My Children's Family Tree:Information about Christopher Branch
Christopher Branch (b. September 02, 1602, d. February 20, 1680/81)
Notes for Christopher Branch:BIOGRAPHY: Came to America on the ship "London Merchant" Mar 1619/1620.
BIOGRAPHY: Christopher** Branch I
Sex: M
Birth: 2 SEP 1602 in Abingdon, Berkshire, England
Death: 20 FEB 1681/82 in Henrico County, Virginia
Occupation: House of Burgesses Representative of Henrico County, Virginia
Residence: "Arrow Hattocks", Henrico County, Virginia
Residence: "Kingsland", Henrico County, Virginia
Immigration: MAR 1618/19 Aboard the "London Merchant"
Event: Relationship 9th Great Grandparent - Branch Line
Event: Relationship 12th Great Grandparent - Blythe Line
Note:
Emigrated to Henrico co., Va, in March 1619-20
Christopher was a husbandman , One of the Viewers of tobacco in Henrico in 1639, and in an assembly convened Jan. 1639 was one of the representatives for Henrico Co. In 1656 he was Justice of Peace in Henrico. Christopher's will, dated 20 June 1678 was probated in Henrico Co, 20 Feb, 1681/82.
BIOGRAPHY: In 1610, Abingdon was located on the north east edge of Berkshire ... right next to Oxfordshire - a county containing the city of Oxford.My ancestors estate was in Berkshire in the town of Lyforde called Lyforde Grange.It also is now in Oxfordshire. So the borders of these adjoining counties have changed since 1610.
BIOGRAPHY: Christopher m. Mary Addie, daughter of Sir Francis Addie and Marie Standind 2 Sept., 1619 at St. Peter's Westcheap, London, Eng. Mary was born in Darton Co., England abt. 1602 and d 20 Feb.,1681/82 in Henrico Co., Va. They emigrated to Henrico Co., Va, in March 1619-20.
BIOGRAPHY: Immigration: MAR 1619/20 Virginia from Trelburyhope, England
Resided FEB 1623/24 Henrico Co. Va. "at ye Colledg Land"
Resided AFT. 1624 On addtional land patent near Arrowhattocks, north side James River
1624 Son Thomas, nine months old at time of Colledg Land residence
Resided: AFT. 1624 Final residence, Kingsland, south side of James almost opposite Attowhattocks in Henrico Co., now Chesterfield Co.
Political Service 1639 Viewer of Tobacco, Henrico Co. Va.
Political Service 1640 Representative to House of Burgesses, Henrico County
Political Service 1656 Justice of the Peace, Henrico Co.
Will: 20 FEB 1681/82 Henrico Co. Va. probation
BIOGRAPHY: Ship of Passage 1619 "London Merchant: of 300 tons burden, 200 passengers, mostly single men, commissioned by Virginia Company
BIOGRAPHY: The "London Merchant" reached Virginia some time during the spring of 1619-20, after a prosperous voyage, during which but one passenger had died.
BIOGRAPHY: The precise location of the Branch home at this period is indeterminate, as the College Land was a rather extensive tract set aside by the company whereon "to erect and build a college in Virginia, for the training and bringing up of infidel's children to the true knowledge of God and understanding of righteousness."
BIOGRAPHY: The company designed both to "Christianize and educate" the neighboring Indians, and to this intent it was decided [26 May 1619] "that a certain piece of land be laid out in Henrico, which should be called the College Land, and for the planting of the same to send presently fifty good persons to be seated thereon, and to occupy the same according to order, and to have half the benefit of their labor, and the other half to go to setting forward the work and for maintenance of the tutors and sholars."
BIOGRAPHY: After the Great Massacre of 1622, the assigned lands were thrown open to the public, but it was as one of these "fifty good persons" that Christopher Branch came to America, and he and his wife were among the scant sixty residents of the College Land who somehow, survived the massacre, and their oldest son, Thomas, was born on the heels of it. It was ten years before Christopher Branch [October 1634] patented a hundred acres of land at "Arrowhattocks" in Henrico County, but the eventual permanent home of Christopher Branch was at "Kingsland," immediately opposite "Arrowhattocks", on the south side of the river in what is now Chesterfield. There, on the 14th of September, 1636, he patented another hundred acres of land.
BIOGRAPHY: A successful tobacco farmer, he subsequently augmented this modest tract both by purchase and by the buying of other patents, until he had acquired a rather large plantation in the extreme northeast of Chesterfield, bounded upon the east by James River and upon the south by Proctor's Creek. The present Kingsland Creek ran through his property.
BIOGRAPHY: He must have come to Virginia very little better than a pauper; but that he subsequently became a man of means, as means then went, and of prominence in at least his county, is evinced by the frequency with which his name occurs in the scant records of the time and the many honorable offices which he occupied.
BIOGRAPHY: A study of his land patents make it fairly apparent that Christopher Branch met with good luck in his Virginian Venture, and achieved wealth and prominence; but it is unlike that his life was ever one of luxury. Indeed, it is pertinent to describe the then condition of Virginia, as recorded by an eyewitness:
"I found the plantations generally seated upon meer ____ and ____, full of infectious boggs and muddy creeks and ___ and hereby subjected to all those inconveniences and diseases which are so commonly found in the most unsound and most unhealthy parts of England."
". . . The Colony was this winter in much dsitress of virtual. . . "
"Their houses are generally the worse that ever I saw, the meanest cottages in England being every way equal (if not superior) with the most of the best, and besides so improvidently and scatteringly are they seated out from another, as partly from their distance, but especially by the interposition of creeks and swamps, as they call them, they offer all advantages to their savage enemies, and are utterly deprived of all sudden recollection of themselves upon any terms whatsoever. . . "
"I found the plantations of Henrico and Charles City wholly quitted and left to the spoils of the Indians, who not only burnt the houses, said to be once the best of all others, but fell upon the poultry, hogs, coes, goats, and horses, whereof they killed great numbers. . . . ."
"There having been, as it is though, not fewer than ten thousand souls transported hither, there are not, thro the aformentioned abuses and neglects, above two thousand of them to be found alive at this present--many of them in a sickly and desperate estate."
BIOGRAPHY: In such unenviable curcumstances Christopher Branch lived for sixty years, dying at a very advanced age wither in the December of 1681 or in the January of 1682.
BIOGRAPHY: On 2 November, 1681, immediately before his death, he had confirmed a former deed of gift to his eldest son, Thomas Branch, of 300 acres of land in Henrico, "that my son Thomas Branch now lives upon", the action being prompted by some irregularity in the earlier deed.
BIOGRAPHY: It should be borne in mind, however, that Christopher was not the only Branch who emigrated to Virginia. There was a John Branch who owned land in Elizabeth City County and as early as 1636, was a viewer of tobacco for Elizabeth City, and represented Elizabeth City in the Virginia Assembly in 1641; but who was apparently unrelated to Christopher Branch of "Kingsland" and, so far as recorded, left no descendants.
BIOGRAPHY: By the time of the adulthood of Christopher Branch II, who died around 1681-82, life for the colonists had gotten better. An inventory of his goods and chattels, too long to be cited, vividly illustrates how solely was the wealth of Virginia's earlier inhabitants confined to the possession of lands and of slaves, and of so many pounds of tobacco, since their total value, fixed by the appraisers, is no more than thirty-eight pounds, seven shillings, and ten pence.
There are no luxuries in this enumeration; it contains, for the most part, only the bare necessities of life; and the library of Christopher Branch consisted of three volumes, two of them, Bibles.
BIOGRAPHY: In regard to bequests, it was the custom of the early colonists to provide for their sons as they reached manhood, thus, older sons often receive simple bequests at the time of the death of their father. Occasionally, only grandsons are provided for.
A comparison to a similar estate appraisal of say fifty years later would show a much higher value and much more bulk to the estate. Money was becoming more plentiful in Virginia, and even the luxuries of life were by this time available.
BIOGRAPHY: [ all of the above from BRANCHIANA, by James Branch Cabell]
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Christopher Branch was the son of Lionel Branch of London, Gentleman, grandson of William Branch of Abingdon, Berkshire, Gentleman, and great grandson of Richard Branch of Abingdon, Woolendraper. Christopher Branch is himself styled "gentleman" in the record of his marriage. The facts are fully set forth in James Branch Cabell's Branch of Abingdon . . . Richmond, Virginia (1911).
DEATH: Will of Christopher Branch of Kingsland 20th June 1678....
Item I give unto my sonne Thomas Branch my great copper Caetell and a Book called Ursinis Catucis and I doe confirme the two hundred and forty acres of land that I have given him by deed of gift formerly.
Item, I give unto my granson Christopher Branch all the land betweene the River and the long slash beginning at procters Creeke mouth and run upward on the river to the pine tree tath parts my land and my sonn Thomas and from proctor Creek at the lower end of the long slash on the inside of the slahs running wupward to my sonne Thomases land, unto him and his heirs males forever, provided that he shall help to builed for his Brother Samuell (a house of) four lengths of boards, every length to be five foot with the help of the Negroe and Joab if they live till Samuell be of ability to help and to sear it and to help him to clear a corner field sufficiently fenced to keep out hoggs and Cattle.
Item I give unto my gransonne Samuell Branch all the land that lyes betweene the long slash and the bottome Creek called by the name of Jackes bottome begining at proctors Creek and runing upwards to my sonne Thomases land to him and his heirs forever provided that he with the help of Christopher and the Negroe and Jobe if it please God they live doe build Benjamine one house of four lenghts of board, every length of boards to be five foot long & Clear and fense him a corne feild as much as they do for Samuell with his help when he shall be able to seate it.
Item I give unto my gransonne Benjamin Branch all the land that lyes between Jackes bottome and proctor Creek and runing upwards to my sonnne Thomases land to him and his heirs Males forever.
It is mu wioll that Chrisop doe give unto Samuell and Benjamine six locus posts and two im (elm) postes when they shall build them their dwelling houses if they can find non on theo owne ground.
It is my will that if any of these Christop, Samuell and ("and" deleted) or Benjamine doe dye before they come to the age of one antwenty years they they (their) land shall reurne to the next Brothe and goods that they shall have out of my Estate after my decease.
It is my will that after my desease my sonne Thomas shall pay unto Christop the rent that shall be due unot his Matie yearly for his two hundred and forty acres of land when it shall be demanded likewise Mr. Gower and Samuell and Benjamine when they shall seat their land.
It is my will that neither Samuell nor Benjamine go of the plantacon but (they are) to live with xthopher and to have housing and ground and to Worke together till they be able to seate their owne land, unless they be willing to goe o f themselves.'
It is my will that my part of Jobes labour soe long as he hath to serve shall goe to maintaine Samuel Benjamin and Sarah and that the halfe of the NMegroes labr goe to mainetaine them.
It is my will that the Cartway be not stopt up nor altered that now is to goe into the Woods for Timber or for fire Woode but to havea Clear passage.
Item I give unto Thomas Jefferson one hogshead of tovacoe of four hundred punds Weight whome I make with my gransonne Christop. Branch my full and sole Exetrs of this my last will and testament.I desire them to see my will truly pformed.
My debts and legacies being paid and buriall discharged all the restof my Estate I give unto my gransonne Christop. Branch, and Samuell and Benjamine and Sarah and Mary Branch, the Wife of Tho. Jefferson to be equally divided among them.
DEATH: Proved in Court 20th day of ffevry at Varina in the year 1681-2
land: Virginia County Records, VI
Henrico County.
Book No. 5.
land: Original Source Page Name: 590 Christopher Branch 1665
Comment: 1380 acres
More About Christopher Branch:
Record Change: July 30, 2003
More About Christopher Branch and Mary Addie:
Marriage: September 02, 1619, Westcheap London England.
Children of Christopher Branch and Mary Addie are:
- +Christopher Branch, b. Abt. 1627, Henrico Co. VA, d. 1665, Charles City Co. VA.