320. EDWARD FRENCH (d. 1674)
321. ANNE UNKNOWN (d. 1683)
Edward French died on 28 December 1674 in Salisbury. [1]
The widow Anne French died on 9 March 1682/3 in Salisbury. [1]
Reverend William Worcester called Edward French his brother in his will. William's stepson James Hall called Edward "Uncle French" in a 1663 letter. This suggests that William's unknown wife Sarah might be a sister of Edward French, or Edward's unknown wife Anne was a sister of William, or that Sarah and Anne might have been sisters. [2]
Edward was on the trial jury in 1650 and 1651. He was on the grand jury in 1651, 1654, 1663 and twice in 1668. [3]
Edward made his will on 10 April 1673. He mentions his sons Joseph, John and Samuel and his daughter Philbrick. He made bequests to his grandchildren, included Joseph, Simon, Edward and Ann, the children of Joseph. He made his wife his sole executrix. His will proved on 13 April 1675. [4]
Children of Edward French and Anne Unknown (order uncertain):
i. John French died on 4 May 1706 in Salisbury. [1] He married Mary Noyes on 23 March 1659 in Salisbury. [5]
ii. Joseph French died on 6 June 1710 in Salisbury. He married Susanna Stacy.
iii. Samuel French died on 26 July 1692 in Salisbury. [1] He married first Abigail Brown on 1: 4m: 1664 in Salisbury. [5] Abigail died on 11 January 1679 in Salisbury. [5] He married second Hester Unknown by 1683, when they had a child born in Salisbury. [6]
iv. Hannah French married first John White on 26: 9m: 1662 in Salisbury. [5] She married second Thomas Philbrick. [4]
Hannah's father refers to her as his daughter Philbrick in his will and mentions her sons John White and William Philbrick. [4]
References:
1. Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1915), 563–6.
2. Robert L.V. French and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, "The Rev. William Worcester of Salisbury, Massachusetts," The American Genealogist 71 (1996): 50–51.
3. George Francis Dow, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, digitized volumes (Salem Witch Project: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project : http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/Essex/index.html), 1:189, 221, 236, 339; 3:56; 4:20, 60.
4. "Essex County, MA: Early Probate Records, 1635–1681," digitized books, AmericanAncestors, vol. 2: 441–6.
5. Vital Records of Salisbury, 632–7.
6. Vital Records of Salisbury, 104–12.
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14-May-2020