French Family Association

The Official Website of the Surname French

Chart #14, James French of
Prince William County, VA
Overwharton, Stafford County, VA
and Montgomery Co. KY

Bibliography and Notes

This page updated by Mara French on 2/10/14. Numbers in brackets [ ] show the source material and refer to the bibliography at the end of this chart. An asterisk (*) shows continuation of that line. Please send any corrections or additions to Mara French.

FFA Home Page

List of Chart #14 Slaveholders and Slaves

French Family Slaveholders of Mulatto and Black Slaves

Prince William County Court Papers

Bibliography

Generations: Index 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Bibliography and Notes

[1] “A Genealogical and Biographical History of the Field Family of Massachusetts and Vermont, and the French-Henry Families of Virginia and Texas” by Charles Kellogg Field, III, Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1985. (410) 444-4228. Charles K. Field, 2961 Woodcreek Way, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48013. (313) 647-5410. Charles died in 2006. There are some errors in the Field book which originally was written before the advent of the internet and the genealogy records that have been made available online.

[2] Overwharton Parish records (1723-1758), listed on the Quit Rent Roll for 1723. “A” James French is listed in 1738 on the Prince William Co. VA Quit Rent Rolls. He paid quit rents to the Crown in Virginia. This could be a different James other than the James of this chart.

[3] "Tenders of Tobacco in Overwharton Parish, The Register of Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., Virginia, 1723-1758," by George Harrison Sanford King, p.159. FHL book 975.526 K2k. A list of the titheables allowed to tend tobacco aid quantity of plants in the precincts between Aquia and Quantico.

[4] FFA member Robert C. (and Dianne) Neibling, 541 Bellehurst Dr., Montgomery, AL 36109. In 2008 living at 627 Glen Eagles Ave., Gulf Shores, AL 36542-9036. (251) 968-6369. Email: nibsndi@gulftel.com, email good in 2011.

[5] The material in this website does not show any legal documents, therefore it has not been added: http://genealogydata.ucan.us/g1033.html#I60976

[6] FFA member Marlys (Cindy) Louise (Halcomb) Sawyer, 2204 Vichy Rd., Rolla, MO 65401.

[7] FFA member Yvonne Flinn Bognar, 8040 Tremont Circle Dr., Affton, MO 63123. Perhaps moved to 4580 Kerth Forest Dr., St. Louis, MO 63128-3768, 314-892-1870. yvonnebognar@yahoo.com (email good in 2008, not good in 2011).

[8] Mary Arnold Kaufman, 190 Herworth Drive, Chesterfield, MO 63017. Cousin to Ref [7]. She believes there may be a connection of this Virginia line to Pershore, Worcestershire, England. Information from a book, “The Five George Masons,” talks about the Frenches who married Masons. arnoldkaufman@sbcglobal.net. The family she talks about is FFA Chart #36 which has different results for DNA testing from this line.

[9] FFA member Mary Milicent Godfrey French Luckett, 2844 Wisconsin Ave., Washington, D.C. 20007 (same line as [5]). No longer living.

[10] Fauquier County, VA, Marriage Bonds and Marriage Returns, 1759-1854 by John K. Gott, 1989.

[11] Notebook of genealogy articles written by Harry W. Mills, published in the Mt. Sterling Advocate. In the Montgomery Co., KY library.

[12] Harry Enoch’s book on the Last Indian Raids in Montgomery Co., KY.

[13] Baptist History Homepage. From S. J. Conkwright, History of the Boone's Creek Baptist Association Churches, 1923.

[14] FFA member Dolly Farrow Nicol, 3301 Hughes Lane, #67, Dickinson, TX 77539. (281) 337-4211. Email: cherionicol@yahoo.com (good in 2009)

[15] Letter from Jane Sutter, 27 Jan 1987.

[16] Kenneth C. Thomsen, Jr., 13790 Louisville Rd., Smith’s Grove, KY 42171, (502) 563-3461 (no longer available).

[17] Index to Marriages of Old Rappahannock and Essex Counties, VA.

[18] Genealogies of Kentucky Families, 1981, from the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, FFA library F307. These names are not just from FFA Chart #14. This book is online thru ancestry.com.

Description: Chart14-1

[19] Loudoun Co., VA, Marriage Records to 1881, by Jewell.

[20] Marriages of Loudoun Co., VA, 1751-1853, by Mary Alice Wertz, 1985. SCPL GS929.3755 W49.

[21] FFA member Patricia A. Smith, P.O. Box 15558, Pittsburgh, PA 15244. Same as [63].

[22] William and Mary Quarterly, Notes on Some Moore and French Families in Virginia and Carolina in the Colonial Period, by William Cabell Moore from the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum.

[23] Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy, by F. A. Virkus, A.N. Marquis and Co., Chicago, IL, 4,194, & 5,284 (1925).

[24] History of Halifax County, Virginia, by Wirt J. Carrington.

[25] French Bible Record by William Burkitt, M.A. Late Vicar and Lecturer of Dedham in Essex. The Sixteenth Edition. Carefully corrected. London, Printed for T. Osborn, R. Baldwin, T. Field, C & R Ware (etc. some 36 names). MDCCLXV.

[26] Marilyn Hallenbeck, 1105 Sunlake Blvd., Grand Island, FL 32735.

[27] A. Maxim Coppage, F.S.A. Scot, 653 Pershing Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.

[28] Bill D. Holder, 6596 Fichot, Cypress, CA 90630-5407.

[29] Index to Marriages Prior to 1853 of Prince William County, VA. (no longer available)

[30] Baptists on the American Frontier: A History of Tennessee.

[31] Virginia Historical Society, Guide to African American Manuscripts.

[32] Virginia Marriages, 1668-1853.

[33] General John Bell Hood, CSA, Biography, website: http://www.johnbellhood.org/bio-01.htm. Email: shood321@aol.com, Sam Hood

[34] Suzanne French Keesler, email good in 2012 Suzandcarl@aol.com. On Facebook.

[35] Lisa Schumann, email: Lisa.Schumann@Erlanger.kyschools.us, good in 2009. I have been researching an old cemetery in Elsmere, Kenton, KY for 10 years. It was referred to as the "French Cemetery" in a book of "Small Cemeteries of Kenton County", but no names or stones are visible. I believe it is connected to SLAVES that were once owned by the French family. Do you have any information or sources that would help me research the slaves of the French family, especially those of Judge Richard French, who had a home in Kenton County because he was a Circuit Court judge? 

[36] Trina Michelle Robertson, email: trina.robinson@gmail.com (email good in 2009). Trina Robinson maintains the blog The Passage Project at www.passage-project.com and works as a production editor for T magazine, the style magazine at The New York Times. She can be reached by email or phone at 917.749.6244, email: trina.robinson@gmail.com (good in 2011). I hope this note finds you well. I came across your website while doing research into my family history. I am the descendant of numerous people with the surname French (black and mulatto) from Kentucky who first traveled to Chicago from Mount Sterling, KY in 1866. Their names are Martin French (born roughly around 1815 in Kentucky), his wife Martha, and their children, David, Martin, John B., Seward, Luther, James and Peter. Some family members returned briefly to Shelbyville, KY in the mid-1880s. I am looking for families named French who might have been slaveholders and was hoping there might be records available that can help me in my search. Any guidance or advice is welcome. I have been working on my family genealogy for a while now and have hit a roadblock on Ancestry.com. Trina is a descendant of numerous people with the surname French (black and mulatto) from Kentucky who first traveled to Chicago from Mt. Sterling, KY in 1866. See http://www.memoryindex.tumblr.com.

[37] The Callaway Family Association, website: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=cfa-joseph&id=I0999. Donna Morgan of the Callaway Family Association, http://www.callawayfamily.org.

[38] Elizabeth Smith, ESMITH@Montgomery.k12.ky.us (email good in 1998, undeliverable in 2011).

[39] Angela Ansley

[40] Mary Lou McHaffie Ramsey, mchaffiemarylou@yahoo.com (good in 2009), marylouramsey55@gmail.com (good in 2013).

[41] Genealogy of the Reno/Reneau Family in America, 1600-1930, by Steven G. Fancy & Sue Reneau Damewood, website: http://users.frii.com/sfancy/Reno.pdf

[42] County List in Kentucky – tells when counties were formed and from which other counties: http://sankofagen.pbworks.com/w/page/14230643/Kentucky

[43] French Tipton Papers, Kentucky Room, Eastern Kentucky University Library. And “Fort Boonesborough” by Judge William Chenault, written for Courier-Journal, August 28, 1898. See website showing James French as a settler of Fort Boonesborough: http://donchesnut.com/genealogy/pages/fortboon.htm. Today Fort Bonnesborough is a state park. See also http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kycampbe/PioneersFtBoonesborough.htm.

[44] Thank you for all the work you have put into your "French" genealogical research, and for making it available to all. Yours has become hugely invaluable to me as of late. I have but recently begun to research my "Farrow" line - I have two ancestors from this clan. Elizabeth Farrow married to Henley Simpson - and: Mary Farrow married their son, John Farrow Simpson. I now believe Mary Farrow to be the child of Isaac Farrow & Catharine French - Catharine being the daughter of James French and Kezia Callaway. I am of the line that moves to Macoupin, Green & Jersey counties Illinois, in and around a town called "Medora." This is uncharted waters and I cannot express this enough - your information is priceless! Thanks again & God Bless. J.R. Burton, jrburton1953@gmail.com (email good in 2014).

[45] Cary C. Perkins, email: carycperkins@centurylink.net.

[46] Annie Dial French Elliott, email: ranchoagave@peoplepc.com. Her email from July 10, 2011.

Dear "Relative" Mara;

I e-mailed you eons ago and asked if you'd like further info on one of the French family lines (i.e., mine!) but bad woman that I am, never got around to doing it! Thankfully you put me on your e-mail list, so I just received this new info. Been extremely busy with constructing a new residence (for the past 6 years!) but want to get you some info if you're interested; to wit, Charles Fields, author of the book you mention, my Cousin Chuck, dies a few years ago. His widow, Barbara, and I are in touch, and I have to check again to make sure the address you give for copies of his book is still accurate. I believe Barbara still has some copies in her Bloomfield Hills home. Also - re: Marcellus French - I have some photos of him in front of his Virginia plantation, either Woodlawn or Fenton Knoll, can't remember which, which are in very good condition. Obviously they are post-Civil War, the old mansion is still standing at the time, but had been used as bivoacks (sp?) for Union soldiers so is greatly diminished in grandeur but very clear in photos. Also have many photos of my Grandfather, Rev. Junius B. French in excellent condition, and, believe it or not, a CD I had made from the original film of him officiating in 1915 at my Uncle Jim's wedding at the family estate in LA, also named Fenton Knoll after the Virginia property. It's amazing! Anyway, perhaps it's not fair of me to possibily tittilate any Frenchs who would be interested in such things, but I do have them and if I could just figure out how to get them on-line (I'm a HOPELESS Luddite!)or even make copies of them I would be happy to do so. Also, somewhere in the mix is the Dial family of Texas - my Grandmother, Annie Lawrence Dial, is that connection, and I have several things from that family in my possession including a simply marvelous albeit very small (10" x 12") oil painting on cardboard that my Great-Uncle Dial's wife did back in the late 1800's of a Mexican peasant in front of his jacal. Anyway, I don't know if any of this is of any interest to anyone, but I was so touched by your efforts on our behalf that I just pass it along. Oh, almost forgot - I have two original circa 1860's handwritten letters by French family men talking about the coming of Union soldiers to Virginia. Anything you think I can do with any of these items or info, just let me know, and hopefully I can do something (this time!) about it. (I have no heirs)

Annie Dial French Elliott
Phone (951) 763-5187

[47] Tamara Mitchell, email: mistamar2u@yahoo.com.

[48] Baptist History Homepage: http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/

[49] Carolyn M. French, Richmond, TX, email: carolynf64@msn.com (mail delivery failed), 281-762-0724 (h) and 832-407-6589 (c). She is the great-great granddaughter of ex-slave James French of Kentucky born in 1838. Ancestry.com website: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7865494/person/-878792967?ssrc=. The FFA does not believe this is the correct line, but we are giving this information for future reference. The James French of FFA Chart #14 was from Chicago, IL, and this line is from Louisiana; this may be combining 2 lines that are unrelated. According to Ref. [49], Carolyn French of Richmond, TX, James was her great-great-grandfather. James lived in Louisiana with a youth named Essex in 1870 when James was 32. He bought 100-acres of property in Louisiana in the Red River Parish and had 7 sons who lost that property after the floods in the 1920s that had ruined the crops. His son Dan was killed in 1932 after the land was taken by the banks. Dan’s son, Dan Jr., had son Elijah French, who had daughter Carolyn French [49]. Her last email states that “her” James may have come out of New Orleans based on a story about him traveling up river on a ferryboat.

[50] Versa Carter, email: vcarter619@aol.com.

[51] Marcus French, email: frenchman1969@yahoo.com.

[52] Gwen French, email: gwenni63@yahoo.com.

[53] San Antonio City Cemetery #1, Section C

Plot 9-S. L. FRENCH

1. Olive French DEVINE, Feb 25, 1860, Jan 26, 1936

2. Helen Olive, dau of J. P. and O. F. DEVINE, Nov 30, 1882, April 18, 1920

3. Joseph P. DEVINE, Oct 29, 1881, Mar 4, 1936

4. Lamar French DEVINE, beloved son of William Webb DEVINE, and Beline Lamar DEVINE, July 6, 1919, Apr 10, 1946

5. Charles Clinton YATES, Jan 29, 1905, Mar 13, 1930

6. Sarah L. FRENCH, Oct 6, 1836, Sept 7, 1915

7. James Henry FRENCH, born in Fauquier Co., Virginia, Mar 26, 1835, died in San Antonio, Texas, Sept 6, 1893

8. Lorrie, little daughter of J. F. and S. L. CLARKSON, Nov 14, 1904, Mar 15, 1914

9. Baby Brother, infant son of J. F. and S. L. CLARKSON, June 4, 1914

10. Sarah Angier DEVINE, 1925-1925

11. Thomas J. DEVINE, Texas Captain, U. S. Army Ret., World War I and II, SS-PH, Feb 26, 1887, Dec 29, 1947

12. CLARKSON: James Francis, Nov 17, 1880, Sept 23, 1932; Sarah Lorinilla, nee DEVINE, June 9, 1880, Aug 10, 1959.

13. William Webb DEVINE, 1890-1948

[54] Diane Dahl, email: gr8arteest@gmail.com, good in 2014. Website: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/a/h/Diane-Dahl-/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-Index.html#French. Diane Brannon Knowles’s website: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/a/h/Diane-Dahl-/PDFGENEO1.pdf

French

French, Ann Callaway(d. date unknown)

French, Annie Carol(d. date unknown)

French, C. F.(d. date unknown)

French, Catherine(b. 1789, d. date unknown)

French, Charles R(b. 25 Dec 1863, d. date unknown)

French, Charles Richard(b. 02 Aug 1922, d. 12 Oct 1994)

French, Charles Stephen(d. date unknown)

French, Elizabeth(b. 30 Mar 1749, d. 10 Oct 1807)

French, Elmo Dial(d. date unknown)

French, F. G.(d. date unknown)

French, Franklina Gray(b. 25 Jul 1872, d. 18 Oct 1959)

French, Gordon Marcellus(b. 14 Dec 1956, d. Feb 1989)

French, Henry Gordon(b. 29 Jun 1876, d. 08 Jul 1876)

French, J. H.(d. date unknown)

French, James (Judge)(d. date unknown)

French, James(b. 1680, d. May 1743)

French, James(b. 05 Nov 1756, d. 01 Apr 1835)

French, James(b. 18 Mar 1801, d. 06 May 1850)

French, James(b. 01 Apr 1860, d. 30 Aug 1861)

French, James H.(d. date unknown)

French, James Henry(b. 26 May 1835, d. 06 Sep 1893)

French, James Henry(b. 17 Oct 1897, d. 03 Apr 1903)

French, James V.(d. date unknown)

French, James Vassar(b. 25 Jun 1864, d. date unknown)

French, Joseph William(d. date unknown)

French, Julia Coleman(b. 08 Jul 1872, d. date unknown)

French, Junius Butler(b. 07 Aug 1837, d. 02 Jul 1863)

French, Junius Butler (D.D.)(b. 29 Jan 1858, d. 09 Feb 1918)

French, Junius Butler(b. 21 May 1867, d. date unknown)

French, Junius Butler(b. 21 Mar 1903, d. 22 Oct 1975)

French, Katherine(b. 06 Feb 1747, d. 17 Nov 1771)

French, Keziah(d. date unknown)

French, Keziah(b. 06 Dec 1761, d. date unknown)

French, Livia(d. date unknown)

French, Living

French, Marcellus(b. 14 Feb 1831, d. 13 Dec 1917)

French, Marcellus(b. 01 Dec 1865, d. 15 Jun 1866)

French, Marcellus(b. 26 Aug 1901, d. 24 Sep 1973)

French, Marcellus(b. 15 Jan 1927, d. Apr 1988)

French, Margaret(b. 09 Oct 1754, d. date unknown)

French, Margaret Logan(b. 26 Oct 1858, d. 22 Jan 1879)

French, Maria Lynaugh(d. date unknown)

French, Martha G.(d. date unknown)

French, Mary(b. 22 Jan 1753, d. date unknown)

French, Mary Ann(d. date unknown)

French, Mary Elizabeth(d. date unknown)

French, Matilda Caroline(b. 26 Jul 1833, d. 03 Jan 1887)

French, Olive Ann(b. 25 Feb 1860, d. 26 Jan 1936)

French, Richard(d. date unknown)

French, Richard (Reverend)(d. date unknown)

French, Robert Aubrey(d. 03 May 1908)

French, Rosalie Henry(b. 04 Aug 1839, d. 28 Aug 1888)

French, Sarah Henry(b. 29 Jul 1861, d. 1913)

French, Sarah Lorrinilla(b. 21 Feb 1867, d. 28 Oct 1914)

French, Stephen(b. 01 Mar 1760, d. 22 May 1842)

French, Stephen Lynaugh(b. 29 Jul 1804, d. date unknown)

French, Susan(b. 21 Nov 1790, d. 25 May 1795)

French, Susannah(b. 01 Jan 1751, d. 25 May 1795)

French, Susannah(b. 25 Jul 1795, d. 05 Mar 1866)

French, Theodosia(d. date unknown)

French, William(b. 27 Apr 1725, d. 02 May 1792)

French, William(b. 18 Sep 1758, d. 30 Jul 1760)

French, William (Captain)(b. 26 Apr 1793, d. date unknown)

French, William

French, William Logan(b. 19 Apr 1869, d. 23 Dec 1953)

French, Winifred(d. date unknown)

[53] Jenny LaMore, email: jenlamore@sbcglobal.net (good in 2004).

[54] From "Ky Bible Records, V. IV" KY DAR, p. 103

FRENCH Bible. Copied from Wm. French's Bible in Stafford, VA by his grandson James French for Judge Richard French (James Frenchs first cousin). William French was son of James French who died in 1743, This James French had two children, William and Mary Ann. No further record of Mary Ann. This was copied April 20th, 1849. Winifred French daughter of Stephen Hall.

Winefred French was born 9 Jan, 1722

William French was born 27 April 1725.

(They were our grandmother and grandfather, now follows the births of their children)>

Catherine French was born 6 Feb 1747 and was cast away (drowned in the Potomac) Nov. 19, 1771.

Elizabeth French (called Betty) born 30 March 1749. And died 10 Oct. 1807 in the 59th year of her age.

Susannah born 1 Jan. 1751 and died 30 Aug. 1823 in the 73rd year of her age.

Mary who married W. Beaty) born 22 Jan, 1753.

James French (your father) was born 5 Nov. 1756.

William was born 18 Sept, 1758 and died 30 July 1760.

Stephan (my father) was born 1 Mar 1760 and died 22 May (?) in the 83rd year of his age.

Kezia (who married Mr. Stone) born 5 Dec. 1761.

Winefred French departed this life 15 May 1786, in the 65th year of her age.

William French departed this life 2 May 1792 about 67 years of age.

My father, his father and mother and my brother William, all died in the month of May.

[55] Elizabeth Smith, email: ESmith@Montgomery.k12.ky.us (good in 1998).

[56] Sharon Johnson, email: sharon-johnson@shootingstarsolutions.com (good in 2004).

[57] "Virginia Vital Records from the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly," "Virginia Will Records" (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1984; rpt. FTM CD 174, Virginia Vital Records #1, 1600s-1800s, Broderbund Software, 1997). (a) "Stafford County Wills, Administrations, Inventories, Etc., 1664-1760," p.360. (b) "A Missing Will Book of Stafford County and Its Contents," p.370, citing will, p.173.

[58] "Stafford County, Virginia Titheables 1723-1790," by John Vogt & T. William Kethley Jr. (1990) p.25. FHL book 975.526 R4v.

Ref. [58] talks about Charles G. Watkins’ taxes of 1724 for tobacco tenders in Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., VA. James French was living with him, among many others. William French is also mentioned in a dispute in Jul 1764. These are father and son.

1724: Charles GWATKINS was taxed for 4 titheables and 25,700 plants on a list of tobacco tenders, Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., VA. (3) Listed at Morrice BEVAN's in the precincts between Aquia and Quantico Creeks. The titheables charged to him were John CHADBURN, William WHITESIDES, William PARSONS, a negro boy. Also listed at the same place were Thomas and Thomas Jr. BARTON, William SPILLER (charged for and Warington SPILLER, William GRUBS), William SPILLER Jr., William HOWELL, __ MOSS (charged for James STEWARD), James FRENCH (charged for William DOLEHY), William THORNE (charged for Daniel and John OREA), William PURLER, William TRIPLET, Lewis RENOE (charged for Lewis Jr., Francis and Thomas RENOE and Henry and Gabriel MOFFET).

1764, 25 Jul: Prince William Co., VA, depositions taken on the Survey made Pursuant to an Order of the County Court of Prince William relating to the bounds in Dispute between William FRENCH & Edward GWATKINS, 23 & 25 July 1764. Judith HALLEY aged about fifty foure years or thereabouts deposeth that she is a Daughter of old Mr. RENOE's and remembers a Branch running near the lane and line of marked trees therein was allowed to be the boundary between her father & old Charles GWATKINS, and she knew nothing nor never heard anything of line trees or bounds in the Low Grounds nor never see any thing of the marked Beach or even remembers to have heard it till since this dispute. Samuel WHITSON aged Sixty five or thereabouts being Sworn deposeth that he has known the Plantation whereon on Edwd. GWATKINS lives & that whereon William FRENCH lives and has always understood that the marked trees standing between the said Plantations are the true boundes of the Landes; that he lived & worked several years on Edward GWATKINS's Plantation and knows nothing of the Walnut tree mentioned by Henry NORMAN & thinks it never was a boundary and is very Certain that ground cleared & tended far to the South of that Walnut tree by those residing on WATKINS's Plantation without any Complaint from RENOE that upwards of Forty years ago he remembers a Quarrel happening between Old WATKINS and Old RENO on lands cleared by GWATKINS near where the line now runs & Old RENO retreated untill he got to the South side of where the Lane now runs where he stopped & purposed to deside the Difference, saying he was then on his own Land; And this Deponent says he never know any thing of any line in the Low Grounds & never knew any Ford or Path near the Beach shewn by FRENCH & further saith not. William WHITESIDES aged sixty four years or thereabouts being Sworn deposeth that he lived in the Family of Charles GWATKINS, Father of said Edward WATKINS, about the year 1719 which was about two or three years before said Edward GWATKINS was born who he now thinks to be about forty two years old, that his Father died about the year this Deponent was free, that during the Deponent's residence on said Plantation they cleared lands & tilled it to a Branch running very near where the Lane runs now and this Depont. never heard any complaint from old Mr. RENO, and believes the marked trees in the Lane is the true line between Mr. FRENCH & GWATKINS as established by Old RENO and Old GWATKINS, the Father to the now Deft., but this Deponent never knew any bounds in the Low Grounds & never knew any thing of the Clearing or tilling the little piece of Low Ground mentioned by Capt. RENO & Mr. NORMAN & further saith not. Philemon WATERS aged fifty three or thereabouts deposeth that he hath been acquainted with the Plantations of Mr. Edwd. GWATKINS now lives and where Mr. Wm. FRENCH now lives ever since he can remember or they were seated and upwards of Forty years ago Mr. Charles GWATKINS, Father of said Edward, cleared lands near up to the Lane & line of trees standing therein & this Deponent hath always understood that the said marked trees standing along the lane was the true Division between said parties & by them consented to and approved of as he never heard the least objection from either party, & this Deponent says he never knew any marked trees through the Low Grounds but thinks he has seen a marked Beach on the Run higher up than that now claimed by FRENCH and always looked upon a Spurr'd Oak remarkably large which grew about the Beach claimed by FRENCH to be the said GWATKINS Property, this Deponent never knew any Foard or Path near the Beach claimed by FRENCH although he was well acquainted with the said Run & banks thereabout & further saith not. Benjamin BLAND aged Forty years or thereabout being sworn deposeth that he has seen a Bible wch belonged to this Deponents Father, who intermarried with Mr. GWATKINS Mother, in which Bible said GWATKINS age or time of his Birth was set down which was in January 1722 by which this Deponent thinks said GWATKINS Forty two years old last January; this Deponent saith that he resided on the Plantation where Mr. GWATIKINS now lives ever since he can remember & continued to live on it for several years & that during his residence on said Plantation he thinks the Division agreed on between the parties was those marked trees now shewn the jury in the Land between the two Plantations for that they cleared lands on GWATKINS's side quite or near up to the land and this Deponent never saw any Complaint; this Deponent never remembers any old Path or Foard going near the Beach claimed by Mr. FRENCH & never knew anything of the said Beach nor never knew anything of the small piece of Low grounds cleared by Old RENO or his Sons and further saith not. The deposition of Lewis RENO, gent., aged about fifty four years, that about Forty years ago this Deponents Father & Charles GWATKINS, gent., deced., Father to the Deft., were Neighbors and their land being contiguous together the said GWATKINS came to this Deponents Fathers House and told this Deponents Father that he was desirous to have a line between them, upon which the two old men went away together to mark a line as this Depont. believes, for in a very short time after this Depont. saw a parcel of new marked trees in the Lane now between the parties & on the last line run by the Deft. This Deponent further saith that in his, this Deponts. Fathers lifetime, & in that of Mr. Charles GWATKINS's lifetime, he, this Deponent, cleared a small piece of ground near or up that part of the Line that leads to the marked Beach & shewed at the Corner of HUGGINS's patent which said land was always worked as the land of Old Reno & never claimed as this Depont. can remember by the ads. Charles GWATKINS in his lifetime. This Deponent further says that his Father told him, this Deponent, that his land would go into the lands of Charles GWATKINS to a branch for that they marked those trees as aforesaid there being others which they could mark between the parties but this Depont. saith that he never knew anything of the marked Beach mentioned by Henry NORMAN & others untill the dispute between FRENCH & GWATKINS happened. The deposition of Mary NORMAN aged about fifty seven years, deposeth that about thirty six or thirty seven years ago Old RENOE's Sons cleared a piece of ground adjoining the line leading to the marked Beach & shewed to the jury on the Survey and that the said land was worked by the said RENOE's family for two or three years & that she never heard that said Charles GWATKINS ever complained of the same of whether he knew of it but that the land so worked as aforesaid was not above a quarter of a mile and a little better from the said GWATKINS house; this Depont. also says that about Forty six or seven years ago, her Father, Matthew MOSS, shewed this Depont. a marked Beach on the banks of the River & told this Depont, that was the corner Tree between Charles GWATKINS & Old RENO which was the very same Beach she shewed to the jury on this Survey. This Depont. also says that she never knew of any other marked Beach on the said River banks & further saith not.

[59] Jayne and Bob Douglas, email: douglasrj@q.com. Dear Mara, I had my DNA done through Ancestry. Although my last name is Douglas my matches all show French on the high matches. The other name I match is Michael Flanagan who when we emailed him said he also matched to the French name not to Flanagan. We have been doing genealogy for several years and started out thinking I was of Italian descent. After many years it turns out my great grandmother was of mixed race and according to family was named Francis. However we have never been able to go beyond my grandfather, Robert Oglethorpe Douglas, a man of mixed race according to census records but passed for white. Robert married a white woman and their offspring also could have passed for white. I never knew about the mixed race and was not acquainted with any of my father’s family. I think the French's from Kentucky hold the key to the mystery. Thanks for all the info on the French family, Robert Douglas

[60] F041 RAY. Index to Research Collection of Worth Stickley Ray and His Wife Marie Wroten on Their Ancestral Lines, and Other Families of the Southern States, Compiled and Typed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, UT, 1955, SLC US/CAN 975 D2r. Hugh French of Richmond Co. VA; James French 1801-1850, m. Martha Williams, of N. Carolina; Marcellus French of Texas, 1852; James B. French of San Antonio, TX, 1851; Stephen, William and James French of Northern Ireland, immigrated to VA. Other surnames include Mason, Somerville, Turner, Champe, Ambrose, Fitzhugh, Thornton, Hedgman, Tyler, Elzey, Brent, Washington, Butler, Hansbery, Hornsby, Davis, Waugh, Metcalfe, Swatkin, Minor, Sanford, Dake, Lacy, Rigby, Bowling, Strother, Manly, Burgess, Triplett, Chinn, Fox, all of England, Virginia, or Maryland.

[61] Clinton Haggard's references: "History of the Haggard Family in England and America: 1433-1899" written by David Dawson Haggard in 1899 and published by Joel Munsell's Sons, Albany, NY, a copy of which is in the National Archives in Washington, DC. James Hoggard/Haggard, H11, son of Anthony Hoggard, identified in 1723 Over-wharton Parish, Stafford County, VA, as a tobacco planter with three sons. Nearest neighbors, also tobacco planters, were James French and William Rice. The book by David Dawson Haggard identifies him as a schoolteacher with four sons. Records in the same area include two others believed to be brothers of those named. Mr. Leland Gentry identifies James Haggard's wife as Elizabeth Gentry, baptised 29 August 1687, St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County, VA, daughter of Nicholas Gentry I."  See: http://forneyclarkgenealogy.com/getperson.php?personID=I1245&tree=forneyclark

[62] Genealogies of Kentucky Families from The Filson Club History Quarterly. Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1981. From the FFA Library, F307.

[63] Pat Smith, sensfumr@gmail.com.
Patricia Smith
daughter of Sarah Margaret French (1929 - 2013)
grand-daughter of Marcellus French (1901 - 1973)
great grand-daughter of William Logan French
great great grand-daughter of Marcellus French

[64] Elizabeth Smith, email: ESmith@Montgomery.k12.ky.us, email good in 1998.

[65] Nancy French of Mt. Sterling, Montgomery Co., KY, born 28 Feb 1880, d. 26 Aug 1964, buried at Machpelah Cemetery in Mount Sterling, Montgomery Co., KY. Relationship unknown.

[66] Marion B. French of Mt. Sterling, Montgomery Co., KY, born 1 Sep 1875, d. 5 Jan 1938, buried at Machpelah Cemetery in Mount Sterling, Montgomery Co., KY. Marion was married to Nancy French. Relationship unknown.

[67] Kiohara French of Montgomery Co., KY, born 20 Jun 1792, d. 1 May 1851, buried at the French Cemetery, Montgomery Co., KY. Relationship unknown.

[68] Joseph William French of Montgomery Co., KY, born 28 Jun 1826, d. 17 Jan 1850, buried at the French Cemetery, Montgomery Co., KY. Relationship unknown.

[69] Stephen William French, sfrenchesq@yahoo.com.

[70] Martin Field, email: Mfield6518@yahoo.com, I’m an avid amateur genealogist who maintains dozens of family trees on Ancestry and who likes to contribute to Findagrave when I can. I live not too far from Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO, and when I can spare some time, will be happy to accommodate photo requests for that cemetery. Website: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47337096.

[71] From Ref. [63] listing the men named Junius Butler French in this line.

James French (1801 – 1850) married Sarah Scarborough Butler Henry (1808 – 1873)

Their children:

1. Marcellus French (1831 – 1919) – Captain in the Confederate Army

2. Matilda Caroline French (1833 – 1887) – second husband was David Hewes

3. James Henry French (1835 – 1893) – Mayor of San Antonio, Texas

4. Junius Butler French (1837 – 1863 – mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg

5. Rosalie Henry French (1839 – 1889)

Junius Butler French was a lawyer. He never married and had no children. When each of his brothers married, each named a son after their deceased brother.

Marcellus French (1831 – 1919) married Elizabeth Henrietta Logan (1831 – 1905)

Their children:

1. Margaret Logan French (1858 – 1879)

2. James French (1860 – 1861)

3. Sarah Logan French (1861 – 1913)

4. Charles Richard French (1863 – 1910)

5. Marcellus French (1865 – 1866)

6. Junius Butler French (1867 – 1944)

7. William Logan French (1869 – 1953) – my great grandfather

8. Julia Coleman French (1872 – 1952)

9. Henry Gordon French (1876 ‐ 1876)

William Logan French (1869 – 1953) married Sarah Lorrinilla French (1867 – 1914)

Their children:

1. James Henry French (1897 – 1903)

2. Marcellus French (1901 – 1973) – my grandfather

3. Junius Butler French (1903 – 1974) – my grand uncle

Junius Butler French (1903 – 1974) married Irene Rankin Johnston (1903 ‐ 1983)

Their children:

1. Junius Butler French Jr. (died in infancy in the early 1930s)

2. Elizabeth Irene French

James Henry French (1835 – 1893) Mayor married Sarah Lorrinilla Webb (1836 – 1915)

Their children:

1. Junius Butler French (1858 – 1918) Minister

2. Olive Ann French (1860 – 1936)

3. James Vassar French (1864 – 1925)

4. Sarah Lorrinilla French (1867 – 1914) – my great grandmother

5. Franklina Gray French (1872 – 1959)

Junius Butler French (1858 – 1918) Minister married Annie Lawrence Dial (1867 – 1941)

Their children:

1. Matilda Clyve French (1886 – 1961)

2. James Henry French Sr. (1888 – 1956)

3. Dr. Elmo Dial French (1890 – 1950)

4. Winifred Bartlett French (1892 – 1961)

5. Annie Carol French (1901 – 1988)

6. Junius Butler “J. B.” French Jr. (1903 – 1982)

7. Robert Aubrey French (1906 – 1908)

Junius Butler “J. B.” French Jr. (1903 – 1982) married Mabel C. Redwine (1912 – 1995)

Their child:

1. June Carol French (b. 1938)

Junius Butler “J. B.” French Jr. (1903 – 1982) m.2 Myrtle Mae Shawl (1913 – 2001)

No children

The BUTLER name came from Norfolk, England – Hannah Butler (1587 – 1645) married Captain Edmund Norton Scarborough (1584 – 1635)