History and Research

The John Morgan French ancestry is of particular interest in respect to it being grouped with the DNA Group 1 from New Jersey. The DNA of John M. French matches that of many Frenches who lived in the 1700s in New Jersey; therefore, we are searching to get the ancestry further back than South Carolina in the 1800s.

John Morgan French’s father may have been James French of Warren Co., TN in the 1830 census. The name Burgess (see 1.1) is prevalent in Warren Co., TN. Warren Co. was called Cannon Co. in the 1810-1840 census, and later called DeKalb Co.

First Generation

1.1* John Morgan French, b. ca. 1811 in South Carolina [8], m1. a Miss Burgess or Bird or Byrd ca. 1835 who died shortly after 1842 in TN after giving birth her fourth child [2]. Her name most likely was Burgess because she gave her 2^nd child that name. John m2. ca. 1844 Elizabeth L. Campbell in Tennessee. John was a chairmaker. He d. 1859 near Coffeeville, Yalobusha County, MS, before the Civil War. Elizabeth had five children. John moved to Tennessee, perhaps Gibson Co. [8] before 1820, and Dyersbury, TN about 1840, then in moved to Yalobusha County, Mississippi between 1842 and 1845 [1]. There is started a program for the Methodist Church; the story is that it was a home for the poor [8]. Elizabeth may be descended from the Campbell family in Cumberland County, North Carolina. Elizabeth was b. 23 May 1819. First 4 children born in TN, possibly Dyersburg in Dyer Co., and the last 5 children were born in Mississippi. All 9 children born from1835 thru 1856 [3]. John d. in 1859 in Coffeeville, Yalobusha Co., MS. After his death, Elizabeth m2. John H. Brock [4], and m3. Jack Highsmith [8].

Second Generation

Children of John Morgan and unk (Burgess, Bird, or Byrd) French, 1.1.

2.1 Robin O. French, b. ca. 1835 in TN [1], age 15 in 1850 [2]. Killed in Civil War; called Robert [15].

2.2* Burgess Lawrence French, b. Jan 1838 in TN, m. 22 Feb 1859, d. 1912 in Yalobusha County, MS [3]. Age 12 in 1850 [1]. Burgess moved with his parents to the state of Mississippi between 1842 and 1844. He m. Elizabeth E. Higgins on February 22, 1859. They were married by Hugh M. Millstead, Justice of the Peace in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Burgess L. French died in 1912 in Yalobusha County, Mississippi and is buried in the New Hope Baptist Church cemetery. Elizabeth Higgins was born in 1841 and died in 1909, she is buried in New Hope Baptist Church cemetery [11]. He was a member of the Calhoun Co., MS Baptist Association in 1878.

From tripod.com

http://members.tripod.com/~vikcrest/burgfren.html [11]

Burgess Lawrence French was born January 1838 in the state of Tennessee. He moved with his parents to the state of Mississippi between 1842 and 1844. He was a son of John Morgan French and a Miss Bird. He married Elizabeth E. Higgins on February 22, 1859. They were married by Hugh M. Millstead, Justice of the Peace in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Burgess L. French died in 1912 in Yalobusha County, Mississippi and is buried in the New Hope Baptist Church cemetery. Elizabeth Higgins was born in 1841 and died in 1909, she is buried in New Hope Baptist Church cemetery.  At the age of 24 years, Burgess L. French was mustered in to Captain John Powell's company "H" of the 42nd Regiment of the Confederate Army. He enlisted at Grenada, Mississippi on May 14, 1862, for 3 years or the duration of the War. At company muster of November 10, 1862 he was listed as "in the Richmond Hospital". On the "Morning Report" at the General Hospital at Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia he was listed as having Fibris Typhoid (typhoid fever) and was transfered on December 28, 1862 to Danville. He is listed as wounded at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. He is listed as wounded furlough through December 1863, and was paroled at the end of the War.

Confederate Army, Nov 10, 1862

At the age of 24 years, Burgess L. French was mustered in to Captain John Powell's company "H" of the 42nd Regiment of the Confederate Army. He enlisted at Grenada, Mississippi on May 14, 1862, for 3 years or the duration of the War. At company muster of November 10, 1862 he was listed as "in the Richmond Hospital". On the "Morning Report" at the General Hospital at Camp Winder, Richmond, Virginia he was listed as having Fibris Typhoid (typhoid fever) and was transfered on December 28, 1862 to Danville. He is listed as wounded at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. He is listed as wounded furlough through December 1863, and was paroled at the end of the War.

Gettysburg, July 1, 1863

Burgess French's regiment was assigned to Davis' Brigade which was a part of Heths' Division at the beginning of the "Battle of Gettysburg". Henry Heth decided to lead his division into Gettysburg in order to find shoes and supplies for his men. Little did he know at the time that Union Soldiers were so close, and that this move would be the start of the 3-day battle that would decimate Robert E. Lees' gray-clad Army. Burgess L. French was wounded in the left hand at the "railroad cut". He stated that he "hid out for three days in an outhouse, soaking his hand in a tin of cool water to stop the bleeding and ease the pain. He was able to find his way back to his regiment and participate in the retreat to safer territory [11].

2.3 Henry French, b. 1840 in TN [2], age 10 in 1850 [1].

2.4 Rachel French, b. 1842 in TN [2], age 8 in 1850 [1].

Children of John and Elizabeth (Campbell) French, 1.1.

2.5 Harriet French, b. 1845 in MS [2], age 5 in the 1850 Census [1].

2.6 James Lorenzo French, b. 1847 in MS [2], age 3 in the 1850 Census [1].

2.7 Unity Elizabeth French, b. 23 Apr 1850 in Yalobusha Co., MS [2], about 6 months old in the 1850 Census [1]. She m. Seaborn J. McCormick on 28 Aug 1872. She d. 21 Oct 1896, age 46 and is buried at the McCormick Cemetery in Grenada Co. or Yalobusha Co., MS. They had 8 children, all born in Grenada Co., MS [10].

2.8 John Morgan French, Jr., b. 1853 in MS [2]. Age 7 in the 1860 Census [4].

2.9* William Wesley French, b. ca. 1856 in MS [2], m. Frances Shaw. Age 4 in the 1860 Census [4]. Frances was a mid-wife [2] [8].

Third Generation

Children of Burgess Lawrence and Elizabeth (Higgins) French, 2.2.

3.1 Rilla French, born 1864 Yalobusha County, Mississippi [11].

3.2 Mattie Lou French, born 1866, in Yalobusha County, Mississippi [11].

3.3 Rusha French, born Yalobusha County, Mississippi [11].

3.4 Anna French, born Yalobusha County, Mississippi [11].

3.5 Isha French, born Yalobusha County, Mississippi [11].

3.6* Grafton Leander French, b. 3/4 Mar 1875 in Yalobusha County, MS, d. 6 Dec 1965 in Tennessee [3] [11]. He was the only son born in this family. Grafton m. Maybelle Julia Lyon on 18 Oct 1896. Maybelle was the daughter of James Lawrence Lyon and Julia Clementine McGuire. Grafton and Maybelle move to a farm near Airmont, Mississippi. This farm was given to Grafton by one of his older sisters, who had married a man of wealth. When her husband died and she received his fortune and property, she was very generous to her only and youngest sibling. Grafton died on June 12, 1965 in Memphis, Tennessee, where they resided and is buried in Memorial Park cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee [11].

Children of William Wesley and Frances (Shaw) French, 2.9.

All children raised near Paris, Lafayette Co., MS.

3.7 Thomas Mitchell French, b. 17 Oct 1879, m. Martha Leditha Burk, d. 9 Mar 1971 [2].

3.8 John Edward French, b. 7 Sep 1881, m1. Amber Ramsey, m2. unk., m3. unk., d. 29 Feb 1976 [2].

3.9 Dewitt Clinton French, M.D., b. 31 Mar 1883, m1. Lois Edwards, m2. Blanche Edwards, d. 13 May 1967 [2].

3.10* Harvest Emmett French, b. 4 Jul 1885, m. Ida May Burk on 16 Feb 1906 [8], d. 7 Jun 1971 [2].

3.11 Jesse Charley French, b. 31 Mar 1887, m. Sue, d. 8 or 9 Jul 1971, fought in WWI and WWII [2].

3.12 Frank Leland French, b. 30 Aug 1889, m. Jean, d. 18 Apr 1960, was Superintendent of Schools, Pass Christian, Mississippi, fought in WWI and WWII [2].

3.13 Sallie Orr French, b. 31 Aug 1891 in Lafayette County, MS, m1. Robert Joseph (Burt) Lehman, m2. Frank Stone [2]. (7th child, first daughter) [2]. To her, the following children were born: William Hugh Lehman, b. 1 Sep 1910, d. 1 Nov 1893 [2]; Arthur Howard Lehman, b. 14 Apr 1915 in Glendora, MS [2]; Frank Orr Stoner, b. 31 Dec 1923 [2] [11].

3.14 Ira Ezra French, b. 5 Dec 1893, engaged only, d. 29 Dec 1916 [2].

3.15 William Wesley (Doss) French, b. 13 Apr 1896, m. Mildred, d. 17 Jun 1927, fought in WWI and WWII [2].

3.16 Joseph Robert French, b. 9 Mar 1899 or 1900, m. Ora Tucker, d. 6 Jan 1962 [2].

3.17 Mary Ruth French, b. 29 Sep 1902, unmarried, d. 25 Feb 1955 [2].

Fourth Generation

Children of Grafton Leander and Maybelle Julia (Lyon) French, 3.6

4.1 Isa Inez French, born August 15, 1897 in Airmount, MS., died August 31, 1900, buried at New Hope Baptist Church cemetery, Yalobusha Co., MS [11].

4.2* Sidney Lyons French, born February 15, 1899, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., MS, died March 21, 1952 in Memphis, TN., buried at New Hope Baptist Church cemetery, Yaloubusha Co., Mississippi, near his grandfather [3] [11]. Sidney attended school in Airmount and was a member the Baptist Church in that small community. He later, worked as a mechanic for my grandfather in Centralia, Illnois.This is where he met and courted my mother, Pearle Augusta Schneider. They were married June 24, 1924 in Brownstown, Illinois.They were later divorced and he was remarried to a lady whose first name was Frances. He later, married Ruth Byars. He was the owner of a Sundry store in Memphis, Tennessee, where he died on the 21st day of March in 1952. He is buried in the New Hope Baptist Church cemetery near Coffeeville, Mississippi [11].

Sydney L. French Obituary

Funeral services were held at New Hope Church last Sunday afternoon for Sidney L. French who died in the Baptist Hospital, Memphis, Friday. Rev. G. B. Basden conducted the services. Burial in the New Hope cemetery was in charge of National Funeral Home, Memphis.  Mr. French was born and reared in the New Hope community, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Grafton L. French, who survive. He united with New Hope Church early in life. He moved to Memphis about 20 years ago where at the time of his death he was operator of Lincoln Sundry Store. He was 53. Death was caused by a heart attack.  Besides his parents, who live in Memphis, Mr. French is survived by his wife, Mrs. Ruth French, Memphis, and two small daughters, Billy Jean and Sidney Ruth; four brothers, Roy French, Coffeeville; Frank French, Baton Rouge, La.; B. L. French, Houston, Texas; and Will Ike French, Memphis; and five sisters; Mrs. J. W. Davis, Mrs. Ed Woods, Miss Annie Mae French and Miss Jubeth French, all of Memphis, and Mrs. Kennis Bryant, Jackson, Miss. [date March 21, 1952] [11].

4.3* Roy Leander French, born December 31, 1900, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., MS. Roy married Freeda Flake Coker on October 24, 1926 in Coffeeville, MS., where she resides today (1998) with her daughter Kathyrn. Roy died May 17, 1978 in Coffeeville, and is buried in the Coffeeville cemetery [11].

4.4 Grace French, born July 3, 1903, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., Mississippi. Grace married Joe Wiley Davis. She is buried in the Memorial Park cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee. Children of Grace and Joe Wiley Davis: Dorothy Dale Davis, born may 19, 1925 at Water Valley, MS., Dorothy married Wesley John Patterson, a son of Zola Wilmont and Walter John Patterson. They were married at LaBelle Baptist Church in Memphis, TN., on the 25th day of 1944. Wesley J. Patterson was born June 8, 1925 in Dunkirk, New York. Joseph Wiley Davis, Jr., born June 8, 1926, he married Mary Ann Tolson in August of 1943 [11].

4.5 Anna Mae French, born 1905, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., Mississippi, died in Memphis, Tennessee [11].

4.6 Jean French, born 1905, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., Mississippi. Jean married Kennis Bryant. They reside in Jackson, Mississippi. They had one child: Mary Jean Bryant [11].

4.7 Frank French, born May 29, 1908, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., MS. Frank married Rosina Mushmack. He died November 26, 1993 at the Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was buried November 29, 1993 at Rest Haven Gardens of Memory in Baton Rouge, LA [11].

4.8 Lawrence 'Boots' French, born March 4, 1911, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., MS. He married (1) Louise Morgan, they divorced in 1954, then married (2) Marilyn ?. He died February 4, 1989 in Swainsbord, GA., and is buried there [11].

4.9 Julia 'Jubeth' Elizabeth French, born May 12, 1913, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., Mississippi. Jubeth resides at 1437 Central apt 715, Memphis, TN., 38104 (1998) [11].

4.10 Ouida French, born February 5, 1916, Airmount, Yalobusha Co., Mississippi. She was married to Edward Woods. Ouida died July 7, 1990 in Memphis, Tennessee. they had one son: Edward Woods Jr. [11].

4.11 Will Ike 'Mutts' French, was born July 10, 1917 in Airmount, Yalobusha Co., Mississippi. He married Modell Hamilton and resided in Walls, Mississippi. He died April 28, 1994 in Memphis, Tennessee and was buried on the 30th day of April 1994 is Forrest Hills (South) Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee [11].

Children of Harvest E. and Ida May (Burk) French, 3.10

4.12 William Lloyd French, b. Sept 1, 1908, d. May 29, 1997, m. Myrtie Douglas Brown on Dec 23, 1928 in Yalobusha Co, MS [8].

4.13 Frances Corinne French, b. Mar 24, 1910, d. Sept 13, 1992, m. Thomas Jefferson Williams on Dec 25, 1929 in Yalobusha Co, MS [8].

4.14 Ida Adele French, b. Aug 6, 1916, d. Oct 12, 1941, m. Alfred Pieri [8].

4.15 J Mildred French, b. Nov 17, 1922, d. Sept 25, 1998, m. Ernest Earl Nichols on Jan 28. 1946 [8].

4.16 Harvest Leon French, b. Sept 2, 1925 [8].

Fifth Generation

Children of Sidney Lyons and Pearle (Schneider) French, 4.2

5.1 Doris Jean French, b. 28 Dec 1926 [11].

Robert Lee French in Saudi Arabia [11]

5.2* Robert (Bob) Lee French, b. 12 Mar 1929 [11], m. Mary Virginia Murphy on 4 Aug 1952. More. Bob is Ref [11] who contributed a lot to this chart.

Child by Sidney Lyons and Frances French, 4.2

5.3 Billie Jean French [11].

Child by Sidney and Ruth (Byars) French, 4.2

5.4 Sydney Ruth French [11].

Children of Roy and Freeda (Coker) French, 4.3

5.5 James Kenneth French, b. September 7, 1927 [11].

5.6 Roy Lynn French, b. February 4, 1929 [11].

5.7 Jo Anne French, b. August 23, 1932 [11].

5.8 Irma Kay French, b. January 19, 1936 [11].

5.9 Norma Kathryn French, 1939 [11].

5.10 David Dale French, b. February 22, 1941 [15].

Sixth Generation

Children of Robert L. and Mary V. (Murphy) French, 5.2

5.1 Steven Lee French, b. 26 Apr 1953 at the Pasadena Hospital in Pasadena, TX. Steve m1. Paula Harmon in 1971 and had one child, Virginia Sue French. He m2. Diane Smith Bartlett. More

Bibliography

Numbers in square brackets [ ] are bibliography notations. FFA stands for French Family Association Library Number.

[1] Mississippi US Census, 1850.

[2] FFA member Howard Lehman, P.O. Box 34, Parkin, AR 72373.

[3] FFA member Robert Lee French, 609 West Spruce Street, Jerseyville, IL 62052.

[4] Mississippi US Census, 1860.

[5] History of the Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory, by David E. Johnston. Book has a lot of material on the French family, especially the Matthew French line of Lord Fairfax grant in Virginia, one of whose descendants, Hon. Wm. A. French has a resemblance to William Wesley French, 2.9. (book owned by Howard Lehman [2])

[7] Mrs. Ramona J. Butler, 4741 Papaya Drive, Fair Oaks, CA 95628-4428.

[8] Peggy Joyce Fisher, Pegletpf@aol.com, 2008.

[9] Bob French, art13@gtec.com, Dec 2003.

[10] Bonnie Lacey, belacey@cox.net.

[11] Bob French, bobf@gtec.com (no longer valid), website: http://members.tripod.com/~vikcrest/burgfren.html and http://members.tripod.com/~vikcrest/apage1.htm

[12] Earl A. Truitt, PO Box 323, Oxford, MS 38655.

[13] Rose Ombre, roseombre@aol.com

[14] Janet Gomes, paleface14@sbcglobal.net

[15] David Dale French

[16] Links to Online Census Records of Yalobusha Co., MS from Ancestry.com.

[17] Calvin Schmitz, calvinschmitz@yahoo.com

Slavery in Yalobusha Co 1860

The last U.S. census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The actual number of slaveholders may be slightly lower because some large holders held slaves in more than one County and they would have been counted as a separate slaveholder in each County. Excluding slaves, the 1860 U.S. population was 27,167,529, with about 1 in 70 being a slaveholder. It is estimated by this transcriber that in 1860, slaveholders of 200 or more slaves, while constituting less than 1 % of the total number of U.S. slaveholders, or 1 out of 7,000 free persons, held 20-30% of the total number of slaves in the U.S. The process of publication of slaveholder names beginning with larger slaveholders will enable naming of the holders of the most slaves with the least amount of transcription work.

SOURCES. The 1860 U.S. Census Slave Schedules for Yalobusha County, Mississippi (NARA microfilm series M653, Roll 604) reportedly includes a total of 9,531 slaves. This transcription includes 152 slaveholders who held 20 or more slaves in Yalobusha County, accounting for 5,993 slaves, or about 63% of the County total. The rest of the slaves in the County were held by a total of 569 slaveholders, and those slaveholders have not been included here. Due to variable film quality, handwriting interpretation questions and inconsistent counting and page numbering methods used by the census enumerators, interested researchers should view the source film personally to verify or modify the information in this transcription for their own purposes. Census data for 1860 was obtained from the Historical United States Census Data Browser, which is a very detailed, searchable and highly recommended database that can found at http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/ . Census data on African Americans in the 1870 census was obtained using Heritage Quest’s CD “African-Americans in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census”, available through Heritage Quest at http://www.heritagequest.com/ .

In Mississippi in 1860 there were 481 farms of 1,000 acres or more, the largest size category enumerated in the census, and another 1,868 farms of 500-999 acres.

Hamburg (Yellow Fever) Cemetery, Franklin Co., MS

FRENCH, Albert 30 Nov 1892 - May 1985

FRENCH, C. O. 3 Mar 1887 - 15 Jun 1924

FRENCH, Charles O. 2 Nov 1921 - 9 Jan 1959

FRENCH, Clyde 23 Jan 1898 - 3 Mar 1982

FRENCH, Clyde Harold 17 Apr 1922 - 12 Oct 1922

FRENCH, Enola S. 1872-1960 w/o Posey

FRENCH, J. D. 16 Dec 1855 - 27 Jul 1925 (John)

FRENCH, John L. 1891-1951

FRENCH, Lillian Dove 20 Jun 1889 - 26 Sep 1961 w/o Oscar N.

FRENCH, Louise O. 31 Oct 1912 - 15 Mar 1974 w/o Albert

FRENCH, Mary E. 1866-1950 w/o J. D. (John)

FRENCH, Oscar N. 8 Feb 1887 - 23 Sep 1971

FRENCH, Posey D. 1861-1947

FRENCH, Tiny Martin 27 Jan 1905 - 15 Dec 1966 w/o/ Clyde

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