The immigrant ancestor of the French family was Edward French, born in England, ca. 1590, ancestry unknown; died in Salisbury, MA 28 December 1674. He married in England Ann, whose last name probably was Goodale. There is considerable uncertainty about the surname of Edward's wife, Ann. She was called "Ann Swayne," a sister of Rebecca (Swayne) Worcester, because Rebecca's husband, Rev. William Worcester, called Edward French "brother." Torrey, "New England Marriages Prior to 1700". I have found nothing in the Swayne family records to support this. The term "brother" was often used to refer to "brother-in-law" or "church brother." Rev. Worcester might have meant "brother" in the latter sense. There is an article in The Frenchline, a quarterly publication of the French Family Association, which refers to Edward's wife as "Ann Goodale," sister of Richard Goodale, Sr. Roland Rhoades, Jr. of Sanford, ME, when he was president of the French Family Association wrote an article in 1986 where he concluded that Ann was Ann Goodale, sister of Richard Goodale, Sr. In Old Families of Salisbury & Amesbury by Hoyt, on p. 166, there is a footnote where Richard Goodale, Sr. called Edward French "brother," perhaps used here to refer to "brother-in-law." Perhaps this matter will be clarified in the future as more material becomes available.
There are several persons and several families who emigrated from Halstead, Essex, England, and its neighborhood to New England in Colonial times. It has been speculated that the Edward French family consisting of husband, wife, and three children might have been one of that group. One of my research sources said that the family came on the ship Angel Gabriel in 1635. This ship was wrecked off the coast of Pemaquid, ME on 16 August 1635. It is believed that the family then continued by coastal vessel to Newburyport, MA, and lived about two years in Ipswich, MA before settling in Salisbury, MA. Edward was a "tailor" by trade and received land in the "first division" of Salisbury, MA, as shown on the map "First Settlement at Salisbury, Massachusetts" dated 1639. He assisted in founding the First Church in Salisbury, MA, was a selectman 1646-48, "commoner" in 1650-52, and was a sheriff. He was an extensive landowner having purchased land in 1642 and was reported as the third wealthiest man in Salisbury.
Edward and his wife Ann French had four children, the first three born in England:
- Joseph, b. ca. 1631; d. in Salisbury, MA 6 June 1710; m. Susanna Stacy.
- John, b. ca. 1632; d. in Salisbury, MA 4 May 1706; m. Mary Noyes.
- Samuel, b. ca. 1633; d. in Salisbury, MA 26 July 1692; m. (1) Abigail Brown; m. (2) Esther (Jackman) Muzzey.
- Hannah, dates of birth and death unknown, but was born probably in America; m. (1)John White; m. (2) Thomas Philbrick.
