Will of Thomas French, 1673
In the Name of God Amen the Nine and twentyth day of April l in the five and twentyth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the second of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the faith Anno Dom 1673 I Thomas French the elder of Nether Heyford in the conty of Northton being weak in body but of good and perfect Memory thanks be to Almighty God. And Knowing the uncertaintie of this life on earth do make this my last Will and testament in manner and forme following. And first being penitent and sorry for my sins past most humbly desiring forgivenesse for the name i give and Comitt my soule to Almightie God my Saviour and Redeemer in whom and by the meritts of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and to have full remission and forgivenesse of all my sins. Ad my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be buryed in such decent and Christian manner as to my Executor hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenient and annulling by these presents all and every Will and Wills testament and testaments heretofore by me made and declared and this all those debts and duties which in right or conscience I owe to any manner of person or persons whatsoever shall be well and truly contented and paid or ordained to be paid within convenient time after my decease by my Executors hereafter named
Item I give and bequeath to Thomas French my eldest sone the sume of twelve pence
I give and bequeath to John French my second sone two shillings and six pence
I give and bequeath to Patience French my eldest daughter two shillings and six pence
I give and bequeath to Elisabeth French my second daughter two shillings and six pence
I give and bequeath to Mary French my third daughter two shillings and six pence all with said legacies
I shall be payed by my Executors within six months after my decease. All the rest of my goods cattell and chattels whatsoever I give and bequeath to Martha My oveing wife and to my sone Robert French and to my daughter Martha French whom I make joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament. I do nominate and appoint my welbeloved friends Thomas Kirton and William Steffe both of Hayford aforesaid overseers of this my last WIll and testament do give them twelvepence apeece In witness whereof I the said Thomas French have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day yeare first above written.
Proved 16 August 1673
Thomas French , father of the progenitor of the New Jersey branch of the French family. Like his ancestors for many generations, lived at Nether Heyford, where he was known as an influential and useful citizen. His home Nether Heyford, was a parish in the hundred of Newbottle Grove county Northampton, seven miles south by west from the city of Northampton England. The parish is a very ancient one, and the parish church, dedicated to S. S. Peter and Paul, was erected in the early part of the thirteenth century from 1558 when the emigrant left his England home, there are over sixty referring to the French family all evidently to the same line. (The French Golden Chain)
… When the religious Society of Friends arose, Thomas (with other members of the family) became activetly identified therewith, suffering for his faith at different times. Upon one occasion, Thomas was sentenced to imprisonment for forty-two months for refusal to pay tithes to the amount of eleven shillings, he being at the time a resident of Upper Norton, Oxfordshire. Five other names of this famly appear in Beese’s remarkable book, namely, George, Robert, John, William and Moses. Penalty was inflicted upon the latter five times. He served altogether several years in prison.
That Thomas French was a man of great force of character, intense religious conviction and earnest, consistent life, is abundantly evident. He shared with his associates trials and hardships and always resented everything beatinf the slightest resemblance to injustice or oppression. A glance at the situation in England during the period of persecution will be timely. The most vigorous efforts were made to suppress the Society of Friends. Their meetings were outlawed, their property unjustly taken, through fines and the imposition of tithes, and great numbers were thrown into prison, where they were cruelly treated, hundreds suffering unto death. The sad and shameful story of this era of martyrdom would be quite incredible if the unquestioned record had not been preserved, in a book the like of which the world will never again see.
Thomas French was among the first to take a practical interest in the colonization of Friends in America . . . he signed the famous “Concessions and Agreements,” at London, in 1676, which provided for the settlement of New Jersey. It is evident from records that he made a preliminary prospecting visit to this country, to locate his land and select a home site. He has left and account of the coming of himself and family, three years after the arrival o the pioneer colonists. He sailed from London, in the ship Kent, Gregory, Marlowe, master – the same vessel which brought the first company of settlers in 1677 to Burlington – about the 1st of August 1680, with his wife and nine children, four sons and five daughters, the oldest child being sixteen while the youngest was not yet four years of age. He settled upon a tract of 600 acres of desireable land located along the banks of the Rancocas, about four miles from Burlington. Throughout the remainder of his life he held an influential place in the colony and prospered in business. He was commissioner of highways 1684-5. At his death in 1699, he was possessed of some 1,200 acres of improved land and also his proprietary share of unsurveyed lands, approximately, 2,000 acres. During early twenty years residence as a leading citizen of Burlington County, Thomas French trained all his children in ways of sobriety, industry, and religion, they in turn founding families in whom traits of strong character were noted. Each performed his and her share in the prosperous and happy development of colonial life.
The Pioneer Homestead
The section of New Jersey in which Thomas French located was a notable place in pioneer days. An old map, reproduced, shows the names of early settlers, two of the most conspicuous being Thoams Ollie, who served as proprietary Governor and member of the Council and who was eminent also as a Quaker preacher, and Dr. Daniel Wills, whose land joined that upon which the Friends’ meeting house was built. Many fine old mansions marked the neighborhood, and some of these, over one hundred years old, remain. It is an interesting fact that part of the original plantation of Thomas French is today owned and occupied by his descendants. large tracts were (page 49 cont’d) sold early in the eighteenth century by Charles French, his son, to whom the homestead lands were willed by his father. In 1714, Charles French conveyed 250 acres to his brother-in-law, Nicholas Buzby, part of this descending to the latter’s son, John Buzby, who devised the same, in 1754, to his son John, who, in 1753 sold it to John Smith of Burlington. The deed stated that the estate was thereafter to be known as “Strawberry Hill.” It is supposed the great mansion, still standing, in an excellent state of preservation, was built by John Smith, about 1765. The place was leased soon after to Gov. William Franklin, as a summer home and purchased by him in 1770 for two thousand pounds. It then became known as Franklin Park,” containing a fine collection of deer and other high-class game. A great moat was constructed, the remains of which are still visible, to keep off poachers.
