, England. [13] He was identified as a cooper in records of The Archdeaconry Court of Northampton: Wills, Administrations and inventories, and accounts, 4th Series, book 7, folio 195. [14]:
In the name of God amen, the nine and twentyth day of Aprill in the five and twentyth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the second of England, Scotland, Ffrance, and Ireland, King Defender of the faith Anno Dom 1673; I Thomas Ffrench, the Elder, of Nether Heyford in the county of Northhampton, being weak in body but good and perfect memory thanks be to Almightie God. And knowing the uncertaintie of this life on earth do make this my last will and testament in manner and forme ffollowing and first being penitent and sorry for my sins past, most humbly desireing forgiveness for the same I give and comitt my soule to Almightie God my Saviour and Redeemer in whom and by the merits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and to have full remission and foregivenesse of all my sins. And my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be buryed in such decent and Christian manner as to my Executors hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenient revoking and annulling by these presents all and every Will and Wills testam and testaments heretofore by me made and declared and this to be taken for my last will and testament and none other. I will that all those debts and duties which in right or conscience I owe to any manner of person or persons whatsoever shalbe well and truely contented and paid or ordained to be paid within convenient time after my decease by my Executors hereafter named. Item I give and bequeath to Thomas Ffrench, my eldest sone, the sume of twelve pence; I give and bequeath to John Ffrench, my second sone, two shillings and six pence; I give and bequeath to Patience Ffrench, my eldest daughter, two shillings and six pence; I give and bequeath to Elisabeth Ffrench, my second daughter, two shillings and six pence; I give and bequeath to Mary Ffrench, my third daughter, two shillings and six pence all with said legacies I will shalbe payd by my Executors within six months after my decease. All the rest of my goods, cattell and chattels whatsoever, I give and bequeath to Martha my loving wife and to my sone, Robert Ffrench, and my daughter, Martha Ffrench, whom I make joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament. I do nominate and appoint my welbeloved ffriends Thomas Kirton and William Steffe, both of Hayford, aforesaid overseers of this my last Will and Testament and do give them twelvepence apeece. In witness whereof I, the said Thomas Ffrench, have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written. Thomas Ffrench (Seal)
Published signed and sealed on the presence of: William Stif, Thomas Kirton (His Mark), Alice Kirton (Her Mark), John Darby. Proved 16th August 1673.
1673 Thomas French was buried on May 5 at St Peter & St Paul church in Heyford parish, Northamptonshire, England. [15] [16]
Howard Barclay French reports [17]:
Thomas French (ffrench) the Elder, father of Thomas French, the progenitor of the New Jersey branch of the French family, lived at Nether Heyford, where he was an influential citizen. He married, first, Sara, by whom he had issue: Patience, born 1637; Thomas, born 1639; Sara, born 1643; Elizabeth, born 1645; Mary, born 1648; and John, born 1651. By his second wife, Martha, he had issue: Robert, born 1657; and Martha, born 1660. Thomas French, the Elder, was buried 5 May 1673. Sara, his first wife, was buried 9 Feb 1653.
Research Notes:
Sara's surname has been reported as 'Wood'. The relationship of Sara Wood, if any, to William Wood, who was a passenger on the flyboat Martha, is unknown.
1620 Sara Wood, daughter of William Wood, was christened on May 19 at St Michael Bassishaw, City of London, London, England. [18]
The births of Thomas in 1611 and of Sara about 1612 have been reported. We seek documentation for these events.
There was more than one man named Thomas French with baptismal records of children in Nether Heyford during the same period of time:
1657 Thomas, the son of Thomas French, taylor, and Elizabeth French was baptized on June 5, at Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire. [19]
[1] Northamptonshire Record Office, 305P/13, Stowe Nine Churches Parish Registers, 1558-1730, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[2] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[3] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[4] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[5] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[6] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[7] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[8] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[9] UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[10] Find A Grave Memorial 170729845, [FindAGrave].
[11] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[12] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[13] Howard Barclay French, Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas French, Volume 1 (1909), 41, [HathiTrust].
[14] UK, National Probate Index, [FindMyPastRecord].
[15] UK, National Burial Index, [FindMyPastRecord].
[16] UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[17] Howard Barclay French, Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas French, Volume 1 (1909), 41, [HathiTrust].
[18] London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, St Michael Bassishaw, City of London, London, England, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[19] Northamptonshire Record Office, 165P/5, Nether Heyford Parish Register, 1558-1812, Northamptonshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1558-1812, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].