"Jacob moved to Assington ca. 1585/6 or transferred church affiliationthere [Assington Parish Register of St. Edmund's Parish, which startsin 1598]. No record of a French family in Bures St. Mary in the 16thCentury or prior to Jacob's marriage, but it seems certain that hecame from some neighboring village. No record of Susan's burial unlessthe burial of Susan French, the dau. of Jacob French, on Aug 1, 1613is in error and she was his wife. No probate records for Jacob havebeen found in the indexes for the Prerogative Court of Canterbury,Archdeaconry Courts of Sudbury, of Essex, or the Consistory Court ofNorwich. " [John French, FFA Chart 1]
"Jacob French, was born about 1553 and lived in Assington, Suffolk,England. He is the earliest known French in his line. Parish recordsare mute on the subject of who Jacob's ancestors were or where theycame from. Jacob French and his wife Susan Warren had at least 7children, including five sons. The only son of Jacob known to come toAmerica was Thomas French, Sr., who immigrated to Massachusetts withhis wife Susan Riddlesdale and 7 of their 8 children." [John French,FFA Chart 1]
"The parish of Bures Saint Mary lies straddling the River Stour. Partof the parish is in Suffolk and part in Essex, England. The marriagerecord for Jacob Frenche and Susan Waren, as well as birth records forchildren William, Jacob, and Thomas, are found there. The Assingtonparish is adjacent in Suffolk. Jacob and his wife either moved orchanged parishes in about 1585 or 1586. No probate records have beenfound for Jacob French in the indexes for the Prerogative Court ofCanterbury, Archdeaconry Courts of Sudbury, of Essex, or theConsistory Court of Norwich. S0117 S0220 - Jacob French first appearson record in the parish of Bures Saint Mary, Suffolk, on 27 Sep 1578when he and Susan Warren were married. There being no other records ofthe French family in Bures Saint Mary prior to his marriage, or therest of the sixteenth century, it seems certain that he came from someneighboring village. About 1585 or 1586, Jacob and Susan either movedfrom Bures Saint Mary to Assington, or changed their churchaffiliations, for subsequent records of the family are found inAssington, either in the parish register which starts in 1598, or inthe Bishop's transcripts which cover a few years between 1564 and theadvent of the parish register [Public Story on Ancestry.com - 2009]
One source has him born on 26 April 1545 in Assignton - the son ofStephen French and Mary ?
Baptized 25 July 1580 at Bures St. Mary, parents not named. May bethe William who had children baptized at Twinstead, Essex Co., about 3miles from Bures St. Mary. These children are Thomas, bap. 10 Nov1606, and Jacob, bap. 17 Jan 1607/08 [French Family Association Chart1]
3. Jacob French
Parents not named in baptism info, probably died young [French FamilyAssociation Chart 1]
" This is not the Elizabeth who married Henry Loker, bp. 1576/7, inBures St. Mary, d. 18 May 1648, Sudbury, MA. John Threlfall says thatthere were 2 distinct Riddlesdale families and that the French famlyis not descended from the Loker branch. " [FFA Chart 1]
6. Susan French
"Daughter of Jacob unless this record is in error and refers insteadto Jacob's wife, Susan" [FFA Chart 1]