Hello all Lafford French descendants, This investigation has taken a while because we were busy dodging the Hurricanes. But I finally heard from my friend and it turns out that she belongs to the National Society Colonial Dames of American and the Colonial Dames of the XVII Century, but the one of interest to us is the Colonial Dames of America, Headquartered in New York. I was preparing a letter to them when I found their phone number and decided to give them a call. At first, my reception was a bit cool, but then the lady warmed up and while I was on the phone, went to the file to see if they, indeed, had the application of Mrs. Clark. They have it on file as Mrs. Balfour? Clark (I couldn't remember her husband's name and can't find it). Now for the bad news. She said that they do not have a library, and do not keep the documents of proof, although the application may cite the sources. She continually called it Mrs. Clark's "Chart" not application and I don't know what that means. She said that I couldn't order a copy of the chart without written permission from one of Mable Clark's descendants, assuming that Mable is no longer alive, and the cost for the copy would be $50.00. I am not sure that this is worth pursuing although I would love to see what is on that chart. What do you think? If we could find an Obit for Mable Berry Clark in Corsicana, Navarro Co., TX, it might give us her descendants. Julia French Wood

Julia, see page 89 of Wilna Sawyer's book - it states she and Balfour H. Clark had one son, Melvin Lynn Clark. There is no further information on him. I checked the white pages on the internet and found several Melvin Clarks in Texas. You have Wilna's address-perhaps she knows more now. If I make that French reunion in Corsicana on November 13, perhaps I can find out then if he is still alive or has descendents. Fran Shurtleff ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 20, 2004 12:24 PM Subject: [FRENCH-L] Report on James Gyles Colonial Dames Application > Hello all Lafford French descendants, > This investigation has taken a while because we were busy dodging the > Hurricanes. But I finally heard from my friend and it turns out that she belongs to > the National Society Colonial Dames of American and the Colonial Dames of the > XVII Century, but the one of interest to us is the Colonial Dames of > America, Headquartered in New York. I was preparing a letter to them when I found > their phone number and decided to give them a call. At first, my reception > was a bit cool, but then the lady warmed up and while I was on the phone, went > to the file to see if they, indeed, had the application of Mrs. Clark. They > have it on file as Mrs. Balfour? Clark (I couldn't remember her husband's name > and can't find it). > > Now for the bad news. She said that they do not have a library, and do not > keep the documents of proof, although the application may cite the sources. She > continually called it Mrs. Clark's "Chart" not application and I don't know > what that means. She said that I couldn't order a copy of the chart without > written permission from one of Mable Clark's descendants, assuming that Mable > is no longer alive, and the cost for the copy would be $50.00. > > I am not sure that this is worth pursuing although I would love to see what > is on that chart. What do you think? If we could find an Obit for Mable > Berry Clark in Corsicana, Navarro Co., TX, it might give us her descendants. > > Julia French Wood > >

Has anyone on this list reviewed the LDS films for Piscataway, Middlesex, NJ and/or Somerset & Morris Co.? Has anyone ordered copies of any of the Wills listed in the Middlesex, NJ Index of wills? I am not sure we will find much information in Mrs. Clark's submittal to the Colonial Dames of America that will help us. We would probably have more success reviewing the existing records. At this time we appear to be lacking documentation that 1) Sarah OLDEN married Simon HORN; 2) Sarah OLDEN and Simon HORN had daughter Hannah HORN; and 3)Hannah HORN and Joseph FRENCH had son Lafford FRENCH. Some of this documentation may well be in the Wills listed for Simon HORN. Index of Wills -- New Jersey -- Middlesex Co. Vol II Simon Horn 3523-3524 L. B G p218 W. 1760, INV 1760 Simon Horn Sr., 445-450 L. B A p355 W. 1726 I'm not sure how to go about getting copies of these wills. [NOTE: Simon Horn on list of families resident in Piscataway, Middlesex Co., before 1700] The connection from 1668 immigrant James Gyles (or Giles)to William Olden and wife Elizabeth Gyles, d/o James, and the birth of their daughter, Sarah, can be documented by the Journal of James Gyles, the early records of Piscataway, NJ (includes James Gyles will,land transactions & importation of servants from Scotland etc.)and the LDS film, records of Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey which should show Sarah OLDEN born 28 Jun 1697, to William OLDEN and wife, Elizabeth (information was shown in an abstraction from the film in batch #C505961 and the original record may contain more information). It also will include info on Giles and Olden births and may contain info on FRENCH (see what I found at the end of this long email). But found nothing for HORNE, HORN, ORN. Perhaps they registered at a different church. Since the earlier information I have seen is in the LDS IGI, submitted by individual researchers, I'm tempted to think that some of the documentation we are lacking may be on LDS films of the area records. However, because of the changed county boundaries, it might be found in several Counties. The individually submitted information shows Lafford's birth in Raritan Landing and then indicates he was born in Morris County, NJ, which has me confused. The other individual submittal identifies the county as Somerset. [NOTE: Simon Horn on list of families resident in Piscataway, Middlesex Co., before 1700] There also seems to be a good relationship between James Gyles (info in journal) and Sir Edmond Andross, then governor of New York. I think Andross's roots were from Isle of Guernsey although James Gyles journal indicates his documented journey was "from the PARK to Feversham, and so to London, where we staid some days, till the ship was ready, and then fell down to the Downs. . ." ------------- batch #C505961 LDS abstraction from filmed records. [Remember the difficulty reading the film of the old records could lead the abstractor to misspell surnames, which were already written phonetically in the original record. Will need to review the actual film to determine if these could be FRENCH] 111. DANIEL FITCH - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 07 NOV 1713 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey 112. JAMES FITCH - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 27 MAR 1717 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey 113. JOSEPH FITCH - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 06 APR 1715 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey 114. SAMUEL FITCH - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 16 JAN 1719 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey 51. JOHN DUFAVRE - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: DEC 1677 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey -----Original Message----- She said that I couldn't order a copy of the chart without written permission from one of Mable Clark's descendants, assuming that Mable is no longer alive, and the cost for the copy would be $50.00. I am not sure that this is worth pursuing although I would love to see what is on that chart. What do you think? If we could find an Obit for Mable Berry Clark in Corsicana, Navarro Co., TX, it might give us her descendants. Julia French Wood