Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Thomas Ffrench

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Descendants of Thomas Ffrench

Generation No. 1

1. THOMAS³ FFRENCH (THOMAS², THOMAS¹) was born October 1639 in Nether Heyford, England, and died 1699 in Rancocas, Burlington, New Jersey. He married (1) JANE ATKINS June 12, 1660 in Parish Church of Wilton, England. She was born Abt. 1640 in England, and died August 05, 1692 in Rancocas, Burlington Co, NJ. He married (2) ELIZABETH STANTON July 25, 1696 in Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. She was born Abt. 1680.

Notes for THOMAS FFRENCH:
Thomas Ffrench (old English spelling, unknown when changed to the modern French) founder of the New Jersey branch of the French family emigrated to America from England. He landed with Jane, his wife, and their children at what is now Burlington, NJ on the 23rd day of July 1680. Family documents indicate Thomas was buried on the family homestead but the exact location is not known.

Thomas Ffrench was married twice. He married in England at age 21. His first wife and he lived together for 32 years until Jane's death. Thomas remarried at age 57 to Elizabeth Stanton and died 3 years later at age 60. He had 15 children, 9 girls and 6 boys.

The family tree was first researched and published by Howard Barclay French of the seventh generation. The genealogy is a two volume privately published book. It's title: "Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas French, Vol I 1639-1785, Howard B. French" & "Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas French Vol II 1785-1913, Howard B. French." On the inside cover : "Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Library."
Gift of
Mr. Howard B. French, President

Stamped twice across the label reads "Withdrawn from P.C.P. & S. Library"

On another page is written:

"Compiled & Published by Howard Barclay French of the seventh generation. Vol I Philadelphia, Privately Printed 1909. Copyright (Vol I) 90 65, 1909; Copyright Volume II 90 66, 1909.

These volumes have just been found as part of the permanent collection of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries. I have purchased and own the books from a genelogy publisher.

Review of the information provided in the books shows that Thomas Ffrench was a fervent Quaker and was imprisoned on three different occasions for his beliefs and his internments were recorded in a book written by a Quaker minister, Joseph Besse, published in 1753, entitled "The Sufferings of the Peoples called Quakers."

He was baptized as were most of his children in the protestant Episcopal Church of S.S. Peter and Paul in Nether Heyford, England. The Quakers broke from the established church but still baptized their children within the church. They married within their meetings but recorded the marriages with the Church. They also refused to bury their dead in the Church yard. Therefore, most dates of death are unknown unless someone recorded the death in a family bible.

Thomas was baptized on 11/13/1639 in the Protestant Episcopal Church of S S Peter and Paul, Nether Heyford.

Thomas was a member of the Society of Friends. He came to America in 1677 with William Penn, Thomas Ollive and many other of the original signers of the Concessions and Agreements. Thomas Ffrench was one of 150 men who signed this agreement for the purchase of East Jersey. He came in 1677 just long enough to stake out his claim. He then returned to England in the same ship, "the Kent" which had brought him and the others. He returned to America in 1680 with his wife and nine children. 4 boys and 5 girls, the eldest 16 and the youngest 4. The ship was the "Kent," the master, Gregory Marlowe.

Thomas Ffrench settled a tract of 600 acres located on the banks of the Rancocas about 4 miles from Burlington. He was Commissioner of Highways from 1684-1685. Thomas Ffrench was an active member of his church and prosperous businessman.

Notes for JANE ATKINS:
Jane apparently died within days of her youngest child. The child was an infant and unnamed (although there is mention of a name Abigail). Jane died on the 5th of August and her child on the 12th. It was either in childbirth or to a disease.

Children of THOMAS FFRENCH and JANE ATKINS are:

	i.	SARA⁴ FFRENCH, b. February 1660/61, Nether Heyford, Endland; d. April 10, 1661, Nether Heyford, Endland.
	ii.	JANE FFRENCH, b. July 11, 1662, Nether Heyford, Endland; d. April 30, 1671, Nether Heyford, Endland.
2.	iii.	RACHEL FFRENCH, b. March 24, 1663/64, Nether Heyford, Endland; d. 1742.
3.	iv.	RICHARD FFRENCH, b. December 01, 1665, Nether Heyford, England; d. 1745, Burlington Co., New Jersey.
4.	v.	THOMAS FFRENCH, JR, b. September 1667, Nether Heyford, England; d. 1745, Friends Buriel Ground, Chester Mtg, Moorestown, NJ.
5.	vi.	HANNAH FFRENCH, b. August 1669, Nether Heyford, Endland; d. 1758, Friends Burial Ground, Oxford, Pa.
6.	vii.	CHARLES FFRENCH, b. March 20, 1670/71, Nether Heyford, Endland.
7.	viii.	JOHN FFRENCH, b. December 1672, Nether Heyford, Endland; d. 1729, Moorestown, New Jersey, Family homestea.
8.	ix.	SARAH FFRENCH, b. February 23, 1673/74, Nether Heyford, England; d. Moorestown, New Jersey, Family homestea.
9.	x.	MARY FFRENCH, b. August 08, 1675, Nether Heyford, England; d. 1728, Burlington County, NJ.
	xi.	JANE FFRENCH, b. November 19, 1676, Nether Heyford, England; m. DANIEL HALL, January 01, 1696/97; b. Abt. 1672; d. 1709, Burlington, NJ..
	xii.	LYDIA FRENCH, b. 1682, Rancocas, NJ; m. DAVID ARNOLD, 1708; b. Abt. 1675.

Notes for LYDIA FRENCH:
Lydia was the first French born in America in 1682. She was daughter of Jane Atkins. There is mention in the Meeting minutes that Lydia was admonished in 1703 for "keeping company with one that was not her friend."

xiii.

ABIGAIL FFRENCH, b. 1692, Rancocas, NJ; d. August 12, 1692, Rancocas, NJ; Stepchild.

Child of THOMAS FFRENCH and ELIZABETH STANTON is:

10.

xiv.

REBECCA⁴ FFRENCH, b. June 08, 1697, Moorestown, New Jersey, Family homestea; d. 1753, Burlington, NJ.

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