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St. Andrews Church, Halstead, Essex County, England

England History and Research

This family did not immigrate to America, but the genealogy is presented here because the location is precisely where other Frenches lived who immigrated to America.

Various William Frenches appear in land records of Halstead. Comparing court records and baptismal records, we can see the various ages of William Frenches, some are born after adult land records were recorded. Presently there is no Greenstreet in Halstead [10]. However, a Greenstead Green exists [9] 2 miles southeast of Halstead near Gosfield [8].

French Family Ancestry in England

The letter designation for England goes backward beginning with the last generation living in England, Generation A, and goes forward with number designations in America, beginning with the first generation living in America, Generation 1.

Generation C

C.1* William French, Sr., of Halstead [1], b. ca. 1553. Was a weaver in 1612 [4]. William was not a minor in 1596/7 [6], d. 23 Apr 1620 (age about 55) in Halstead, Senior from Greenstreet [2], m. Ellen Scotte on 26 Jul 1573 in Gosfield, Essex, England [19] [22], when William was ca. 20 years old. No known reason why there are 9 years between first two children. Anne died 3 years after William on 7 Jul 1623 as a widow and the wife of William French from The Leete [8]. Best bet would be to get William’s will. Other court records in which William was an adult: William, weaver, Halstead, to keep peace, 4 Jun 1612 [4]. William and footbridge issue, Halstead, 1596/7 [6]. William could have been the brother of Jacob (Chart #E1) or Christopher (Chart #EC).

C.2 Is it possible that William had a brother named Christopher of Chart #EC or Jacob of Chart #E1? They were all born during the same period and in nearby villages:

· Jacob, b. ca 1553, Chart #E1

· William, b. ca. 1553, Chart #EA

· Christopher, b. ca. 1560, Chart #EC

Generation B

Children of William and Ellen (Scotte) French, C.1

To learn more about this family, further research needs to be done on the children of these siblings.

B.1 Anne French [1], bp. 6 Dec 1587 in Halstead as dau. of Will[ia]m French [8], d. 3 Dec 1617 as daughter of William French of Greenstreet in Halstead, age 30 [2]. The name Anne must have been significant since she was the first female (perhaps a name of her grandmother).

B.2 Will[ia]m French I, [1], bp. 18 Oct 1596 in Halstead, son of Will[ia]m [8]. Since there is another William born to this family in 1606, it is assumed that this William died. There is a record of a William who died in Halstead, 9 Sep 1604 along with a John French who d. 1 Oct 1604, only 3 weeks later. It is assumed that these were brothers who died of a similar cause [3].

B.3 Margaret French [1], bp. 25 Feb 1598/99 in Halstead [8]. No father mentioned; however, the father could not have been Thomas French, Esq. (Chart #EB) who m. Bridget Higham Burrough in Wethersfield (nearby Halstead) because this Thomas had son Edward on 13 Aug 1598. Margaret could not have been the dau. of Christopher French of Halstead (Chart #EC) because she is not mentioned in Christopher’s will of 1616 and she would have been a minor then.

B.4 John (Jhon) French [1], bp. 24 Jun 1599 as son of Willia[m] in Halstead. There is a record of a John French who died in Halstead on 1 Oct 1604 [3]. This death occurred only 3 weeks after William I died, and it is assumed that these two were brothers who died of a similar cause [3]. This John could not be the son of Christopher, Chart #EC, because that John is mentioned in his father’s will of 1616. If the death of John is not this John, then this John could be the one who immigrated to America (Chart #3).

B.5 Ellen French [1], bp. 24 Jul 1603 in Halstead as the dau. of Willia[m] [8]. (Named after her mother) or her father’s first wife who died.

B.6 Willia[m] French II or Jr. [1], probably named after his brother William who died, and of course after his father. William Jr. bp. 6 Apr 1606 in Halstead as the son of Willia[m] French [8]. Could not have been the son of Thomas French, Esquire (Chart #EB), as published in so many other books, because Thomas had a son born on 29 Jun 1606. (Bap. and births didn’t necessarily happen at the same time). See Notes [18] [20]. No baptisms in Halstead 1650-69 or 1686-1700 [21]. We have not determined where the French family went in 1620 after they left Halstead. This William most likely was the William from the Leete, near Halstead.

Assumption: William m1. Elizabeth Godfrey, m2. Elizabeth Symmes.

Elizabeth Frenche, widowe from the Leete, d. 5 Apr 1625 [2] [20]. William would have been 19 years old at her death. Because there is a William French who married an Elizabeth French and had a son Francis born in 1625, it is possible that Elizabeth died in childbirth with her first child. That could also explain why the next child was born 4 years later because William married again a lady by the name of Elizabeth Symmes. The first Elizabeth could have been Elizabeth Godfrey. More research required, especially to see if there is a man named Francis Godfrey who was the father of Elizabeth Godfrey.

Letches Farm was 3 miles south of Halstead. Because the Leete was a type of manor court, the term was sometimes used also to describe an area or premise within the jurisdiction of a particular manor. I never found the death record of this William.

B.7 Rychard French [1], bp. 28 Jun 1607 in Halstead [8]. No father mentioned, however, the father could not have been Thomas French, Esquire (Chart #EB), because Thomas had a daughter born on 21 Nov 1607. He couldn’t have been the son of Christopher French of Halstead (Chart #EC), because he is not mentioned in Christopher’s will of 1616 and he would have been a minor then.

American immigration records show that Richard French of Cambridge, MA, Chart #6, was 27 years of age in 1652, therefore b. 1625/26. He resided in Cambridge, MA 1651-1654. Therefore, this Richard could not be the immigrant, but perhaps he was the immigrant’s father. No baptisms in Halstead 1650-69 or 1686-1700 [21]. There’s a record of a widower Richard French who m. Mathie Penyall, who was also widow at the time of their marriage on 2 Feb 1639/40 [8]. I never found the death record of this Rychard.

Maps

These superly-detailed historical Ordnance Survey maps date back to between 1860 and 1910, and are available for every town in England and Wales.

Zoom in on this satellite map of England to visually see the approximation of the Essex and Suffolk towns.

Bibliography

NOTE: This information was researched by FFA member John B. Threlfall, who had his research published in the NEHGR Vol. 142, July 1988, p. 250-252. Numbers in square brackets [ ] are bibliography notations.

[1] Essex County Council, Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1LX, England. Research completed in 1989, document ref. E.R.O. D/P 96/1/1, Search ref. G.S. 173/89 of all baptisms in the Parish of Halstead in the county of Essex from 1564 to 1616. 22 French baptisms listed in Halstead between 1564 and 1616.

[2] Essex County Council, Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1LX, England. Research completed 26 Apr 1990, Order No. GS 99/90 for 3 hrs, Halstead Parish Register, burials 1608 to 1639. Nine deaths of French in Halstead between 1608 and 1639.

[3] Essex County Council, Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1LX, England. Research completed in 1989, document ref. E.R.O. GS 207/89, dated 9 August 1989, of all Halstead baptisms between 1617-1650, and all burials 1564-1607. No French was born between 1617 and 1650 in Halstead. Only two deaths were recorded in Halstead between 1564 and 1607, a William and John, both in the year 1604.

[4] Essex Record Office in Chelmsford, Essex County, England. Unpublished typescript Calendar of Essex Quarter Sessions Rolls, Q/SR 199/127, 4 June 1612 recognizance (i.e. bond) given by William Frenche weaver, Thomas Pilgryme weaver, and William Baylyfe alias Smith tailor, all of Halstead. William Frenche to keep the peace towards Richard Harrold. This info was received in a letter from Frederick G. Emmison, Chelmsford, England, listing Essex Record Office Manorial Records, 1989.

[5] Essex Record Office in Chelmsford, Essex County, England, work done by Dr. Emmison. No French records in the Manorial Records of Halstead for the Manor of Abells, D/Dvz 8, which are not the earliest records for this manor, Court Roll 1631-1656. No French records in the Manorial Records of Halstead for the Manor of Stanstead, Court Roll, 1637-1651 which is the earliest record for this manor. No French records in the Manorial Records of Halstead for the Manor Bois Hall alias Dynes Hall in Halstead, for which there are no relevant court rolls, but there is a single Rental, 1603: D/DVz 83; also a survey (not a map) or small booklet of early extracts from the court rolls, 1557-1584: D/DVz 84, for which there are no French references.

[6] Essex Record Office in Chelmsford, work done by Dr. Emmison, May 1989. Unpublished typescript Calendar of Essex Quarter Sessions Rolls, Q/SR 136/19. 1596/7 January. Presentment for parish of Halstead. That there is a little footbridge leading from Earls Colne (2 miles southeast from Halstead) to Halstead that is carried away with a flood, and we have heard it is in question between Mr. Little and Mr. Frenche which of them shall make the bridge. This proves that the Frenches lived in close proximity to Earls Colne, the town where Roger Harlakeden lived who sailed with a William French on the Defence, to America.

[7] Essex Record Office in Chelmsford, work done by Dr. Emmison, May 1989. Unpublished typescript Calendar of Essex Quarter Sessions Rolls, Q/SR 329/29. 1646. Presentment for parish of Halstead by the surveyors of the highways of all such as have peremptorily refused to do their duties [in maintaining the roads]. Landowners [8 names] include Mr. Frenche. [Each fined 40 shillings.]

[8] Essex County Council, Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1LX, England. Research completed 13 Jun 1990, document ref. E.R.O. GS 149/90, burials in Halstead, 1639-1650, only one surname French, 26 Jan 1641, the child of Thomas French. Marriages 1564-1650 (5 total). Earls Colne Parish Register, Baptisms 1628-1635. None of surname French. Private research also done on names Greenstreet and Leete.

[9] 1777 Map of Halstead.

[10] Halstead Town Guide and Street Plan, 1985. Greenstead Green lies two miles off the main A604 just southeast of Halstead on the Colchester side of town, immediately south of Stanstead Hall. Leete could stand for leet, a territorial division, a manorial court, or its jurisdiction. It might mean the manor estate where perhaps William was an employee or tenant directly under the lord of the manor.

[11] Bures Saint Mary Parish Register. This register has never been published.

[12] A Genealogical History of the French and Allied Families, by Mary Queal Beyer, 1909?

[13] Essex Record Office, Chelmsford R2/35/20.

[14] Mara French’s trips to England, August 1985 and May 1989.

[15] Boyd’s Marriage Index shows a William French, m. Ann Stevens at Halstead, 1622 (too soon for the William of this chart). Also a John French, m. Joan Siday at Great Tey in 1631. Also, a John French m. Jane Pratt at Halstead in 1631.

[16] This is the only Richard French from Halstead. An emigrant named Richard French is listed in [17] as coming from Coggeshall (south of Halstead) to Concord and Cambridge, MA according to Middlesex Court Records. No date given.

[17] Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England, 1620-1650, by Charles Edward Banks, 1963.

[18] A William French is listed in [17] as an emigrant from Halstead on ship Francis to Cambridge, MA, ref. N.E.G.R. 44/367.

[19] Essex County Council, Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1LX, England. Research completed on 7 Aug 1990 of all baptism, marriage, and burial records of Gosfield, Essex, England, 1538 to 1650. Also a Mary French m. Thomas Person on 12 Dec 1649.

[20] Undetermined Frenches: A William French, widower, of Halstead, m. Anne Stevens, widow, on 13 May 1622. A William French, widower, of Halstead, m. Anne Bland, widow, on 18 Feb 1640. An Ann French, widow, the wife of William French from The Leete, d. 7 Jul 1623. (The first and third Ann listed here could be the same person.) Elizabeth French, d. 5 Apr 1625, widowe from The Leete. Presently there is no area named The Leete. However, a Letches existed in 1777 [9]. Letches Farm was 3 miles south of Halstead.

[21] Essex County Council, Essex Record Office, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1LX, England. Research completed on 27 Sep 1990, order number GS252/90, Halstead baptisms 1650-1669, 1686-1700; marriages 1653-58, 1662-88, 1695-1700; burials, 1653-73. No register survives for intervening periods.

[22] Boyd’s Marriage Index for Essex, FFA E004.

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· England History and Research	·
· French Family Ancestry in England	·
· Maps of Suffolk and Essex Counties	·
· Bibliography	·