Richard was born about 1773, probably in Cumberland County, Virginia. He was the son of Daniel French and Mildred Strother.
Richard's father was born in Richmond County, Virginia but by 1773 was living in the part of Cumberland County that became Powhatan County, in 1777. The French family had moved to the Maggodee Creek area of today's Franklin County when the area was still part of Bedford Co. (Franklin Co. DB 1, p. 216). Richard married Dinah Greer in Franklin County, Virginia in 1800. Richard served as the tax commissioner for the northern district of Franklin Co. in 1800-1802, but all French's disappear from Franklin Co. tax records in 1803.
Richard next appears in tax records for Adair County, Kentucky in 1806, along with several of his brothers. He is present in those tax records through 1816, somewhere along Lily Creek, Caney Fork and Wolf Creek, all now part of Lake Cumberland in today's Russell Co. (formed in 1825 from a part of Adair Co.).
Richard and Dinah moved to Harrison County, Indiana Territory around 1817. Richard died there about 1823. Dinah and her children moved to Knox County, Indiana by 1830 and she died there sometime between 7 January 1741 (will written) and 31 May 1841 (will proven in court).
Sources
Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1858, by Marshall Wingfield, p. 93; French, Richard and Diney Greer, dau. Mary, Feb. 22, 1800. Sur. Benjamin Greer (brother).
Franklin County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1786-1803, Binns Genealogy, 2009; Richard French served as tax commissioner for the years 1800-1802.
Adair County, Kentucky Tax Books, 1802-1824; FHL Film # 7851
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