Children:

	1. Matthew FRENCH (b. Feb 2, 1734; d. 1814, GileVA) m. Sallie PAYNE Children: John A. FRENCH Sr. (b. c. 1760, VA) m. Obedience Clay James Wilbur FRENCH (b. 1763) m1. Susan HUGHES m2. Margaret DAY Martha M. FRENCH (b. 1765, VA) m. Jacob STRALEY Jr. Mary FRENCH (b. 1768) m. Isaac HATFIELD Isaac FRENCH Sr. (b. c. 1770) m1. Elizabeth STOWERS; m2. Sarah FILLINGER Mary Ann FRENCH (b. Sep 21, 1776, VA) m. Gen. Elisha MCCOMAS Capt. David C. FRENCH Sr. (b. 1772, WV) m. Mary DINGESS Notes:
	2. William FRENCH (b. ?)   Notes:
	3. James FRENCH (b. ?)   Notes:
	4. Esther FRENCH  m. John Locke   Notes:

 

Notes:

John French is of English/Scottish ancestry. From 1690 to 1735, the first and second generations of French's had the same given names running through several families and it is not possible to say which were our first and second lines of ancestry. In 1735, we begin with John French of the third generation in America. The French's came over from England to the Virginia Colonies in 1690. The Straley's came over from Frankfort, Germany, on the Main (ship), to Virginia in the year 1758. Matthew French was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Jacob Straley Jr. was in the Revolutionary War at the age of 15. John C. French and his son Matthew are on the 1820 census index of Washington Co, VA. Both are mentioned in the 1827 will of William TAYLOR, also of Washington Co.  In 1749 John received large tracts of land in Fredrick Co. VA from Lord Fairfax, and so immediately moved to his new home. Hampshire Co. was formed from that area in 1753. They had settled in the South Branch of the Potomac, the new home at French's Neck which was named after these first settlers. John died soon after moving to their new home, and his widow remarried to Capt. Michael CRESAP.  Matthew and his stepfather did not agree, so he sold his part of the estate to his step-father and went back over the Blue Ridge to Co. Matthew was very young.  In the year 1753, Matthew was appointed guardian of his younger brothers and sisters. The appointment was made at court held Aug. 9, 1753 and is recorded in Order Book 5, Winchester, Frederick Co. VA. French's Neck is now part Hampshire Co, WV. In 1806, John, James, David and Isaac were paying Personal Property taxes.   County/State Abbreviations: GileVA - Giles County, VA WestVA - Westmoreland County, VA   Page Sources: Marieda Derrick Edens, and her wonderful genealogy page Your French-Straley-Davis Ancestry yfsda.

Names Added to Name Index: YES