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Joseph French (1679–1754/6), son of Joseph French and Sarah Eastman
Abigail Browne (1675–by 1750), daughter of Philip Browne and Mary Buswell
Joseph French was born on 25 or 26 March 1679 in Salisbury. [Ref] He died between 15 November 1754 and 27 October 1756. He married first Abigail Browne on 20 December 1699 in Salisbury. [Ref] He married second the widow Elizabeth Smith on 28 June 1750 in South Hampton. [3]
Abigail Brown was born on 4 June 1675 in Salisbury. [4] She might be the Abigail who died on 22 May 1734 in Salisbury. [Ref]
Joseph was a carpenter in Salisbury in 1728 and 1739. [5] He was a husbandman in South Hampton in 1747. [5]
Joseph, carpenter of South Hampton, wrote his will on 15 November 1754. He mentioned Elizabeth his "now" wife (the will makes it clear she was not his first wife); his son Joseph; his daughter-in-law Elizabeth Jewell, the wife of Joseph Jewell and former wife of his deceased son Ebenezer, and their son Abel; his sons Daniel (his executor) and Obadiah; the children of his deceased daughter Abigail, the former wife of Thomas Eastman of Kingston. He said that he had given their portions already to some of the children. He refers to his father Joseph French of Salisbury, deceased. His will was proved on 27 October 1756. Inventory was presented on 28 October 1756 and it amounted to a substantial £1,299.16.06. [6]
Children of Joseph French and Abigail Browne:
i. Sarah French was born on 20 November 1700 in Salisbury. [Ref] She died there on 19 December 1700. [Ref]
ii. Joseph French was born on 27 February 1701/2 in Salisbury. He married Ruth Knowles.
iii. Ebenezer French was born on 3 January 1703/4 in Salisbury. [Ref] He died before 15 November 1754, when his father refered to him as deceased. He married Elizabeth Gould of Amesbury on 8 April 1725 in Salisbury. [Ref] She married second before 15 November 1754 Joseph Jewell.
iv. Daniel French was born on 21 August 1708 in Salisbury. [Ref] He died on 1 September 1783. [8] He married Sarah Gould on 28 May 1730 in Salisbury. [Ref][8]
v. Abigail French was born on 22 September 1710 in Salisbury. [Ref] She married Thomas Eastman of Kingston on 16 January 1729 in Salisbury. [Ref] She died before 15 November 1754, when her father refered to her as deceased.
vi. Obadiah French was born on 29 September 1716 in Salisbury. [Ref] He died on 27 March 1793 in South Hampton. [9] He is buried in the Old South Hampton Cemetery. [10] He married Hannah Boynton of Kingston after 1 November 1737 (intention) in Salisbury. [Ref] Hannah, the daugher of William and Joanna (Stevens) Boynton, was born on 26 September 1717 and died on 1 November 1737. [11]
Obadiah, yeoman of South Hampton, made his will on 28 February 1791. It was proved on 15 April 1793. [12]
References:
1. Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1915), 104–12.
2. Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1915), 632–7.
3. G. A. Gordon, Marriages and Baptisms at South Hampton,N.H., 1743–1801 (Boston: privately printed, 1899), 4.
4. Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1915), 28–35.
5. Carol Clark Johnson, A Genealogical History of the Clark and Worth Families (n.p.: privately printed, 1970: 181–3.
6. "New Hampshire, Wills and Probate Records, 1643–1982," database with images, Ancestry > all counties > vol. 35–38, images 105–6.
7. Vital Records of Salisbury, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1915), 563–4.
8. George Norbury Mackenzie and Nelson Osgood Rhoades, Colonial Families of the United States of America, 7 vols. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1912), 7:203.
9. "New Hampshire Deaths and Burials Index, 1654–1949," database, Ancestry, entry for Obadiah French.
10. "Obadiah French", Findagrave, no. 101169461.
11. John Farnham Boynton and Caroline Harriman Boynton, The Boynton Family (n.p.: n.p., 1897), 7.
12. "New Hampshire, Wills and Probate Records" > Rockingham > estate papers no. 5816–5920, 1792–1793, images 786–95.
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17-May-2023