Protestant Exiles from France/Volume 2 - Book Third - Chapter 10 - Section VII

by David Carnegie Andrew Agnew

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VII. Rev. John Deffray.^[1]

Jean Deffray, son of Jean and Catherine, was a native of Tours, born in 1668. He was educated at the University of Saumur, and took the degree of M.A. His parents and himself became refugees after the Revocation; “John Deffray, Catherine, his wife, and John, their son;” were naturalized on 15th April 1687 (see List xiii.). We meet with him next at Oxford, receiving incorporation as an M.A. in that University. Anthony a Wood has the following entry for the year 1689:— “Incorporation, June 21, John Deffray, a French Protestant, M. of A. of Saumur. He was lately forced out of his country on account of religion.”

Mr. Deffray took orders in the Church of England, and obtained the Rectory of Old Romney, in Kent, in the year 1690. In the register of that parish there are the following entries:—

“1690, August 8. — John Deffray, born at Tours in France, educated at Saumur, A.M. in both the Academy of Saumur and the University of Oxford, took possession of the Rectory of Old Romney.

“August 10. — He read prayers and preached. And in y^e afternoon read prayer and the 39 Articles, &c.”

The next memorable event in his life is his marriage to Marguerite Tétard, on 17th October 1692, the registration of which I copy from one of the books of the London French Church in the Savoy:—

“1692. — Mr Jean Deffray ministre de Vieux Romey et Marguerite Tetard ont receu la benediction nuptiale le 17 d’Octobre dans l’eglise de la Savoie par Mr. Bertaud, père, ministre, en consequance d’un licence de Monseig^r. l’Archevesque de Cantorbery du 9 du det. mois et an.”

During a ministry of over forty-eight years he enjoyed the respect and confidence of his parishioners. According to the Historical Register he happened to be in Canterbury when death overtook him; he died on the 4th September 1738 in his seventy-eighth year. He was buried within the chancel of his own church on the 9th. His widow survived him for about twenty-three years.

The above is a summary of his life. He was probably a gentleman by birth; as to this, any antiquarian pilgrim to Old Romney can satisfy himself by inspecting the coat-of-arms (about 18 inches in diameter) which is cut upon his gravestone. A black marble slab, from 6 to 7 feet in length, and 4 feet in breath, occupies the centre of the floor of the chancel. The following is the inscription upon it:—

Here lieth
The Body of y^e Rev^d M^r. - John Deffray, A.M.,
who was a faithfull diligent Rector
of this parish for near 48 years.
After much delight in doing good
he departed this life Sept. y^e 4^th 1738
in y^e 78 th year of his age.
And also, The Body of Margaret
widow of the Rev^d M^r.
who departed this life July the 13th
1761. Aged 88 years.

1. I am under great obligations to Rev. Wm. Anderson, M.A., Rector of Old Kinney.