Sarah Braswell - Sarah Braswell not born Sampson?

Sarah Sampson 1651 - 1734
Posted 17 Nov 2010 by Diana Higgins
RESEARCH NOTES:

An undocumented article in Dr. R.B. Braswell's book,
Following the Braswells in America 1600-1983 identifies Richard's
wife as Sarah SAMPSON and gives their wedding date as 16 Jan.
1673. No source was given and Boddie didn't identify her by
surname. (Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County Virginia
by John Bennett Boddie.)

If she was, indeed, a SAMPSON she might have been a
daughter of James SAMPSON and Elizabeth BARCROFT of Isle of
Wight Co. He is the only man named SAMPSON in that area who
was of the correct age to be her father. Elizabeth immigrated in 1647
with Charles BARCROFT who may have been her brother.

Other SAMPSONs in the Isle of Wight area were Elizabeth
who married Thomas CLARK and Ann who married Edward
MOSELEY. Edward MOSELEY was very wealthy. He died in
New Hanover Co., NC and owned land in Edgecombe Co., NC.

Sarah's will was dated 20 Mar. 1733/34, probated 26 May
1735. Most of the estate went to her grandson, John BRASWELL.
Negroes were given to daughter Jane, grandson Benjamin
BRASWELL and to "other children of my son John" who were
identified by name: Mary, William, and Sampson. She appointed
her son, John, and her grandson, John BRASWELL, as executors
(Will Book 4, p. 65).

An IGI entry states that Ann, daughter of Richard and Sarah,
was born ca. 1674-76. She married Matthew STRICKLAND.

Robert, son of Richard and Sarah, was born ca. 1678. He
appeared on the tax list in Chowan Co., NC in 1721 along with
William and Val. Robert was living in Bertie Co., NC when he made
his will which was probated at the Nov. Court in 1736.

Valentine was born ca. 1680 and died ca. 1721 to 1728 in
N.C. He married Jane POPE and was probably the Val
BRASWELL who appeared on the Chowan Co., NC tax list in 1721.
He appeared as Val BRASSEL on the Roanoke, NC tax list in 1720.
Also on that list were Jacob BRASSEL, John GRIFFIN, George
WILLIAMS, Sr., George WILLIAMS, Jr., and Samuel WILLIAMS
who were probably friends and relatives of his.

Richard was born before 1682 and was in Chowan Precinct,
NC by 1725 and in Bertie Precinct, NC by 1725/26. Information
about this family appears on page 13 of Dr. R.B. Braswell's book,
but it should be used with caution because of lack of documentation.
Richard's wife is identified as Elizabeth BRYANT. They settled on
White Oak Swamp which is now located in the southern part of Nash
Co., NC (formed from Edgecombe Co. in 1777). When Richard died
in 1747, in what was then Edgecombe Co., NC, he owned more than
1,000 acres of land and 30 slaves. Richard's will appears in
Edgecombe Co., Will Book 4, p. 193.

Jacob was born ca. 1684, married Elizabeth RUFFIN and
died ca. 1747 in Edgecombe Co., NC. On 8 Aug. 1727 they sold
278 acres on the south side of Morattock River in Usary Meadow
and Hog Pen Meadow in Bertie Co., NC to William RUFFIN. Their
land was adjacent to John COTTEN and Richard BRASWELL and
was part of a tract of 528 acres that had been granted to Jacob on 1
Apr. 1723. Witnesses were Thomas and John HART (Bertie Co.,
NC Deed Book C, p. 360). On 20 Apr. 1728, Jacob settled on Swift
Creek north of Tar River (Edgecombe Co., NC Deed Book 3, p.
286). On 27 Oct. 1740, Jacob sold 284 acres on the north side of
Tar River adjoining Swift Creek to Robert BRACEWELL. This
deed was witnessed by Richard BRACEWELL and Richard
SESSUMS (Edgecombe Co., NC Deed Book 1, p. 391).

John was born ca. 1686. He married a woman named Alice
and they had five children by 1733/34 (Boddie).

William was born before 1693. It is difficult to distinguish
between William, son of Robert, and William, son of Richard. This
will be discussed in a subsequent issue of the newsletter.

Richard and Sarah had a daughter named Mariah or Martha.
Some sources list her one way, and others another. She married a man named MURPHY.

Jane married a man named WILLIAMS.