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Descendants of Robert Bracewell

Generation No. 1

1. ROBERT⁵ BRACEWELL (RICHARD⁴, ROBERT³, EDMUND², JOHN¹ BRANCEWELL)^1,^2,³ was born 1611 in England, and died 01 May 1668 in ,Isle of Wight, Virginia. He married REBECCA IZARD^4,^5,⁶ 1649 in London, Middlesex (now London), England ^7,^8,⁹. She was born in of Isle of Wight Co, Va, and died Bef. 1668.

Notes for ROBERT BRACEWELL:
(Isle of Wight Co., VA Will & Deed Book 1, Vol. 2, p. 81)
"In the name of GodAmen, I ROBERT BRACEWELL beinge very weake & sicke of Body but of perfectt memorie, doe make this my last Will & Testament, Revockeinge all former Wills whatsoever., Imprimis I bequeath my Soule into the hands of my Redeemer, who gave it to mee, And my body unto the ground from whence it came to be decently buried, And for those Temporall goods God hath given mee I dispose of them in manner as followeth, I give unto my daughter JANE STOCKES her children, three cowes, To REBECCA WEST my daughter one Cowe & Calfe And one Cowe & Calfe to the next child she shall have, And the rest of all my Estate unto my two sonns ROBERT and RICHARD whome I make my full & sole executors of this my ill, and the Mill I desire shalbe finisht, with what speed may bee And to be lett out, only reservinge corne for themselves, and the p.(ro)duse of the Mill to be equally divided betweene them both, And reserved to build a new mill hereafter And when built to be left wholly to my sonne RICHARD Likewise I give Seaven hundred Acres of landwhere I now live and sixe hundred Acrees att the Western Branch of Nancemond County To be equally divided betweene my two sonnes ROBERT and RICHARD Likewise it is my desire that noe part or parcell of the estate shalbe disposed of, nor none of the land, untill they both are of full Age, nor no wayes divided But ifit shall please God that either of them shall depart this life before he comesof Age, That then the Survivor shall enjoye the whole Likewise I give unto my Servant ELIZABETH HALL when she shalbe free one heifer of two yeares of Age Andlikewise it is my desire That my loveinge friends Mr RICHARD IZARD and GEORGE GWILLIM to be Guardians unto my CHildren in the time of theire Minoritie, And to see this my Will performed Likewise I give unto them the said RICHARD IZARD &GEORGE GWILLIM, ffortie shillings to each of them, to buy them each one ringe,Likewise I give unto my Daughter ANN BAGNALL one Cowe & Calfe And one Cowe & calfe to her first Child, And if it please God she have any, And likewise it is my desire that my two sonnes, ROBERT & RICHARD shalbe putt to schoole untill they cann both write & read And this beinge my Will I testifie it with my hand this 15th of February 1667
In Witness of
ROB: BRACELL
GEORGE GWILLIM
RICHARD (X) IZARD
This will was proved in open Cort held for the Isle of Wight County this first Day of May 1668 And then
Recorded
Teste JOHN JENNINGS Clr: Recordes:

Robert was an Oxford scholar. Received BA in 1631. He was baptised atSt. Andrews, Holborn, E ngland. He was in Isle of Wight Co, VA by 1651 and was elected to the House of Burges in 1653 . Will proven on 1 May1668. Sold 100 acres of land in 1673 in Isle of Wight Co, VA. Sold 4 00acres of land given to him by his father in 1660 in Isle of Wight Co, VAin 1673. Sold 30 0 acres for 15,000 lbs of "tob and cask" in Isle ofWight Co., VA in 1674. Nothing is known o f the family prior to this dateexcept that they and others of this name in England were sai d to havefled from Scotland during a rebellion against tyrannical rule. At the ageof fifteen , young Robert Bracewell was sent to Oxford University to beeducated for the minintry. Recor ds of colonial Virginia show that RobertBracewell, son of Richard Bracewell of London, Gentle man, entered HartHall, Oxford University, February 22, 1627, at the age of fifteen andgraduat ed with an A. B.degree on November 3, 1631. This information hasbeen certified of recent yea rs by an Oxford Registrar. (Henning 1,378)(The Braswell Family, by Elizabeth B. Pearsall) . A period of almosttwenty years elapses before Robert Bracewell is heard from again. Durin gthe latter part of this period, England and Scotland were passing througha very difficult ti me under Charles I, who was determined as his father,James I, had been to force the Anglica n form of worship on the Puritansof England and the Presbyterians of Scotland. The circumsta nces whichresulted in Robert Bracewell's coming to Virginia are not known, but whenhe appeare d in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, some time prior to 1649,he was an Episcopal clergyman. T he first time his name is found in therecords of colonial Virginia was when he was a witnes s to an agreementbetween Ambrose Bennett and Thomas Webb for the use of a mill andadjacent la nd, April 29, 1650.(Deed book 1, p. 426). When Captain JohnUpton made his will in January 16 51, he mentioned three hundred acres ofland he had sold to Mr. Robert Bracewell.(Will and Adm r. Book A, pps.32-33). Robert Bracewell's plantation was located on the BlackwaterRiver, som e miles south of the James River and the colonial town ofJamestown, a few miles northwest o f where the Town of Smithfield,Virginia, now stands. Robert Bracewell's pastorate, known as L awne'sCreek Parish, was in the vicinity of the present boundary line betweenSurry and Isle o f Wight counties. The name of Lawne's Creek was changedin 1737 to Southwalk Parish. In 165 3 the Reverend Robert Bracewell waselected to the House of Burgesses of Virginia. At this pe riod inhistory, separation of church and state was the subject of much agitationin both Europ e and America. According to the records of the 1653 Sessionsof the House of Burgesses, "It i s ordered that Mr. Robert Bracewell,clark(cleric), be suspended since it is unpresidential an d may producebad consequences." (Henning 1, p. 378) If clergymen were not allowed tohold pol itical office, it seems odd that he was elected in the beginning.Whether the Reverend Rober t Bracewell was a wealthy man before coming toVirginia, or whether he accumulated his wealt h after coming to thiscountry has not been established, but at the time of his death in 166 8 hewas the possessor of considerable property. He was referred to in theWilliam and Mary Qua rterly, Volume 7, as a "notable minister." (TheBraswell Family, by Elizabeth B. Pearsall) . Robert Bracewell's will wasmade February 15, 1667 and is one of the earliest recorded will s in thiscountry. It is to be found in Deed and Will Book 1, p. 9, of the Isle ofWight recor ds of Virginia. In his will, Robert Bracewell directed thathis two underage sons, Robert, Jr . and Richard, were to receive the bulkof his estate and were to share the 700 acre home plan tation and 600acres on the Nansemond River. They were to share also in his new millwhen it w as finished. He named his two friends and neighbors, Mr. GeorgeGwillen(Welsh for Williams) an d Mr. Richard Izard, to act as guardiansfor the children, each to receive forty shillings wit h which to buyhimself a ring. He further directed that his two sons be put to schoolto lear n to read and write. His three married daughters were to receivethree cows each, and an inde ntured servant, Elizabeth Hall, was toreceive a heifer when she became free. Seven of his fr iends were toreceive one cow each and his son-in-law, William West, a cow and ayearling. Incl uded in the inventory of his property were sixty-three headof livestock, a servant boy, a lib rary worth 500 pounds of tobacco, asloop, silverware and numerous articles of clothing and ho useholdfurnishings. The total value of his estate was given a 35,000 pounds oftobacco.(Will a nd Deed Book 1, p.55). An accounting of his estaterendered on January 10, 1669-70, and signe d by Richard and RebeccaIzard.(Will and Deed Book 1, p. 28)

More About ROBERT BRACEWELL:
Ancestral File Number: JCPC-PL
Christening: 13 Oct 1611, St Andrew, Holborn, London, Eng
Record Change: 30 May 2008

More About REBECCA IZARD:
Ancestral File Number: JCPC-F7
Record Change: 15 Oct 2003

Children of ROBERT BRACEWELL and REBECCA IZARD are:

REBECCA⁶ BRACEWELL^10,^11,¹², b. Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Va; d. 1700, Isle of Wight Co, Va; m. WILLIAM WEST¹² ¹²; b. Abt. 1645; d. Abt. 1708.

More About REBECCA BRACEWELL:
Ancestral File Number: JCPC-HK
Record Change: 15 Oct 2003

Notes for WILLIAM WEST:
William West [participated in Bacon's Rebellion. He led a rebelforce...but was captured on 16 Jan 1677. Like his brother-in-law, Robert Stokes, he was sentenced to death. He escaped from prison and a petition for his reprieve was circulated by his brother, Henry West, in Oct. of 1677. ...The petition was apparently granted\
Source
Title: Genealogy of the Ancestors of (Rev) Robert Braswell
Author: Eunice H. Young
Publication: Braswell Branches, Vol. IX, Issue 3, Summer 2000

More About WILLIAM WEST:
Record Change: 06 Apr 2007

ii.

ANN BRACEWELL^13,^14,¹⁵, b. Abt. 1649, Isle of Wight County, Va; d. 29 May 1683, Isle of Wight County, Va; m. JAMES BAGNALL¹⁵, Abt. 1640, Isle of Wight Co, Va¹⁵; b. 1626; d. Abt. 1734, Isle of Wight Co, Va.

More About ANN BRACEWELL:
Ancestral File Number: NVBQ-MS
Record Change: 06 Apr 2007

More About JAMES BAGNALL:
Record Change: 06 Apr 2007

2.	iii.		RICHARD BRASWELL I, b. 1651, ,Isle of Wight, Virginia; d. 28 Jul 1724, ,Isle of Wight, Virginia.
	iv.		JANE BRACEWELL^16,^17,¹⁸, b. 1652, London England; d. 1729, Isle of Wight County, Va; m. ROBERT STOKES^19,^20,²¹ ^22,^23,²⁴.

Notes for JANE BRACEWELL:
She married (1) Robert Stokes Abt. 1667. He was born Abt. 1656, and died1677 in Executed - Bacon's Rebellion. She married (2) Robert Eley II Abt. 1678, son of Robert Eley. He was born Bef. 1650 in Nansemond Co., VA, and died Abt. 1680. She married (3) John Roberts Abt. 1680. He died Bef. 04 Oct 1706.

Notes for Jane Bracewell:

According to Hildon B. BRASWELL, Jane was evidently very attractive, married well, and "became one of the largest owners of land and other real property." Jane's first marriage was to Robert Stokes in 1667. Robert, along with his brother-in-law William West, participated in Bacon's Rebellion and was hung by the Brittish in 1677 for his involvement. Although they were married for only a short time before his death, they had three daughters: Mary, Ann and Rebecca Stokes. Jane next married Robert Eley, II in 1678 and they lived in Virginia. They too, were married a short time (less than three years) and only one child was born to this union, Robert Eley, III. Jane's last marriage was to John Roberts in 1680. To this marriage was born three children: John, Thomas and Jane Roberts.

JANE made a will 25 June 1711 which was proved 14 Aug 1713. In it she named six children. ROBERT ELEY received 100 acres which was part of a patent of 1450 acres granted to JOHN and JANE ROBERTS on 20 July 1680. This was land on the lower side of the branch called Long Branch on the south side of Beaver Dam Swamp. The following each received 100 acres on the west side of Beaver Dam Swamp: Grandson ROBERT SCOTT, daughter MARY PARKER (widow of WILLIAM PARKER), and granddaughter MARTHA SANDERS. THOMAS JONES (no relationship mentioned) was bequeathed 'the land he now lives on according to the boundaries that he bought of my brother, RICHARD BRASWELL.' Daughter REBECCAS BRINKLEY received 5 shillings, and daughter JANE SCOTT only 1 shilling. Sons JOHN and THOMAS ROBERTS were appointed executors. Jane's daughter, MARY, married WILLIAM PARKER of Nanesemond County. He died before 26 Jun 1711 when JANE BRASWELL ROBERTS mentioned him in her will as the deceased husband of her daughter, MARY. MARY was in North Carolina by Dec. of 1738 when she deeded her inheritance to ROBERT ELEY. The record reads, 'MARY PARKER, Precinct of North Carolina, deeded ROBERT ELEY part of a patent to JANE STOKES, widow, Isle of Wight Co., land on Nansemond Indian Creek, 100 acres, July 20, 1680, part patented by JOHN ROBERTS and his wife granted by Sir HENRY CHICHELEY 1450 acres, and was given to MARY PARKER by JANE ROBERTS, deceased, Aug. 24, 1713, on the west side of Beaver Dam Swamp...down the line to Mr. EDMUND GODWIN's, etc...and boundary of former deed made to JOHN ROBERTS and his wife.' (Isle of Wight Deed Book 5, p. 310) MARY PARKER died in Edgecomb Co., NC; her will was probated in Aug of 1754. She left all to her grandson, EDMUND GODWIN. REBECCA, daughter of JANE BRASWELL, married an unknown man named BRINKLEY of Nansemond Co. It isn't clear which of JANE's three husbands was the father of MARY and REBECCA. An unknown daughter married an unknown SANDERS (the mother of the granddaughter she mentions in her will)."

Notes for Robert Stokes:

He was captured during Bacon's Rebellion by Governor BERKELEY and was hanged. His estate inventoried for sale in October 1677. BODDIE states that they were married for more than 10 years.

More About JANE BRACEWELL:
Ancestral File Number: PZCB-D9
Record Change: 27 Apr 2006

More About ROBERT STOKES:
Record Change: 27 Apr 2006

JR ROBERT ELEY BRACEWELL, b. Abt. 1658, Isle of Wight County, Va; d. Abt. 1725, Isle of Wight County, Va.

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