Researching Horace and Maria

In researching my family history, I have encountered brick walls, bits and pieces, and on occasion a wealth of material. The richest vein of information that I uncovered has been material on Horace and Abram French.

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Horace E. French, son of Abram and Elizabeth (Simonds), was born in 1843 in Lowell, Mass. and died in 1903 in Malden, Mass. Horace, my 2nd great (paternal) grandfather, owned a clothing/tailoring shop in Lowell. In 1871, he married Laura Foster. The photographs (of Horace and Maria) were found in his grandson George‘s (my grandfather) personal belongings.

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Laura Maria Foster (French) was born in 1850 in Lawrence, MA and died in 1896. Laura was the daughter of Levi T. Foster and Mariah Richardson. Levi’s 3rd great grandfather, Reginald, of Little Badow in Essex England, landed at Ipswich MA in 1638. The Foster family is linked to the Hilton family.

Horace and Laura’s records included the following information:

  • Horace’s death and location of his grave
  • U.S. and Massachusetts census records (1850/60/65/80/1900)
  • Marriage record
  • City directory listings for Lowell, Medford and Malden, MA
  • Horace’s Civil War Draft Registration
  • Horace’s Mason Lodge membership.
Horace’s Death Record
1880 US Census Medford, MA – Horace and Laura
Marriage Record – 1871 – Horace and Laura

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