Individual Details
James French
(1650 - 17 Mar 1733)
1671 immigrated to MD from Galoway, Ireland
Occupation: Planter
Religion: Catholic
Land 21 Acres of Hopton Park in St Mary's County, MD (part of a 2100 acre tract patented to Cuthbert and Elizabeth Scott on May 14, 1681.)
Land 100 acres from John Baptist Carberry, another Irish Immigrant
Land 129 acres of "Wolver Hampton", which bordered on Hopton Park through marriage (150 acres patented by William Meakin in May 1681.)
In 1671, at the age of 21, James French had his passage from Galoway, Ireland, where his French family was much distinguished, long the Mayors of Galoway. They originated with a Norman family and immigrated to Ireland before 1400. It appears he was sent to manage land purchased by the family, who paid for his passage.
Notes for James French
Various accounts of his arrival indicate that he arrived in Maryland in 1671 at the age of 21. One account says the ""The ancestor of the French family went from France to England with William the Conqueror in the person of Theopohilus de French." One line of his descendants settled in Wexford about 1300 and in 1425 a branch of the Wexford Frenches migrated to Galway where the family prospered and multiplied. They soon become accepted as one of the "Tribes of Galway" and Walter French was the sovereign of Galway (equivalent to mayor) in 1444. Some of this group moved into Roscommon about 1620 and become the Frenches of French Park and from them came Field Marshal Sir John French. The descendants spread throughout North America." He may have been transported from Galoway, Ireland by Thomas Notley, along with 52 other adventurers who planned to settle permanently.413
1674- James French listed as a servant in the inventory of Captain Luke Gardner of St. Mary's County.
January 22, 1697- French appraised estate of John Curry.
Nov. 1, 1697- James French appraised the estate of Robert Thompson, watchmaker, of St. Mary's County.
July 26, 1698- French and Henry Spink appraise the estate of John Sissill of St. Mary's County.
In the same year, French and Edward Cole administer the estate of John Cooney of St. Mary's County.
James and Martin French witnessed the will of Arthur Thompson 15 Dec 1701. James and Martin French received payments from the estate of John Medcalfe 8 Jul 1707.
Mr. James French 18.322 SM £77.12.9 Mar 18 1733 Jun 5 1734
Appraisers: M. Thompson, Charles Neale.
Creditors: John Leake, Leonard Payne.
Next of kin: Ignatius French, Elisabeth French.
Administrator/Executor: John French.
James French 13.313 A SM £77.12.9 £15.11.11 Aug 11 1735
Received from: Capt. John Hicks, Hugh Hamelton.
Payments to: Capt. John Hicks for Benjamin Tasker, Leonard Paine, Mary Jarboe, Adam Head, James Mackille, James Thompson & Charles Neale.
Executor: John French.
Occupation: Planter
Religion: Catholic
Land 21 Acres of Hopton Park in St Mary's County, MD (part of a 2100 acre tract patented to Cuthbert and Elizabeth Scott on May 14, 1681.)
Land 100 acres from John Baptist Carberry, another Irish Immigrant
Land 129 acres of "Wolver Hampton", which bordered on Hopton Park through marriage (150 acres patented by William Meakin in May 1681.)
In 1671, at the age of 21, James French had his passage from Galoway, Ireland, where his French family was much distinguished, long the Mayors of Galoway. They originated with a Norman family and immigrated to Ireland before 1400. It appears he was sent to manage land purchased by the family, who paid for his passage.
Notes for James French
Various accounts of his arrival indicate that he arrived in Maryland in 1671 at the age of 21. One account says the ""The ancestor of the French family went from France to England with William the Conqueror in the person of Theopohilus de French." One line of his descendants settled in Wexford about 1300 and in 1425 a branch of the Wexford Frenches migrated to Galway where the family prospered and multiplied. They soon become accepted as one of the "Tribes of Galway" and Walter French was the sovereign of Galway (equivalent to mayor) in 1444. Some of this group moved into Roscommon about 1620 and become the Frenches of French Park and from them came Field Marshal Sir John French. The descendants spread throughout North America." He may have been transported from Galoway, Ireland by Thomas Notley, along with 52 other adventurers who planned to settle permanently.413
1674- James French listed as a servant in the inventory of Captain Luke Gardner of St. Mary's County.
January 22, 1697- French appraised estate of John Curry.
Nov. 1, 1697- James French appraised the estate of Robert Thompson, watchmaker, of St. Mary's County.
July 26, 1698- French and Henry Spink appraise the estate of John Sissill of St. Mary's County.
In the same year, French and Edward Cole administer the estate of John Cooney of St. Mary's County.
James and Martin French witnessed the will of Arthur Thompson 15 Dec 1701. James and Martin French received payments from the estate of John Medcalfe 8 Jul 1707.
Mr. James French 18.322 SM £77.12.9 Mar 18 1733 Jun 5 1734
Appraisers: M. Thompson, Charles Neale.
Creditors: John Leake, Leonard Payne.
Next of kin: Ignatius French, Elisabeth French.
Administrator/Executor: John French.
James French 13.313 A SM £77.12.9 £15.11.11 Aug 11 1735
Received from: Capt. John Hicks, Hugh Hamelton.
Payments to: Capt. John Hicks for Benjamin Tasker, Leonard Paine, Mary Jarboe, Adam Head, James Mackille, James Thompson & Charles Neale.
Executor: John French.
Events
| Birth | 1650 | Galway County, Ireland | |||
| Immigration | 1671 | St. Mary's Co, Md |  | ||
| Event | 1674 | St. Mary's Co., MD. | | ||
| Death | 17 Mar 1733 | Newtown One Hundred, St Mary's, Maryland, USA | | ||
| Occupation | Planter | ||||
| Property | 21 Acres of Hopton Park St Mary's | ||||
| Property | 100 acres from John Baptist Ca | ||||
| Property | 129 acres of Wolver Hampton, w | ||||
| Religion | Catholic |
Families
| Spouse | Elizabeth Meekin (1644 - 1733) |
| Child | Mary French (1670 - 1724) |
| Child | Martin French (1671 - 1716) |
| Child | Francis French (1675 - 1685) |
| Father | Martin French (1625 - ) |
| Mother | Mary ( - ) |
Notes
Immigration
James French was born 1650 in Galway, Ireland, transported to Md 1671 byThomas Notley.
Event
listed as servant in inventory of Captain Luke Gardiner.Death
The Last Will of JAMES FRENCH , Dated March 4, 1733, St.Marys County, MD,Pgs. 26-27:
In the name of God, Amen, I, James French of St.Mary's County______ being
weak in body but of sound mind & memory, blessed be God, do make this my
last Will & Testament in form as follows:_____I give & bequeath unto my
beloved grandson, John French, to him and his heirs forever, one hundred
& ten acres of land to be laid out on the West side of my land & also on
the west side of a Branch unto my well beloved grand child, Mary Leake,
wife of John Leake, to her and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten
forever. Item: My Will is that my good & trusty servant, James Kirby
shall be free from servitude on the day of my death. Item: My Will is
after all my just debts are paid, all that remains of my personal Estate
be equally divided amongst all my grandchildren. Item: I constitute &
appoint my said grandchild, John French, my whole & sole executor of this
my last Will & Testament, in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal on this fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1733
James French (SEAL)
Signed, sealed & published to be his las Will & Testament in the presence
of:
John Thompson
James Ruil(?)
Elizabeth French. 21. 6.
March 17, 1733
John Thompson and Elizabeth French, two of the subscribing witnesses to
the foregoing Will, being duly & solemnly sworn on the Holy Evangelist of
Almighty God, depose & say that they saw the testator, James French, sign
the foregoing Will and heard him publish and declare the same to be his
last Will & Testament that at the time of his doing so he was to the best
of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind and memory and that
they subscribed their respective names as witnesses to the said will in
the presence of John French, grandson & heir at law, which same, John
French did not object to the ____of the said Will.
Sworn to before me Tho. Aisquith (?), Dep. County Clk. of St. Mary's
County.