John André
His parents were Huguenots.  The Huguenots were Protestants who had lived in France.  When the French government said it was illegal to be Protestants, many Huguenots went to other countries.  André's mother went to England when she was young.  His mother had been born in France and his father had been born in Geneva.  André's father was a merchant—he earned money by buying and selling things.  André's parents had one other son and three daughters.