Notes
Note N89 Index
There is proof that William BRACEWELL was the son of ROBERT BRACEWELL, Jr. and SUSANNAH BURGESS, and that he was born about 1680. The records show another William BRACEWELL witnessed a deed for this first William BRACEWELL as early as 1714 (Chowan County, North Carolina, Deed Book B, pg. 179). This and later records of another William BRACEWELL have caused some confusion among genealogists. It seems that Richard BRACEWELL, brother of ROBERT, JR., also had a son named William. If so, he would not have been included in the will of Richard as he preceded his father in death. (Richard BRACEWELL made his will in 1724/25.) Although there is some uncertainty as to which William is which (who was the witness and who bought the land), both are descendants of the Reverend ROBERT BRACEWELL, Sr. of the Isle of Wight County, Virginia.
Toward the latter part of the 17th century, the unsettled lands of NC had been opened for homesteaders. After the Tuscaroras Rebellion was crushed in 1712, there was a rush to secure choice plantation sites, especially by younger sons of wealthy families, who by the law of primogeniture inherited no share in their fathers' estates. William and his wife Mary patented two 620 acre tracts of land on Cypress Swamp, issuing out of the Moratuck (Roanoke) River (Land Grant Book 2, pps 173 and 174); patented four tracts of land in Chowan Precinct and purchased other parcels amounting to over 5,340 acres. Many notations in records of legal transactions. In 1741 the area where he lived became part of Hertford co.
In 1711 our William BRACEWELL and his wife Mary were in Chowan County, North Carolina. He was the first of his family to move to North Carolina, but was soon joined by four of Richard's sons- Richard Jr., Robert, Valentine, and Jacob, with whom he was closely associated during his short life there.
Toward the latter part of the seventeenth century, the vast unsettled lands of North Carolina had been opened for homesteaders. After the Tuscaroras Rebellion was crushed in 1712, there was a rush to secure choice plantation sites along the rivers and creeks of the new territory. Many younger sons of prominent and wealthy families who by law of primogeniture inherited no share in their father's estates, took advantage of the opportunity to make their fortunes. New arrivals from England and indentured servants who had completed their period of servitude joined the throng of hungry land speculators.
William and Mary BRACEWELL took advantage of the demand for land and became land speculators. The first time they appeared in the records of Chowan County, North Carolina, was when they patented two 640 acre tracts of land on Cypress Swamp, issuing out of the Moratuck (Roanoke) River (Land Grant Book 2, pg.s 173-174). During the next nine years, William and Mary patented four more large tracts of land in Chowan Precinct and purchased other parcels of land. This brought their total to over 5,340 acres of land which they resold portions of from time to time. There are numerous accounts of William and Mary BRACEWELL's activities in the early records of Chowan and Bertie Counties from the 4 May 1711 to the 8 September 1722 (Patent Book 3, pg. 26; Patent Book 8, pg. 220; Chowan Deed Book B, ppgs. 19, 125, 135, 144, 178, 179, and 377; Hathaway, Vol. 1, ppgs. 19, 287 and 3000).
William BRACEWELL and his wife Mary also assisted his relatives and friends in their business transactions by witnessing their deeds and acting as power of attorney (SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, VIRGINIA, by Boddie- pg. 651; Chowan Deed Book W, pg.s 166-167; Hathaway Vol 1, pg. 154).
On 1 April 1720, William BRACEWELL was listed among the members of Captain Robert Patterson's Militia (Hathaway Vol 1, pg. 443). Some time during the latter part of the 1720's William BRACEWELL died intestate in Bertie County, North Carolina. His eldest son, WILLIAM BRACEWELL, inherited all the lands of his father subject to his mother's dower rights.
Mary BRACEWELL, widow, paid poll tax on 1600 acres of land for the year 1721. She must have continued their land speculations as time went on, for she purchased 190 more acres in 1721 and 300 acres in 1722 (Chowan Deed Book C, pg. 182). Mary, widow of William BRACEWELL, was remarried some years later to Moses Quinn (Bertie Deed Book C, pg. 119).
There is definite proof that a William BRACEWELL (Sr.) had a son named James, as a James BRACEWELL, son of William BRACEWELL, bought land south of Roanoke River in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, on 4 January 1741 (Edgecombe Deed Book 5, pg. 51). There is a Benjamin BRACEWELL, who was probably a son of William BRACEWELL (Sr.), as he was constantly associated with William's son James.
Chowan Precinct, which had formerly been a part of Albemarle County, became a part of Bertie Precinct in 1722. In 1741 the area where William and his family had lived became a part of Hertford County.
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The children of William and Mary BRACEWELL: WILLIAM (Jr.), James, and Benjamin.[Genealogy.com, LLC, Family Archive #513, Ed. 1, Virginia Land, Marriage and Probate Records, Date of Import: Jan 8, 2001, Internal Ref. #1.513.1.2380.1]
Individual: William Braswell
Location: Isle Of Wight
Record Type: Probate
Record ID: 22787
Description: Mentioned
Prove Date: Jan 27, 1745
Book-Page: 5-9
Remarks: Richard Braswell. Inventory of his estate returned by William and Joseph Braswell.
This probate record was extracted from microfilmed copies of the original Will Book.