Who were the parents of Thomas French III? (1562-1613)

Question

Thomas French III is currently shown as the son of Thomas French-2495 and Bridget Higham-55, with Magna Carta and royal lines through Bridget Higham-55.

Thomas III's profile shows that he was born in 1562 in Essex, and died in 1613 in Essex. His profile shows that he was the father of 12 children, born between 1590 and 1605.

According to Douglas Richardson's Royal Ancestry, Vol 2, on pages 44 and 45, Bridget Higham was married (1st) to Thomas Burrough, Gent. Thomas Burrough died 19 Jun 1597, buried in Suffolk. Bridget married (2nd), in Suffolk, on 2 Dec 1597, Thomas French, Gent., who left a will proved 31 Oct 1599. Richardson does not show any issue for Bridget Higham and Thomas French. Richardson also does not mention that this was a subsequent marriage for Thomas French.

The French Family Association (in generation 2) shows Thomas French III as the son of Thomas and a first wife Elizabeth (Unknown).

see: http://www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA/CHARTSWEB/ChartEB.htm

It seems clear that Thomas French III (1562-1613) French-266 was not the son of Bridget Higham.

Do we have any additional sources on who his parents were?

Answer 1

It's not a primary source, but there's this: https://archive.org/stream/familyrecords01burk#page/n275/mode/2up

It tells the story of two generations ofThomas Frenches. The first m. Bridget Higham, but her son who m. Elizabeth (unkown) widow of James Harmon was by this document not even a French, but rather a Burrough (from Bridget's first marriage).  

And so I think the plot thickens (maybe just to the point where there are two unkknown Elizabeths, or maybe to the point where one or more of these sources is confused about the who's who within generations?

(edit: I found the document on archive.org, so I removed reference to ancestry.com)

Comments

Thanks for looking into this, Daphne. The lineage you found fits with Richardson and the French Family Association.

It shows the same marriage date (1597) for Thomas French and Bridget Higham. It also shows the same death date (d. 1599) for Thomas French, making it a fairly brief marriage.

The Thomas Burrough that the lineage is about was Bridget's first husband. He and the son, Rev George (also mentioned), are both correctly attached to her profile.

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True! My point was to wonder whether the Elizabeth Unknown about whom you were wondering is really the wife of [[French-266|Thomas French III]], or whether the Elizabeth Unknown being sought is really a wife of (1st) James Harmon and (2nd) Thomas '''Burrough(s)'''. As in, we seem to have two unknown Elzabeths -- though that is certainly not unheard of! :)

BTW, their profile says they (T. French and B. Highman) were married in 1760. If these secondary sources are all saying 1597, then guess that's why you're doubting their offspring? I wonder where that number originated. Maybe now I'm just catching up to your quandry.

BTW #2, they're sitting in my ancestry.com profile, so it was no trouble for me to grab what I had -- the only thing is that that tree is based on all the ancestry.com rumors, and I'm nowhere near getting around to doing thorough research on this branch of the family in the 1500s...I didn't even know Bridget was in a gateway line. I'm glad to know you're chasing down the truth about her marriages and offspring!

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Yes, the marriage date makes it impossible for Bridget Higham to be the mother of Thomas French III (and the grandmother of his offspring that have birth dates begining in 1590).

The 1560 marriage date has no source and appears to be an estimate (?). I've updated the marriage to 1597. Richardson cites (1) Muskett, Suffolk Manorial Fams. 1 (1900), p 310-314 (2) NEHGR 108 (1954), p 172-178. Harvey Visitation of Suffolk 1561 2 (H.S.P. n.s. (3) (1984): 391-399. 

I see your question regarding both Thomas French and Thomas Burrough having been married to an Elizabeth (Unknown), based on the lineage you linked and the French Family Association.

The French Family assocition does show a mother for Thomas (who christened ca. 1551-d. 1613, French-266) as Elizabeth (Unknown), as the wife of Thomas (m. 2 in 1597 to Higham, d 1599, French-2495)

Richardson claims Thomas Burrough (Burroughs-641), Gent., married (1st) to Elizabeth Burrell, daughter of Thomas Burrell of Dullingham, Cambridshire, by whom he had two children. Elizabeth Burrell doesn't currently have a profile.