French, Jonathan, 1740-1809

Jonathan French (1740-1809) was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, to Moses French and Esther Thayer. He enlisted as a private in Captain William Arbuthnot's company of Massachusetts troops, commanded by Colonel Joseph Frye. Between April 30 and June 14, 1757, his company marched from Boston to Fort Edward, New York, where he was stationed during the siege of Fort William Henry. At Fort Edward, French performed routine guard duty until he contracted smallpox in July and was sent home three months later. He eventually returned to the military as a sergeant at Castle Williams, and served as a surgeon at Bunker Hill. He attended Harvard from 1767 to 1771 and became the minister of the South Church of Andover in 1772. He married Abigail Richards (1742-1821) of Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1773. They had five children.

From the guide to the Jonathan French journal, French, Jonathan, journal, 1757, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)