The Cambridge connection is certainly a possibility that I have worked on, but without success either way - can't be accepted or rejected based on what I have found. So is a connection to Newbury or Salisbury, MA. Also no success but a majority of early (prior to 1690) Woodbridge settlers moved down from Mass. The Woodbridge founders were from Newbury as was the name of the community, for a Rev. Woodbridge from Newbury but who never actually set foot in NJ. I studied the 5 other Woodbridge settlers who were granted land at the same meeting as John, brick mason, hoping that I would find they moved together from somewhere to Woodbridge. 3 of the 5 were from Salisbury (across the river from Newbury) but I could find no further connection. I THINK that there are already 1 or 2 yDNA tests that destroy these potential connections, though. I'd have to say that there is a 50/50 chance for a MA connection. The other 50/50 would be England, including Scotland where several other Woodbridge settlers originated. Ultimately, it will be yDNA testing that clears this mess up, I think. The testing so far is just too limited. Land settlement in the late 1600s in NJ was pushed very hard by Cartaret for the King of England who needed the tax revenue for his coffers. So they took folks from wherever they could get them. The original goal for both Woodbridge and Piscataway was to recruit up to 100 families for each site. They advertised heavily both in England and in New England to tempt folks. You bring up an interesting point, but Monnette's records are not documented well enough to re-trace his steps. Jim Gunderson ----- Original Message ----- From: J. Michael Frost To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 5:01 PM Subject: John FRENCH, died in 1713 at Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ The source set forth below theorizes that the John FRENCH, a mason who died in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ in 1713, had moved there from Cambridge, Middlesex County, MA. Is there any merit to this theory? Monnette, Orra Eugene, First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge Olde East New Jersey, Los Angeles, CA: The Leroy Carman Press, 1932, part 4, p. 267: JOHN FRENCH (Vide, ante, PART ONE, p. 98.) First Settler of W. [Woodbridge]. He was there, 1670, or before, called "a mason," (ARCH., Vol. XXI, p. 15). In 1687, he was of Staten Island, called the same, (idem, p. 205; and Vol. XXIII, p. 28), and had a wife, SUSANNAH, as in 1688, when they were witnesses to the will of THOMAS BARTLETT of "Barcla's (BARTLETT) Point over against Perth Amboy." (idem, p. 22). Myles Forster, then of N. Y. was the heir, suggesting kinship. Apparently allied, in the same records, sev. ref. are RICHARD FRENCH, and THOMAS FRENCH of BURLINGTON, bef. 1700. In 1709-10, JOHN FRENCH and wife, ANNE, (err. for Susannah), were in the recs. at W., (vide, ante, PART ONE, p. 91), for (idem, p. PART TWO, p. 268), JOHN FRENCH, Jr. Aug. 4, 1705, m. MARY BOWNE, (dau. of Judge James Bowne, and) sister of ELIZABETH, who m. JUDGE HENRY FREEMAN, (vide, ante, this PART, p. supra). Children: Susanna, b. June 11, 1706; William, b. Jan. 15, 1707; Mary, b. June 4, 1710; Sarah, b. Nov. 25, 1712, et al., (as later W. recs. show). A sister to the last above, JOHN FRENCH, Jr., was Anne, who m. June 29, 1711, JAMES LEITH, (vide, ante, PART THREE, pp. 249, 256-7), and dau., Margaret, b. Feb. 6, 1712-3. From will, (ARCH., Vol. XXIII, p. 173), of JOHN FRENCH, of W., dated 1711-2, January 31, proved Mar. 20, 1713, wife, Susannah, it is very evident that he was the father of the last above, "Anne, wife of James Leith," and Richard, with JOHN FRENCH, Jr., (supra), omitted from the will. It also appears from the same and similar parallels that John French, Sr. was a son of the first RICHARD FRENCH, of N. J., of which there is important genealogy, (AM. & ENG. GEN., p. 433). The latter was that RICHARD FRENCH, first of Cambridge, Mass., who left in 1654, brothers of WILLIAM and JOHN FRENCH, of the same, and evidently rem. to N. J., and SAVAGE credits him with a son "certain JOHN," etc. (Vol. II, p. 207), and (CAMBRIDGE, Paige, pp. 551 and 2). They were playmates of the FRANCIS Family from the same place, (qui videt, supra).