| Notes |
- Judge John French, b. 16 May 1764 in Montgomery, Hampden, MA, m. Desire Bull ca. 1785 in PA. She was b. 1770 in Dover Plains, Dutchess County, NY, daughter of Abraham Bull and Abigail Payne. The entire Bull family was from Dover Plains, Dutchess County, NY. John lived in Montgomery, Hampden, MA, at least until 1780 when his youngest brother was born.
John first moved to Sidney, Delaware County, NY, where he met and married Desire Bull. Jonathan Carley came from Dutchess county in 1796, and settled on the banks of the river in the town of Sidney, two miles below Otego. He found one Collie and Nathan Hill there. Josiah Chase came before that time. Some of this family still remain on the farm. Laban Crandall, John French and Jerry Reid, and one Godfrey Calder, came soon after. Miss Abigail Reid kept the first school in that part of the town, in Mr. Calder's barn [27].
Otego is just east of Unadilla, both in Otsego County. NY. This township was organized from parts of Unadilla and of Franklin, Delaware County, in 1822, and then called Huntsville. In 1830 the name was changed to Otego. The settlement commenced soon after the Revolution. Among the first were Ransom Hunt, of Bennington, VT, Capt. Peter and Col. Elisha Bundy, Capt. Elisha Saunders, Deacon Lester Newlands, John, Michael, and Nathan Birdsall, Benjamin Edson, a soldier of the Revolution, John Blakely, Rowland Carr, John A. and Andrew Hodge, Michael and Benjamin Shepherd, Sylvester Goodrich, John and Nahum Smith, Thurston Brown, Benjamin Estes, James Wait and Daniel Weller.
The population in the early days was, as in Oneonta, a mixture of New Englanders and Mohawk Germans, and much rivalry and frequent fights occurred until chosen champions. John French for the "Yankees" and Peter Scraming for the "Dutch" settled it at a sawmill raising on the premises of Ransom Hunt. The Yankee was the victor, and so peace was established. At Otsdawa early settlers were Frederick Martin, Nathan Emerson, King Hathaway and Henry Sheldon.
Chronology
1764 May 16 - John was born in Montgomery, Hampden, MA. His first sibling was born at this location in 1759; all of his 9 siblings were born in Montgomery up until 1780. He moved to NY sometime between then and 1785 when he married Desire Bull in NY.
1770 - Desire Bull was born in Dover Plains, Dutchess County, NY.
1785 - Approximate time John m. Desire Bull in NY.
1790 census -- John would have been age 26. Two possible entries for John in NY are Harpersfield and Otsego:
Harpersfield, Montgomery, NY
1 male under 16, b. after 1774
1 male over 16, b. before 1774, Judge John?
1 female, Desire
Otsego, Montgomery, NY
3 males under 16, b. after 1774, John Jr., Abram, Benjamin?
1 male over 16, b. before 1774, Judge John?
3 females, Desire, Cynthia, Eunice?
1800 census - Unadilla, Otsego, NY
2 males under 10, b. 1790-1800, Benjamin, Rhinard or Thomas?
2 males 10-15, b. 1785-1790, John Jr., Abram
1 male 26-44, b. 1756-1776, John
2 females under 10, b. 1790-1800, Anna, Susan
2 females 10-15, b. 1785-1790, Cynthia, Eunice
1 female 26-44, b. 1756-1776, Desire
1810 census - There are 104 families living in NY in the 1810 census with the surname French. Possible family connections:
Otego, Otsego, NY
A. (Abram?) French, Otego, Otsego, NY, living next to W. French and J. French.
1 male, 16-25, b. 1785-1794 - Abram French, John’s son
1 female under 10
1 female 16-25
J. French, Otego, Otsego, NY, living next to W. French, and A. French in separate houses.
1 male under 10
2 males 10-15
1 male 26-44, born 1766-1784
3 femals under 10
1 female 10-15
1 female 26-44
J. French, Otego, Otsego, NY
3 males under 10
1 male 10-15
1 male 26-44,
3 females under 3
1 female 10-15
1 female 26-44
W. French, Otego, Otsego, NY, living next to J. and A. French in separate houses
1 male 10-15
2 males 16-25
1 male 45+, born before 1765.
2 females 16-25
1 female 45+
Unadilla, Otsego, NY
J. French, Unadilla, Otsego, NY - not sure of these named entries
2 males under 10, 1800-1810,
2 males 10-15, 1795-1800, Benjamin,
1 male 26-44, b. 1766-1784, John
2 females under 10, 1800-1810,
1 female 26-44, b. 1766-1784, Desire
W. French, Unadilla, Otsego, NY
1 male under 10,
1 male 26-44
1 female under 10
1 female 16-25
W. B. French, Unadilla Otsego, NY
1 male under 10
1 male 16-25
1 male 26-44
1 female 16-25
1820 census - John French, Unadilla, Otsego, NY
1 male 10-15
1 male 16-18
1 male 18-25
1 male 45+, born before 1775, John French
1 female 10-15
1 female 45+, Desire Bull
1830 census - John French, Unadilla, Otsego, NY, living next to his son, John Jr.
1 male 5-9
1 male 20-29
1 male 60-69, John French
1 female 20-29
1 female 30-39
1 female 60-69, Desire Bull
1840 census - John and Desire moved back to Desire’s hometown in Sidney, Delaware County, NY, living alone without children:
1 male age 70-79, b. 1760-1780, John
1 female age 70-79, b. 1760-1780, Desire
His son John Jr. moved back with them to Sidney but in a different residence as neighbors, as he is listed age 50-59 (b. 1781-1790) and his wife age 40-49 (1791-1800).
1841-1849 - John Sr. probably died.
1850 census -- Desire was living with her daughter Polly French Williams and Polly’s husband Henry Williams and their 3 children in the 1850 census of Sidney, Delaware County, NY, age 84. Desire had moved back to the area where she was born after her husband died. At age 94 in the 1860 census, she was still living with this same family in the same location. In the 1855 census of NY, Desire is listed as the mother-in-law of Henry Williams (45), living with her daughter Mary (Polly) 46, and their children John Williams (14), George Williams (13), Adelia Williams (9), Henry William’s brother John Williams (57), Desire French (89), Daniel Snider (48), Margrate Snider (45), Oscar Snider (22), Malvina Snider (18), Almeda Snider (13), Theodore Snider (11), Luman Snider (9). Margrate Snider was probably a sister of Henry Williams.
Judge John French and Desire Bull had about 12 children between 1785-1810, many of whom were twins. John was a noted lawyer in Montgomery County, NY after the Revolutionary War. John was a tough man not afraid of a good fight and so it is written in Otsego there was a fight among the early settlers and Peter Scramling and John French were selected to “fight it out.” John French won [25].
Judge
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1764 - 1844 (79 years)
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