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

Third Generation

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

Contents

FFA Home Page

List of Chart #14 Slaveholders and Slaves

French Family Slaveholders of Mulatto and Black Slaves

Prince William County Court Papers

DNA Group 21 and Cross-Reference chart

Bibliography

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

Third Generation

Children of James French and his first wife, 2.1

3.1 Jane French, b. ca. 1705 in Stafford Co., VA, d. before 1743 in Prince William Co., VA, the year her father died, as she is not mentioned in his will. She m. Thomas Reno, the eldest son of Lewis Reno (Louis Reynaud) and Margaret Faut in records of Prince William County, VA [41]. The Reynaud family was from France originally.

Jane was Thomas’ first wife as she died young. The Reno/Renoe family had close ties with the French family for many years, and the name Reno appears in Jane’s father’s will of 1741, but Jane herself does not. Jane and Thomas married between 1720-1722 in Virginia. They had children Lewis Reno 1720-1769, Thomas Reno 1720-1798, William Reno 1720-1776, Margaret Reno 1725, Sebret Reno 1725-1778, and Catherine Reno 1726-1774 (all dates are approximate). Thomas Reno was b. ca. 1703 in Austin’s Run, Stafford, VA, died in 1777. On Dec 3, 1742, he received a grant of 531 acres on the branches of Occoquan and Powell's Run, probably adjoining the Reno portion of the Reno-Chevalle Grant of 1710, which probably was his home place (Book Q, p. 179). Thomas Reno was appointed constable of Prince William County in place of William Tackett on October 7, 1755 (Court Order Bk. 1755-1757).

A deed dated Mar. 3, 1766 in Prince William Co. Book Q, p. 370 transferred 121 1/2 acres of land to William French, brother of Thomas Reno’s first wife Jane French. This land “was patented by Lewis Reno and Lewis Tackett and willed by said Lewis Reno, father of said Thomas Reno, to Thomas Reno”. On Apr. 3, 1768, Thomas Reno Sr. makes a deed of gift to his son, William Reno, land he patented in 1742 (Pr. Wm. Co. Bk. G, p. 579), and he apparently gave the remaining half to his son Lewis (Deed Book T, p. 178).

A 128-acre parcel was granted on December 22, 1741 to James French, father of Thomas' first wife Jane French, which he had issued in the name of Thomas Reno. This land was the subject of a long and confused lawsuit between Thomas Hoomes, Jr., son of Mary Reno Hoomes, and Enoch Reno, who was a son of Francis Reno and a nephew of Thomas Reno. This lawsuit between 1795 and 1802, resulted in a judgment vesting title of the 128 acres to Enoch Reno (Pr. Wm. Co. Land Causes, 1793-1811, p. 169-196). In the lawsuit, Thomas Hoomes Jr. alleged that (1) Thomas Reno had promised to give this land to his father, Thomas Hoomes, Sr., but they had a falling out and he instead turned it over to his son William Reno, who lived on it until William died shortly before the death of Thomas Reno; (2) that Lewis Reno had once said that William's children were bastards [and therefore the children could not inherit]; and (3) that Lewis Reno and Thomas Reno, Jr. had died without issue. He therefore claimed through his mother Mary Reno Hoomes. Enoch Reno deposed (1) that the 1741 grant was invalid because it had not been perfected in the proprietor's office; (2) that it was not certain that Lewis Reno and Thomas Reno, Jr. had died without issue or that the children of William Reno were illegitimate; and (3) that Enoch Reno had secured conveyances and quitclaims from the children of William Reno, and had secured a new grant from the proprietor's office in 1791. Enoch signs his name as Enoch Rennoe in his deposition. The deposition by Thomas Hoomes states that William Reno moved onto the lands deeded to him by his father Thomas Reno, lived there for 9 years, and then departed this life. Thomas Hoomes deposed (and Enoch Renoe agreed) that Thomas had two other sons and three daughters: Lewis, Thomas, Catherine who married John Cargyle, Margaret who married Richard Lee, and Mary who married Thomas Hoomes, Sr. Lewis lived on the land for about 10 years and then died about the same time that Thomas died, and because he had neither wife nor child [41].

Thomas Reno’s first wife Jane French was not mentioned in her father’s will, dated 23 Mar 1743 in which he left his property to his wife, his son William, and his daughter Mary Ann; thus, it is likely she died before 1743. Thomas Reno and Jane French had 7 children: Lewis Reno, b. after 1720; William Reno, b. after 1720; Thomas Reno Jr., b. after 1720; Catherine Reno, b. after 1726; Margaret Reno, b. after 1726; Mary Reno, b. after 1726; Sebret Reno, b. after 1726 [41].

The name Reno was also spelled Reneau or Reynaud, an early immigrant to Virginia of the French nationality. After looking at Ref. [41], we see a connection between the Reno and French families. Thomas Reno was b. 1703 in Stafford Co., VA (present-day Prince William County) and d. 24 Dec 1777 in Prince William Co., VA. He m1. Jane French between 1720-1722 in Virginia, dau. of James French and Elizabeth. Jane French was b. between 1700-1705 in VA and d. before 1741 in Prince William Co., VA. Thomas Reno m2. Jane Bangar ca. 1762. The indenture of Thomas Reno was made 22 Oct 1741 between James French of the Parish of Hamilton and County of Prince William of one part and Leonard Hornsby of the other part. Also see Descendants of Louis Reynaud.

3.2 Margaret M. French, b. 1711 in Overwharton, Stafford Co., VA, m. James Haggard Jr. in 1731. He was b. 1709 in Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., VA, to James and Elizabeth (Gentry) Haggard, and d. after 1743 in Prince William Co., VA. They had at least 2 sons: Samuel Haggard b. ca. 1740 and George Haggard b. ca. 1750. In 1730/31 Prince William County, VA, formed from portions of Stafford and King George Counties, VA. Margaret d. after 1762 in Fredericksville Parish, Louisa Co., VA. They had sons Samuel Haggard and George Haggard. From here, the surname Gentry entered into the French family.

On 2 Nov 1741, James Haggard and his wife Margaret M. (French) Haggard and John Moor witnessed the will of James French, Margaret’s father, of Prince William Co., VA, probated 23 May 1743.

On 5 May 1744 (Louisa County, VA, Deed Book A, pages 142-143), James Haggard and wife Margaret (French) Haggard, both of Prince William County, VA, witnessed deed of conveyance for land William Haggard acquired by deed in Louisa County, VA, 1 October 1741, who was living in Prince William County, VA, when he sold the same. The death date of Margaret is unknown.

Marriage Notes for William Haggard and Elizabeth:Deed: 5 May 1744, Louisa County, VA, Deed Book Page 14, parapraghs 142-143: William Haggard and Elizabeth ?, his wife, of Temliarton (Hamilton?) Parish, Prince William County, VA, to Elias Thomason of St. Martin's Parish, Hanover county, VA, 10 lbs current money, 150 acres on Golden Mine Creek; part of 1,200 acres granted Richard Estes, who sold this land to said William Haggard, by deed 1 October 1741. 
(s) William Haggard 
Elizabeth (x) Haggard 
Witness: James Haggard 
Margaret (x) Haggard Acknowledged 14 May 1744 by William Haggard and Elizabeth Haggard, who relinquished right of dower. (Apparently there was another brother, William Haggard, who married Elizabeth, surname unknown.)

3.3 Mary Ann French, b. ca. 1713-1717 in Prince William County, VA [1]. She married Richard Haggard, James and Elizabeth (Gentry) Haggard, ca. 1733 in Overwharton, Stafford Co., VA. Richard was the brother of James above; therefore, siblings married siblings. James Haggard was born in 1709 and Richard in 1711, both in Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., VA. Mary Ann inherited her father’s personal estate in 1743 when he died. Richard d. 1762. From here, the surname Gentry entered into the French family.

Children of James French and Elizabeth, 2.1

3.4* William M. French, b. 27 Apr 1725, Prince William County, VA [22] [24], m. Winifred Hall 10 Feb 1746 in Stafford Co., VA. William d. 2 May 1792 (67 years old).

William was a landowner, speculator, and tobacco planter. After his marriage, he returned to Prince William County where he purchased land and raised his 9 children [1] [23] [24]. William was a soldier in colonial wars [11]. His son James’ will mentions most of the slaves (Martin French and his family) that he freed at certain dates, and it also mentions an older slave named Matt who was willed to him by his father William French. Perhaps Matt was Martin’s father. For details on French’s Black and Mulatto slaves, freed servants after emancipation, and their descendants of today, see List of Chart #14 Slaveholders and Slaves.

Marriage

William m. Winifred Hall 10 Feb 1746 in Stafford Co., VA. Winifred, the daughter of Stephen and Catherine (Leasure) Hall, was b. 9 Jan 1722 (not in Ireland*), d. 15 May 1786, age 65, in Prince William Co., VA. William inherited his father’s lands at the age of 18, in 1743.

*Proof that Winifred Hall was not born in Ireland come from Ref. [4] in the manuscripts of Miss Mae Stone included in her application for membership into the Daughters of American Colonists.  This manuscript contains extracts from original source records and is available through the Family History Library at Salt Lake City under reference number 875391, items 1-5.

The St. Stephen's Parish Register, Northumberland County, Virginia, a copy of which is in the Archives Division of the Virginia State Library in Richmond and marked, "Church Record of Births (with a few deaths), Northumberland County, Virginia" is the source for the following births.:

Stephen Hall, son of Thomas, b. Oct. 5, 1675
Mary Hall, daughter of Stephen, b. Sept. 21, 1704
Margaret Hall, daughter of Stephen, b. Jan. 13, 1706
Ann Hall, daughter of Stephen, b. Jan. 17, 1709
Catherine Hall, daughter of Stephen, b. Oct. 2, 1709
Laurence Hall, (This was a posting error - should be Leasure Hall), son of Stephen Hall, b. Aug. 12, 1711
Thomas Hall, son of Stephen, b. Jan. 30, 1713
Stephen Hall, son of Stephen, b. Mar. 6, 1714
Martha Hall, daughter of Stephen, b. Mar. 21, 1720
Winifred Hall, daughter of Stephen, b. Jany. 29, 1721

Proof that his Winifred was the subject in question is found in the Court Order Book, 1767-1776, Westmoreland County, VA, Page 1, 1766 pertaining to the estate of Katherine Jones, dec'd, Ashton Hall administrator.  (Note: After the decease of Stephen Hall, Katherine (Leasure) Hall married a John Jones and moved from Northumberland County to Westmoreland County). Disposition of Katherine's estate mentions the sons and daughters alive at that time, including an entry stating: "To Wm. French for his wife Winifred's part".

Additionally, the birth records of Northumberland County have been transcribed and recorded in Virginia Colonial Abstracts, under the sub-section, Northumberland County, Record of Births, 1661-1810.  Page 440 has the entry, "Winif'd Hall Daug'r To Stephen Born Jan'y 29 1721".

I think this is data from primary source documents should be sufficient to put to rest Winifred's place of birth.  You will note however, that there is a slight disparity in the date from the original records and the date given in the transcription from William French's Family Bible record which was published in Kentucky Bible Records, Volume IV, page 103.  This source reads, 9 January, 1722 for Winifred's birth.  Of course, the 1722 is the product of the calendar used prior to 1752.  In most cases, as you are aware, the Jan-Mar dates were written during this period as 1721/2.  The 9 Jan. versus 29 Jan. was probably an error in copying entry from the Bible on 20 April, 1849.  However, there would be no way to know for a certainty without a scrutiny of the Bible itself.  I'm inclined to go with the official birth records.

Land Deeds

Information from Bob Neibling [4] concerning land records during the early years of William’s marriage:

Deed records of Prince William County, Virginia would seem to invalidate the contention that William and Winifred's children were born across the sea in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.  Several of these records give William and Winifred's place of residence in Prince William County, Virginia and the dates occur during the same timeframe that children are allegedly being born in England.  Specifically:

Prince William County Deed Book 1748-1749, pages 94-98, 23 and 24 September, 1748.  William French of Dittingen Parish, Prince William County, Virginia and wife, Winifred sold property to John Cargyle.

Prince William County Deed Book 1749-1752,  William French of Dettingen Parish, Prince William County, Virginia sold 165 acres to Benjamin Grayson on 26 August, 1751.

Prince William Deed Book ___, page 335.  On 2 September, 1759 William French and Winifred, his wife, of Prince William County, Virginia sold property that said William had purchased from William Coleville.

Prince William Deed Book Q, page 145.  On 5 March, 1764 William French of Prince William County, Virginia purchased properties from John Renoe and Lewis Renoe.

These deed records show William and Winifred (Hall) French as continuous residents of Prince William County, Virginia during the period when they were having their children. Therefore, the alleged births of all their children in England would seem to be invalidated in favor of Prince William County, Virginia.

Will of William French, 1790

His will is as follows [40], in which he gives his children a slave, a horse, or other items:

Brief Summary of 15 Nov 1790:

Will: p 181-182 Prince William Co VA Will Book A & B:
See pdf file: PW Reliquary Vol 7 No 3 _2_ _2_.pdf

son: James French to receive one negro man Matt (could be father of Martin)
dau: Mary (French) Beaty to receive one negro woman Cate
dau: Margareitt (French) Farrow to receive one negro boy Frank.
dau: Kezia (French) Stone to receive 40 lbs. current money
dau: Elizabeth French to receive one negro girl Nell, bed, horse & etc., also 3 lbs. current money yearly and board till she marries & 3 lbs & board to cease.
dau: Susannah French to receive one negro girl Dinah, bed & etc., 3 lbs. & board until she marries and no longer.
son: Stephen French remainder of estate not mentioned consisting of negroes, furniture, stock.
Exors: Son Stephen. Signed William French, Nov 15 1790.

Full Will of 15 Nov 1790:

William FRENCH’s Will1

In the Name of God Amen the fifteenth day of November in the year 1790 I William

FRENCH of Stafford County in the State of Virginia being of perfect mind and Memory do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament thats to Say as touching such worldly Estate wherewith I possess I give devise and dispose of in manner and form as follows that is to Say, In the first place I give and bequeath to my Son James FRENCH One Negro Man Natt to him and his heirs. Item I also give and bequeath to my daughter Mary BEATY One Negro Woman Cate to her and her heirs.

Item I also give and bequeath to my daughter Margaritt FARROW One Negro boy Frank

to her and heirs. Item I also give to my daughter Kezia STONE forty pounds Currt Money to be paid her and her heirs by my Executors out of my Estate. Item I also give to my daughter Elizabeth FRENCH One Negro Girl Nell one bed and furniture one horse and Cow & Calf one Ewe & Lamb to her & heirs, also three pounds Currt Money to be paid Yearly to her by my Executors out of my Estate also house and board found her till she marries and no longer, but the payment of the three pounds and board to Cease. Item I also give and bequeath to my daughter Susannah FRENCH One Negro Girl Dinah one bed and furniture one Marr [mare] one Cow & Calf one ew[e] & Lamb to her and her heirs, also three pounds Currt Money to be paid Yearly to her by Executors out of my Estate, also house & board found her untill She marries and no longer, but the payment of the three pounds And board to cease. Item I also give and bequeath to my son Stephen FRENCH & his heirs all the remainder of my Estate not mentioned in this my last Will, Consisting of Negroes furniture of all sorts Stock of all kinds and every other Article or articles of any kind that is my property further my will and desire is that my Estate be neither appraise nor sold as the legatees are all of age to receive their legacies & act for themselves[.] I likewise Constitute make and ordain my Son Stephen FRENCH my only and Sole Executor of this my last will and Testament. I hereby utterly disallow revoke ^&^ disannull all and every other former Will by me made ratyfying and Confirming this & no other to be my last will and Testament In Witness Whereof I hereunto Set my hand & Seal the day and year above Written.

Wm FRENCH {seal}
Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared

by the Said William FRENCH as his last will and

Testament in the presence of us Teste

David JAMESON Jur[,] James JAMESON, Zephaniah RATLIFF

At a Court held for Stafford the 14th day of May 1792.

The aforegoing last will and Testament of William FRENCH decd was proven by the oaths of two ^of the^ Witnesses thereto Subscribed and ordered to be Recorded. And on Motion of Stephen FRENCH the only Executor there named in the Will of Wm FRENCH decd who took the oath of an Executor and together with Fielding COMBS his Security entered into and acknowledged their bond in the Penalty of £1.000 Conditioned as

the Law directs Certificate is Granted him for Obtaining a probate thereof in due form.

Teste Jno FOX D Cl Cur

1 The will of William FRENCH is now missing from Stafford County records. Its probate is referred to in Stafford

County “Scheme Book” Court Orders, 1790-1793, p. 254, 14 May 1792; cited in Ruth and Sam Sparacio, Deed and

Will Abstracts of Stafford County, Virginia, 1780-1786, [and] Selected Entries from Scheme Book Court Orders,

1790-1793… (McLean, Va.: R. & S. Sparacio, 1988), 135.

A Copy Teste V. PEYTON Cl Cur.

=====

[Marginalia] Enoch RENOES Patent for 183 acres 3 rood & 25 poles
See Original at the Prince William Reliquary.

Henry LEE Esqr Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia to all to whom these presents shall come Greeting Know Ye that by Virtue of a Land Office Treasury Warrant number fifteen thousand four hundred and Eighty Two Issued the eleventh Day of April one Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty three there is granted by the said Commonwealth unto Enoch RENOE a Certain tract or or [sic] parcel of Land Containing one hundred and Eighty three Acres three roods and Twenty five poles by survey bearing date the fourteenth day of December one Thousand Seven hundred and ninety one lying and being in the County of Prince William on the long branch of Occaquan and head Springs of Quantico run and bounded as follows (to wit) Beginning at a marked white oak Corner to NORMAN and & [sic] HATTAWAY thence with HATTAWAYs line No 86o E 270 poles to intersect with RIDDLEs line thence No 26 poles to a Red ^oak^ Corner to Charles CORNWELL thence with CORNWELLs line No 43o 45’ E 33 poles to a box oak Corner to the said CORNWELL and William LYNN thence with one of LYNNs lines No 42o W 91 Poles to two marked white oaks another

[Page 184]

[Marginalia] HOOMES vs. RENOE

Another [sic] Corner to LYNNs land thence with LYNNs next line N 84óo E 40 poles to a small marked black Jack [sic] now down another Corner to LYNNs land thence No 21ó E Still with LYNNs line 80 poles to a mark’d Spanish Oak another Corner to LYNNs Land and Land belonging to John MURRYs Estate South 77ó West with said MURRY’s line 88 poles to a place shewn as a corner to said MURRY No 81º W 44 poles with another of the said lines to intersect with LUTTRELLs line close on the side of the road leading from BUTLERS ford to Dumfries South one and a half degrees E crossing the said Road and running with said LUTTRELLs line 60 poles to a mark’d white Oak Corner to the said LUTTRELLs Land thence with another of said LUTTRELLs lines S 52o W 226 Poles to the Beginning with its appurtenances to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of Land with its appurtenances to the said Enoch RENOE & his heirs forever[.] In Witness whereof the said Henry LEE Esqr Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia hath hereunto set his hand and caused the lesser Seal of the Commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond on the 3rd day of Octr 1792, and of the Commonwealth the Seventeenth. Henry LEE

A Copy

Teste W PRICE Re[gistrar]. L[and]. Off[ice].

=====

[Marginalia] HOOMES Thos Disposition

The Deposition of Thomas HOMES Senr taken on behalf of Thomas HOMES Junr Plf. In a suit pending in the County Court of Prince William between the said Thomas HOMES Junr & Enoch RENOE Deft in Obedience to an Order of the sd County Court of Prince William dated the 9th day of March

[Page 185] [Marginalia] HOOMES vs. RENOE

March [sic] 1798 Deposeth and saith. That he married a daughter of old Mr Thomas RENOEs in the Year 1751 or 2 and that he sd Thomas RENOE gave the land in dispute between the sd

Plainff. & Defendt to this Deponent. That he took a View of it with a friend or two with him, & thought it so poor that he could not live upon, That he this deponent talked it a little about and that it offended the Old Man (to wit his Father in law Thos RENOE) and he gave the said Land to his Son Lewis RENOE, and that he the said Lewis enjoyed it in quiet possession & lived upon it for several Years untill his brother William died & then he moved to his sd Brothers place giving for Reason that his Brothers children were Bastards & that the place belonged to him and shortly after he died himself. This Deponent then administered upon his Estate (to wit the sd Lewis’s)[.]

This Deponent then went up to the proprietors Office to see how the Land was situated and that the Clerk of sd Office told this deponent that the sd Land was forfeited, that there was a plat in the office of it that this deponent asked him the Clerk what he was to do with it and that he (the Clerk to wit) told the Deponent, as he had administered on the sd RENOEs Estate he must pay up the fees for the Benefit of the sd RENOEs Heirs which he did and obtained a plat of the Land and that after he gave on the said Land to the Commissioners of the County for the said RENOEs heirs and that he paid the Taxes of it but for how many years he cannot tell[.] That some time since this deponent took down to Richmond a Plat of the sd Land. The Clerks of the land Office looked at & enquired of this depo

[Page 186]

-nent whether Thomas RENOE had any heirs. This Deponent answered No, none that he knew of, he had two sons but they were both decd & left not lawful children. They then asked this Deponent if He the said RENOE (Viz) had left no daughters[.] This Deponent s[ai]d Three, Caty, Molly and Margaret[.] had they no heirs[?] Yes several[.] they asked which was the eldest of the Sisters, this Deponent s[ai]d Caty[.] The Clerks [sic] replied they were Coheirs & told this deponent that if any of them wo[u]ld come & prove themselves Heirs within a Certain time and pay the legal charges that they might Obtain deeds[.] That he this Deponent then told his son Thomas the Plaintf. that he was one & that if [he] would apply within the Time which the Clerks of the Land Office at Richmond had told him the Deponent he might get deeds for the said Land & that he the said Plaintiff did go down & got the papers which are mentioned in Mr. FRENCHs Deposition & which Mr. FRENCH signed. Questn by Defndt[:] Was it ever proved that William RENOE’s Children were bastards? Ansr[:] He the Depnt understood that it was proved that he never was married to the woman who he had Children by and that he Saw a Certificate to that Effect from under the hand of the Magistrate before whom it was proven.

Questn[:] did not William RENOEs Children sell the sd Land in Dispute? Ansr by Deponent,

Yes he understood they did[.] Questn by Defn[:] Has the Plaintiff ever obtained Deeds from the proprietors Office or from the

[Page 187]

Office of the State? Ansr by Deponent he does not know and further saith not[.] This Deponent

Sworn to before us this 17th day March 1798.

Thos HARRISON {seal}

W GRANT {seal}

=====

[Marginalia] FRENCH Stephens Deposition The Deposition of Stephen FRENCH taken in presence of the the parties in Obedience to an order of the County Court of Prince Wm dated the 9th Day of March 1798 in a suit depending in the said County Court between Thomas HOMES Jr Plaintiff and Enoch RENOE Defd Stateth &c that his Father William FRENCH always told him that the Land in dispute between the said HOMES & RENOE was taken up by his Grandfather2 (the Deponent[’]s to wit) entered[,] surveyed & returned to the office, That old Mr Thomas RENOE always claimed the Land after the death of his sd Grandfather, that he never had any thing to shew that he had any legal right to the sd Land[.] That his Father (to wit Wm FRENCH) always Supposed that the Right of the sd Land was in himself. That Lewis RENOE son of Thomas RENOE once applied to him to give from under [his] hand that he was done with his Claim. That then he would reenter it (RENOE to wit) and save the Charge of Back rents That his Father refused (to wit Wm FRENCH)[.] That sometime after his fathers death Old Mr Thomas HOMES & his son Thomas came to his the Deponents house & told him that they came to ask a Favr of him, that was to sign an Instrument of writing, that they had with them which they had brought from the Clerk of the Land Office by which means they could obtain a deed in the name of Thomas RENOEs heirs for sd Land[.] That he the sd Deponent refused to sign giving for Reason that if by his signing that paper it

2 James French (died testate 1743). See Prince William Reliquary, v. 7, no. 2 (April 2008): 50.

it [sic] would Convey a write [right] to them, the write [right] must be bestd [vested] in himself & immediately upon this he the deponent proceeded to get a Copy of the Will of father & Grandfather & by which wills he the Deponent thought himself heir to sd Land & soon after he had Obtained the Coppys [sic] of sd Wills he saw Mr Enoch RENO & he the said RENOE asked him this deponent to come to his house that he would shew him Colo SYMMSes Opinion on that dispute respecting the land and when he the said Deponent went Mr RENOE was not at home and his Wife Mrs RENOE informed him that her father in Law Mr Francis RENOE sd to his knowledge Mr James FRENCH had actu[al]ly made sale of that tract of land to his brother Thomas RENOE and that if he the sd Deponant Obtain’d the Land and did not make over the rite [right] of said land to Mr Thomas RENOEs heirs he could not be an honest Man and he the sd Deponant con[c]luded that if he could not possess it the land (Viz) & be an honest [man] he could not refuse to sign the paper offered to him by the sd HOMES the heir of sd RENOE & be an honest Man, by which means they were to obtain Deeds[.] The next day after being at the Mr RENOE the Defd he this Deponent went up to the sd Thos HOMES Plaintiff & told him that if he would pay him for his trouble & Expence in geting his Grandfathers & Fathers Wills one dollar for the Two Wills which were necessary for him, & one Dollar for his two days trouble in obtaining them that he would sign his Papers. Questn by Defendt[:] Did not Mr Thos HOMES Senr purchase the the [sic] Land of you or were not Mr Thos HOMES Senr and Mr Thos HOMES Junr in Pardnership [sic] in the Purchase[?]

[Page 189]

Ansr by Deponent[:] If they were in Partnership I never knew it, and they never purchased it of me[.] Questn[:] did your father ever hold the said Land in possession? answr [:] Never that I know of. questn[:] did your Father in his life Time ever tell you that he thought you ought to possess the sd Land? Ansr[:] I don’t remember he ever did. Further this Deponent saith not. Sworn to before us this 17th Day of March 1798[.]

Thos HARRISON {seal}

W GRANT {seal}

=====

[Marginalia] E. FRENCH’s Deposn

The Deposition of Elizabeth FRENCH taken on behalf of Enoch RENOE Defd in a suit now pending in the County Court of Prince William between the said RENOE and Thomas HOMES Jr Plaintiff this 21st Day of April 1798 in obedience to an order of Court of sd County of Prince William to us directed bearing date the 3d of April 1798.

This Deponent deposeth & saith. Questn by deft[:] Is not James FRENCH the oldest son of your Father, William FRENCH? Yes he was the oldest son[.] Questn by Do[:] did you ever hear your father say that he had a Claim to the Land in dispute[?] Answr[:] She has heard him Say that he thought he had a Right if he would look into it. And further this Deponent saith not.

Sworn to before us this 21st Day of April 1798.

Thos HARRISON

W GRANT

[To be continued.] See Original at the Prince William Reliquary.

John Reno (Reneau) was born on the Patent of 1710 obtained by Lewis Reno from Clermont Chevalle, at the confluence of the Occoquain River with Broad Run in Prince William Co., VA. He was living there in 1749 when Fauquier Co. was formed out of Prince William Co. There are records of him living in Frederick Co. (NJ) in 1758 and 1760 (Reno Family Tree by Marshall H. Reno). On Mar. 5, 1764, he and wife Susannah "of Frederick County" sold land in Prince William Co. to William French, except 1/2 acre for the graveyard described as land left him by his father Lewis Reno (Prince William Co. Deed Book Q, pp. 147, 165). In 1764, John Reneau also transferred 600 acres on Patterson's Creek, Hampshire Co., VA (formerly part of Frederick Co.) with other transfers listed in 1769, 1770, and 1771.

Dumfries District Court Land Causes (cont.), by William Balderson. The lawsuit HOOMES v. RENOE includes the lost will of William FRENCH (1792, Stafford County), and depositions regarding HOOMES, RENO and FRENCH family connections.

Land Grants. The next document, written in 1794 after the death of William M. French of the 3^rd generation who died in 1792, concerns William M. French’s son, Stephen French of the 4^th generation who was still living, who was, in part, heir to his grandfather’s (James French) estate in 1743, and who (James French) was heir to William French, deceased. This document shows that William was the forefather of this family. This document is from Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1775-1800, Volume 3, by Gertrude E. Gray. The name Halley is in this French line.

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