Contents
History and Research
First Generation
Second Generation
Records
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, living in Rockingham
Co., NC in 1790 [3]. May have moved to Onslow County, NC, in 1810, or he died
before 1810 [3].
Second Generation
2.1 William French Jr., b. before 1790 in Rockingham Co., NC
[3]. May have moved to Onslow County, NC, in 1810 [3].
2.2 Mason French of Rockingham Co. in 1790 [3]. May have had
a brother, Henry C. French, b. Apr 1795 in VA, m. Catherine Shultz, who was b.
in Rowan Co., NC in 1803.
Records
Robert and Abigail French of Cowan County, 1741 [4].
Richard French in Albemarle Co. in 1696 near Perquimans
River, wife was perhaps Elizabeth Steward since they were both witnesses of a
will in 1701 in Perquimans Precinct. Richard still living in 1716. Married by
1711 in Perquimans Precinct [4].
Frenches in NC 1665-1900: Abigail, Elizabeth, Mrs.
Elizabeth, George, John, Richard, Robert, Thomas, William [4].
Surname Wall in NC: Ann, Arthur, Deborah, Elizabeth, Faith,
Francis, Gerrard, Girrard, Henry, Howel, James, John, Joseph, Joshua, Lucy,
Mary, Richard, Robert, Sampson, Samuel, Sarah, Thomas [5].
George French of Bertie County, 1729. John French of New
Providence, NC 1723. Thomas French of Albermarle Co. 1684. William French,
grandson of Sarah Wall of Edgecombe County, 1756 [5].
Abigail d. 1779 Onslow County. George d. 1889 New Hanover
County. Joseph d. 1775 Onslow County. Junius B. d. 1863 Mecklenburg County.
Richard d. 1716 in Perquimans County, originally part of Albemarle Co. William
d. 1824 in Onslow County. William d. 1801 in Stokes County [6].
Richard French, 17 Dec 1712, wife Elizabeth, plantation now
in possession of John Old and Susannah, his wife; probated 13 Apr 1716.
Elizabeth still living in 1727 [7].
Joseph French owned land in Onslow County in 1758 [7].
David French owned land in Bladen County, 1746 [7].
Richard had 1000 acres on 11 Sep 1735 in Bladen County on
the S.W. side of the N.W. river on the Main South branch of Hammonds Creek. On
20 Feb 1735 in bought 640 acres in Bladen Precinct on the W. side of the N.W.
river joining the mouth of Little River. On 18 Jun 1736 he bought 300 acres in
Bladen Precinct on the S.W. sie of the N.W. River. On 22 Nov 1738 he bought 640
acres in Bladen County on the E. side of the N.W. River [8].
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.
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.
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.
2. Jeremiah French, Caswell Co.
Connection to the Wall Family of
Rockingham Co., NC
á
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 [2]. 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].
á
Anna C. Wall, b. 1820, m. 14 Nov 1846 to John H.
French in Rockingham, NC [2]. 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.
[2] 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.
[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] Letter from Loretta Berry, 28 Feb 1991, of 231 Oro
Madre, Sutter Creek, CA 95685.
[10] 1850 Census, Rockingham County, NC.
[11] Judy Wilguide, judywilguide@verizon.net
[12] 1895
Map of Rockingham County
