William French
William French
| Town Founder | |
| In Office | 1654 - 1655 |
| Select Board | |
| In Office | 1660 - 1665 |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Danforth |
| Representative to the General Court | |
| In Office | 1663 - 1663 |
| Select Board | |
| In Office | 1670 - 1674 |
| Preceded by | George Farley |
| Succeeded by | James Kidder |
William French, of Cambridge, was one of the first settlers of Billerica. He emigrated from England in 1635 with Roger Harlakenden and Rev. Thomas Shepard's company, and bought part of the Dudley farm in the new Shawshin settlement. He served as Billerica's first Representative to the General Court, in 1663 and 1664, and held the rank of Lieutenant. His house stood near that of his neighbor Ralph Hill, whom he called "brother" in his will. He died November 20, 1681, aged 77.
References
Deed References
| Date | Type | Grantor | Grantee | Summary | Property | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 10, 1766 | Warranty | William French Jr. of Billerica, husbandman, and Tabitha his wife | Nehemiah Kittredge of Tewksbury, husbandman | Details | William French House | 66/278 (South) |
For 360 pounds, "one certain parcel of Land Consisting of Plow land and meadow containing Fifty acres be it more or less," beginning at a marked white oak at the northwest corner, easterly about 140 poles, southerly 24 poles, easterly to a white oak, southerly by Isaac Marshall's land and bounded southerly by Marshall to a highway and westerly on the highway to the first bound, "with the House and Barn thereon standing"; also a parcel "on the west side of the highway aforesaid containing twenty acres," bounded southerly on Isaac Marshall, westerly on William Tompson, northerly on David French and partly John French, and easterly on the highway: "the abovesaid Premises are my homestead." Dated and acknowledged Oct. 8, 1766 before Thomas Kidder; recorded at Cambridge Oct. 10, 1766. Billerica town book 6, pages 188-190 (Southern Registry Book 66 Page 278).
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| February 25, 1767 | Warranty | William French Jr. of Billerica, yeoman, and Tabitha French | John White of Billerica, gentleman | Details | Richardson Homestead 78 Gray St |
66/438 (South) |
For 200 pounds, "one Parcel of Land lying in Billerica aforesaid containing about twenty acres be the same more or less with the House and barn the Saw Mill and all the Buildings thereon standing & all Things belonging to said Mill," beginning at a heap of stones at the southerly corner "at the Road at Jonathan Richardson's Meadow near Content Bridge," northwesterly by Richardson's land to land White already had by deed, northeasterly "taking in said Mill" by land deeded to Joseph Hill, easterly by land deeded to White "to Andover Road so called," and by the road to the beginning. Dated Dec. 3, 1766, witnesses William French Sr. and Elizabeth French; acknowledged Feb. 24, recorded Feb. 25, 1767. Billerica town book 6, pages 233-235 (Southern Registry Book 66 Page 438). MACRIS says French built the house and a saw mill about 1764 and that White was his uncle by marriage; in 1770 White sold to Thomas Richardson (deed not read).
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Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted.