French and Morris

[shoppingqueen]

I a looking for more information on two ladies who married into the BALDWIN family and I wondered if anyone had more details about their Mother and Father, siblings and Grandparents.

Elizabeth French b aprox 1710-1718- Father was either a Philip or Alderman French ( some text books have I varying names)

Catherine Morris b aprox 1730-1740 to a Jonas Morris of Dunkettle House Cork. I think the Grandfather may have been Abrahams.

Any information would be great.

Thanks

[amontilado]

I can help you with Elizabeth French; her maternal line at least. She is descended from Col. Thomas Becher of Sherkin (I can take it back further if you want)
He was born in 1640, and married Elizabeth Turner ( The daughter of Henry Turner and Dorothy Boyle. Elizabeth was born c1650 and died 1720). They married in 1665 and had 15 children, among them a daughter Elizabeth Becher, b.17.2.1670.
Elizabeth Becher married in 1697 Horatio Townshend/Townsend Captain of the Sloop "Lynne". Sadly Horatio died in 1697, leaving Elizabeth with an infant daughter Penelope. Elizabeth (Becher) Townsend married again in 1701 becoming the third wife of Bishop Dive Downes, bearing him a daughter Elizabeth Downes, who also married into the Baldwin family! Elizabeth herself must have died soon after (her will proved in 1707, because Bishop Dive Downes married a 4th wife and had two further children before he died in 1707.
Penelope Townsend married Philip French of Rath, Alderman of Cork (and I believe Mayor)[in 1740 Penelope becomes godmother of Susanna Evans Cox, at which point she is described as Widow of alderman French)They had issue including Elizabeth French who was born in 1713.

[AlanWatson]

Sorry for replying so many years after the original post. I can help with Catherine Morris. Her parents were Jonas Morris JP of Barley Hill co Cork who died 4 Feb 1782 and Mary Townsend who died in 1759. Her brother was Abraham Morris of Dunkettle.

This family features in 'The Pooles of Mayfield' by Irish Genealogist Rosemary ffolliott, now out of print, particularly in a family tree on p 73. I think that Ms ffolliott is probably correct in this part of her genealogy, but unfortunately she makes many mistakes in her description of the early generations of the Morris family.

Jonas Morris's ancestry can be traced back to William Morris of Benduff, which he renamed Castle Salem. He was a Captain in Cromwell's Irish army and was awarded lands in East Carbery in the Act of Settlement. He became a Quaker and his descendants moved in and out the of Quakers over a few generations. His son Fortunatus Morris married an Elizabeth Morris. Their son William Morris married Quaker Dorothy Lecky and their son Jonas was the person in question. (ffolliott is wrong about the parents of both Capt William Morris and his daughter-in-law Elizabeth.)

Mary Townsend's parents were Catherine daughter of Col James Redmond Barry MP and John Townsend of Skirtagh.

I am currently looking into the Morris family and could provide more information about them if it would help.

Alan Watson