Jean (John) Lillard (son of Moise Lillard and Lilli Balssa) was born Abt. 1668 in Nantes, France, and died Abt. 1732 in VA, USA. He married Mildred Jones on Abt. 1700 in VA, USA.
Notes for Jean (John) Lillard: Jean/John Lillard c1668 - 1732
Jean Lillard is the son of Moise [1650- ?] and Lillian [Balssa] Lillard and is the grandson of the first generation Lillard of whom we are writing and have any familiarity. [2]
Jean (John) Lillard is one of two brothers who immigrated to the USA, from France (or possibly Wales, per a second researcher) in approximately 1685-6. Therefor all the American descendants of this Lillard family originate with this Jean/John Lillard.
It is from this couple that all American Lillards are descended (save a family located in Louisiana).
As stated in the information sheet for Jasper Lillard, earliest records indicate that a Thomas LOLLARD (b Abt. 1390- ??) joined in the invasion of France by Henry V, in 1415. Among other battles, there was an important one on Oct 25, 1415 in northern France at Agincourt (near Calais), in which this Thomas LOLLARD was knighted for gallant bravery in battle. There were many more battles in northern France before a Treaty of Troyes was signed May 21, 1420. [2]
During this period of time, Sir Thomas Lollard is reported to have met a French Lady of gentle birth, from the province of Touraine; the romance culminated in a marriage (perhaps about 1420), resulting in Sir Thomas staying in Touraine. He also changed his name to LILLARD. [2]
There is another version saying "the two brothers (John and Benjamin) came from Wales to Virginia, bearing the name of LOLLARD....and that there are Lollards of Wales still living...on large estates and of high station; there also are many Lillards still living in the south of France, who were formerly called Lollards." But these are "second hand" stories of origin and may be suspect for accuracy. [1]
So there are different derivations of the family specific geographic origin and the surname spelling, but all feel "England" produced the family. The most exhaustive research was done for the reference [2] book, which favors the surname evolution of Lollard to Lillard, and the England to France to USA logic.
Moise I, the third son of grandfather Jasper Lillard, also prospered and bought a small vineyard near his parents. He then married (Abt. 1667) Lilli Balssa/Balsa/Balsas (b. Abt. 1650). Children issued from this marriage were: [1]
-Moise Lillard II b. Abt. 1667 -Jean (John) Lillard b. Abt. 1668 -Benjamin Lillard b. Abt. 1670 -others ??
A historical perspective now is desirable. In 1598, King Henry IV of France issued an edict at Nantes, which secured to the Huguenots the freedom of conscience as well as equal rights, with the Roman Catholics. There were many following acts pertaining to these rights, but finally there appeared in 1685 the Edict of Nantes, which rescinded the privileges of Huguenots. Some examples of this were: public worship was forbidden, ministers had to leave, lay Protestants were forbidden to follow them, marriages were null, churches were burned, children might be taken from parents, etc. It was no longer safe for Huguenots to live in France.
Father Moise had sold out his vineyards near Angers and moved his family to Nantes. Here it was decided that the oldest son Moise II would stay with parents and the youngest two sons (Jean and Benjamin Lillard), who were still minors and in grave personal danger, would be better off going to America; secretly, this is what they did, emigrating and settling in Virginia. With the exception of the French Lillard family, all of the Lillards across America are descendants of this late 17th century emigration.
Jean (John) and Benjamin (Abt. 1670-Abt. 1698) emigrated from Nantes, France about 1685-6, to the Richmond, VA area. About 1700 they moved to the James River area in VA., where they resided for some time. While here, it is written that one day Benjamin went out to the river, took off his clothes to bathe, went into the water and was drowned. This left Jean as the only surviving member of this Lillard family, in America. [1]
The first authenticated knowledge of Jean in America is that he had his name Anglicized to John, in 1700. It was also during that year that he married a Mildred Jones, who was a relative of the Monroe family which later produced the fifth president of the US, James Monroe.
John [formerly Jean] married Mildred Jones (b. Abt. 1675-d. Abt. 1720) in 1700 in VA and they soon moved to Manassas, VA. Children of this marriage were:
-Benjamin b Abt. 1701 -other sons who died in infancy -daughters of whom there are no records
John's second marriage, in about 1725, was to Martha Littlejohn (b. Abt. 1692- d. Feb., 1734 in Prince William Co., VA); they had a daughter:
-Sarah Lillard b. Abt. 1727 [of whom we know no more]
As documented in reference sources, many famous names can and will be associated with the family Lillard. Some these, to date, include: [1]
-the Scottish heroine Maiden Lilliard, who fought valiantly in a 1544 battle. -a knight in the British Army, Sir Thomas Lollard. -ancestry of James Monroe, a US president. -by marriage, Honore de Balzac
Later generations will produce many important marriages, officers in the Army of the United States, judges, lawyers, publishers, etc., etc..
Reference sources: [1] "Lillards" by David I. Lillard, published in 1906
[2] "Lillard, A Family of Colonial VA" by Jacques Ephraim Stout Lillard, published in 1928
More About Jean (John) Lillard: Burial: VA, USA.
More About Jean (John) Lillard and Mildred Jones: Marriage: Abt. 1700, VA, USA.
Children of Jean (John) Lillard and Mildred Jones are:
Jean (John) Lillard (b. Abt. 1668, d. Abt. 1732)
Notes for Jean (John) Lillard: