French Family Association
The Official Website of the Surname French
Old tobacco barn, Rockingham Co., NC. This barn had
been converted to oil heat
and the flues have been cut off at the bottom hence the odd angles
Chart #47, William French of Halifax Co., VA
Rowan, Orange, and Rockingham Counties, NC
This chart updated by Mara French on 9/8/10. Numbers in brackets [ ] show sources and refer to the bibliography at the end of this chart. An asterisk (*) shows continuation of that line. Send any corrections or additions to this chart to marafrench@mindspring.com. Revisions: 2010.
NOTE: Please make any corrections or additions to this chart that you can and send them to Mara. Refer to this chart by chart number and revision date so that your information will be understood. Refer to each family member by their number. Additions are greatly appreciated. This chart has been widely distributed and is constantly being updated. You will be notified of the next revision.
Contents
History and Research
First Generation
Second Generation
Connection to the Wall Family of
Rockingham Co., NC
Bibliography
History and Research
The family lived in Halifax County, VA; Rowan County, NC;
and in 1753 they lived in Orange County, NC; in 1785 in Wentworth City,
Rockingham County, NC (which formerly was Orange County). Rockingham Co. formed
in 1785 from Guilford County. Recording of wills began in 1804. Old unrecorded
wills have been found in courthouses.
First Generation
1.1* William French Sr.,
b. ca. 1770 in Halifax Co., VA, living in Rockingham Co., NC in 1790 [3].
1.2 Jeremiah French,
b. ca. 1772, in Halifax Co., VA.
Second Generation
Children of William French, Sr., 1.1
2.1 William French Jr.,
b. before 1790 in Rockingham Co., NC [3].
2.2 Mason French of
Rockingham Co. in 1790 [3].
2.3* Henry C. French,
b. Apr 1795 in VA as per the 1860 census when Henry was 65 years old living in
Benton, Holt Co., Missouri [9]. At that time they were living with the Glick
family on a farm, and Henry was a farmer. He m. Catherine (or Katherine) Shultz
on 1 Feb 1830 in Morgan, Indiana [9]. He d. in 1869 in Holt, Missouri [9]. They
had 5 children, all born in Indiana. The family ended up in Holt Co., MO around
1853 [2]. Catherine was b. 1803 (she was 57 in the 1860 census) in Rowan Co., NC,
the dau. of Christian Schaltz and Elizabeth Goss [9]. She d. in 1861 in Holt,
Missouri [9].
2.4 Samuel French,
b. ca. 1796/97 in VA, m. Jane Hollingsworth on 20 Dec 1827 in Morgan Co., IN
[2]. She was b. in 1805 [9].
Third Generation
Children of Henry C. and Catherine (Shultz) French, 2.3
3.1 Martina/Martella/Martilla A. French, b. 1 Jan 1833 (as per the 1860 census) in Indiana
[2], d. 25 aug 1911 in Holt, Missouri. She m. Christopher Columbus Strong on 4
Jan 1866 in Holt, Missouri and had 2 children [9].
3.2 Andrew Jackson French (Jack), b. 1837 in Indiana [2].
3.3* Samson/Sampson French, b. May 1837 in Morgan, Indiana [2]. He m. Julia Ann Blackmore on 25
Nov 1866 in Holt, Missouri [9]. She was b. 4 Aug 1878.
3.4 James French, b.
1840 in Indiana [2].
3.5 Neta French, b.
1 Jul 1841 in Indiana [2], d. 26 Jan 1923 and is buried at the Tharp Cemetery
in Holt Co., Missouri [9]. Neta m. William S. Dunnihoo in 1858 and had 4
children: William, Hiram, Wheeler, and Robert C. [9]. She d. 26 Jan 1923 in
Missouri City, Fort Bend, TX [9].
Children of Samuel and Jane (Hollingsworth) French, 2.4
3.6 Mastely French, b. ca. 1830 in Cloverdale, Putnam Co., IN and moved to TX [2].
3.7 Louisa French, b. ca. 1833 in IN and moved to TX [2]. She m. Levi L. Fowler on 8 Jul 1853 in Owen Co., IN. They had son John S. Fowler.
3.8* Sanders French, b. 1834 in Putnam, IN and moved to TX [2]. He m. Roxina Keeling on 30 Dec 1852 in Owen, IN. She was b. 1836 in Owen, IN, and d. 1906 in Indiana Territory, OK. They had one son, James, b. in 1855 in Collin, TX [9]. Sanders was Roxanna KeelingÕs first husband and their son James French was raised by RoxanneÕs 2nd husband, Wilson Howard. He married in Collins Co Texas and went over to Oklahoma with his step-sister Palmira Howard and her husband John Sinclair Fowler. Annie Fowler Musler and James French's daughter Annie were good friends. The Fowler family was also close to the Samuel French family and remembers their son Pervin French as a schoolmate and friend. RoxannaÕs sisters Palmira and Rosa J. Keeling also married Sanders brothers Marion and Wm R. French.
3.9 Sarah M. French, b. ca. 1838 in Cloverdale, Putnam Co., IN and moved to TX [2].
3.10 Francis Marion French (male) , b. in Cloverdale, Putnam Co., IN and moved to TX [2]. He m.
Palmira Keeling on 30 Jun 1856 in Collins Co., TX.
3.11 John French, b.
ca. 1840 in Cloverdale, Putnam Co., IN and moved to TX [2].
3.12 William Randolph French, b. ca. 1841 in Cloverdale, Putnam Co., IN and moved to TX [2]. He m.
Rosa J. Keeling on 28 Mar 1860 in Collins Co., TX
3.13 Ellen Penchy French, b. ca. 1843 in Cloverdale, Putnam Co., IN and moved to TX [2]. She m.
Abner Franklin on 9 Jan 1860 in Collins Co., TX.
Fourth Generation
Children of Sampson and Julia Ann (Blackmore) French, 3.3
4.1 Charlotte French,
b. 1868 in Missouri [9].
4.2 Charles E. French,
b. 1871 [9].
4.3 Luther Elmer French,
b. 1873 in Missouri [9]. He m. Amanda in 1899 and she died in 1900. Luther also
died in 1900 [9]. Amanda was b. Dec 1880 in Kansas [9].
4.4 Eva Jane French,
b. 1876 in Missouri [9].
4.5 William L. French,
b. 4 Aug 1878 and died on 5 Jul 1880 at age 2 years [9].
Children of Sanders and Roxina (Keeling) French, 3.8
4.6 James French, b.
9 May 1855 in Collins Co., TX, m. Josephine Eden ca. 1881 in TX, d. 27 Feb 1901
in Stringtown, Atoka Co., OK at age 45 and is buried at the Emit Cemetery. The
tombs of James, wife Josephine, and son John Wade French are in the Emmit
Cemetery. Josephine was b. 9 Jun 1861 in TX, d. 10 Aug 1949 in Mangum,
Oklahoma.
Connection to the Wall Family of Rockingham Co., NC
David P. French, son-in-law, was executor of Daniel WallÕs
estate, 25 Jan 1846 in Rockingham Co., NC. Rachel C. Wall, b. 1829, m. 5 Nov
1845 to David Porter French before 1876 in Rockingham, NC. David was b. ca.
1823 [1]. David was 27 in the 1850 census, Rachel was 21 [10]. Their children
from the 1850 Census:
E. J. French, b. 1848 female, in Rockingham Co., NC,
was 2 years old at census [10].
R. A. French, b. 1849 female, in
Rockingham Co., NC, was 1 year old at census [10].
S. E. French, b.
1850 in Rockingham Co., NC, was 4 months and 12 days old at census [10].
Anna C. Wall, b. 1820, m. 14 Nov 1846 to John H. French in
Rockingham, NC [1]. John was b. in 1820 as he was 30 in the 1850 census, as was
his wife [10]. Their children from the 1850 Census:
William French, b. 1848 in Rockingham Co., NC, age 22
months in 1850 census [10].
J. D. French, b. 1850 in Rockingham Co., NC,
was 8 months, 12 days old in 1850 census [10].
Bibliography
[1] Loretta Berry, P.O. Box 308, Pine Grove, CA 95665 (no
longer at this address). Visit, Loretta Berry and Mara French, 8 February 1991,
at LorettaÕs home (since 1989, 231 Oro Madre, Sutter Creek, CA 95685. Mara
bought a house in Sutter Creek in 1991 and retired there in 2004. Loretta moved
to Stockton, CA. Letter from Loretta Berry, 28 Feb 1991, of 231 Oro Madre,
Sutter Creek, CA 95685.
[2] Judy Ayer, 3510 N. 9th St., #201, Carter
Lake, IA 51510. 402-812-1453. Related to Henry French who m. Catherine Shultz.
[3] 1790 NC tax lists, court cases, land sales, to comprise
a reasonable substitute for the 1790 NC census, which had been destroyed.
Contributed by member Warren Wilhite in 14 Oct 1987, now deceased.
[4] North Carolina Wills, a testator index 1665-1900, by
Thornton W. Mitchell, 1987, found at the Santa Clara Library, CA, on Homestead
Ave.
[5] Abstract of North Carolina wills, by J. Bryan Grimes,
1975, found at the Santa Clara Library, CA, on Homestead Ave.
[6] Found at the Santa Clara Library, CA, on Homestead Ave.
Did not mark down source.
[7] New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Jan
1900, by J. R. B. Hathaway, Perquimans County, NC, Abstract of Wills,
1690-1760. Found at the Santa Clara Library, CA, on Homestead Ave.
[8] Colony of North Carolina, 1735-1764, Abstracts of Land
Patents, by Margaret M. Hofmann. Found at the Santa Clara Library, CA, on
Homestead Ave.
[9] Ancestry.com
[10] 1850 Census, Rockingham County, NC.
[11] Judy Wilguide, judywilguide@verizon.net
[12] Rockingham Co., website: http://www.ncgenweb.us/rockingham/
[13] FFA Member Warren Wilhite [3] says that the 1790 census
for North Carolina has been destroyed, but a reasonable substitute has been
compiled from other sources such as tax lists, court cases, land sales, etc.
Warren Wilhite died in 1991. This chart may also connect to Chart #157 or #196.
The list is incomplete; if a name is not shown, that does not mean that the
person was not in NC. At least ten French families resided in NC in 1790:
1. Daniel French, Beaufort Co., with wife and one
slave
2. James French, Onslow Co. (FFA Chart #196)
3. John French, Halifax Co.
4. Mason French, Rockingham Co.
5. Moses French, Rutherford Co. with wife, 3 sons, 2
dau.
6. Robert French, Chowan Co. with wife, dau, 2 sons, 1
slave
7. Samuel French, Caswell Co.
8. Sarah French, Rutherford Co, 1 son under 16, 1 son
over 16.
9. William French Sr, Rockingham Co.
10. William French Jr, Rockingham Co.
The 1810 NC census shows only two families:
1. William French, Esq. Onslow Co. (FFA Chart #196)
2. Jeremiah French, Caswell Co.
[14]
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FRENCH |
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b. March 1889, Texas |
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b. April 1891, Indian Territory Oklahoma |
d. November 7, 1968, Killed In Train Wreck |
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b. May 9, 1855, Collins Co Texas |
d. February 27, 1901, Stringtown Atoka Co Oklahoma |
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b. March 24, 1881, Texas |
d. August 19, 1970 |
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b. Abt 1840, Cloverdale Twsp Putnam Co IN |
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b. Abt 1833, IN |
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b. Abt 1707 |
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b. Abt 1838, Cloverdale Twsp Putnam Co IN |
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b. April 1858, Ohio, United States |
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b. Abt 1830, Cloverdale Twsp Putnam Co IN |
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b. Abt 1843, Cloverdale Twsp Putnam Co IN |
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b. Abt 1797, Virginia |
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b. Abt 1834, Cloverdale Twsp Putnam Co IN |
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b. Abt 1826, Virginia, United States |
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b. Abt 1836, Cloverdale Twsp Putnam Co IN |
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b. December 6, 1887, Texas |
d. October 29, 1956, Stringtown Oklahoma Hit By Train At
Rrx |
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b. Abt 1841, Cloverdale Twsp Putnam Co IN |
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