Captain Henry Brazier

A Henry Breser, or Bresart, of Nazing, Essex, England, came to New England in 1635. He or another of the name was in New Haven, CT in 1639. In the record of their banns, they were: “Henry Brezier, j.m. Uyt de Provincie Van Essex, en Susanna Wathens, Wede. Van Willem Wathens.” Henry Braisier in 1657 was a Englishman who raised tobacco near the ferry in New Amsterdam. In her will, she wrote: 10 day of July, 1694, I, Susannah Brasier, of New York, being sound in body, and knowing that I am ordained to die." Having full power by the will of my late husband Henry Brasier, dated April 23, 1689, to dispose of all the estate, I give to my son Henry Brasier, one half of the land in the Smith's Vly, where he hath built upon during his life, and then to his daughter Susannah. I leave to my son Isaac Brasier, the other half during his life, and then to his daughter Susannah. I leave to my son Abraham my house and ground in this city on condition that it be appraised, and what it is worth more than the land in the Smith's Vly, the surplus is to be paid to my four daughters, and after his death the house and lot is to go to his son Henry. Leaves household goods to her daughters Sarah and Susannah. Leaves to each of her grandchildren a silver spoon, value 10 shillings. Leaves to Mary Barnes, daughter of Mary Brasier, a bedstead. To Susanah Brown a morning gown. To grandchild Henry Brasier, son of Abraham, a silver cup. A piece of meadow at Maspeth Kills on Long Island "next to Butchers" is to be sold to pay burial expenses. Makes her son Abraham and her friend Abraham Messier, executors. Witnesses, P. DeLanoy, Peter Messier. Proved before Governor Benjamin Fletcher, November 29, 1694, and the executors confirmed.1 ---children of Henry Breser & Susanna Thomas Spicer: • Mary Brezier, bp. 29 Sep 1645 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Thomas Backer, Adam Tambour, Margarietje Jans, Catharyn op dyke); m. (poss) -?- Barnes (or Thomas Berry?) • Willem Bresier, bp. 18 Nov 1646 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Capt. Willem Blauwvelt, Olof Stephenszen Van Courtlt.); m. (poss) Seeuw Gerrits [Sue?] • Rebecca Breser, bp. 26 Apr 1648 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Joris Wolsie, Jan Daly, Jonas Nuyting, Rebecca Wolsie); m. (poss) Pieter -?- • Susanna [Breser] (given name in bp. record is “Breser”), bp. 9 Feb 1653 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Thomas Hall, Jan Hutjesse, Mary Graet, Anna Hals). On 11 Oct. 1658, Jan Hutsitson [sic] is said to have died at the house of Herry Bresar [sic] . On Oct. 15th Herry Bresar appeared before the court to state "what he knows of the debts due to Jan Hutsitson dec'd...." Thomas Hall, the administrator for Jan's estate brings Jan's testament to court. In it (among other items) is this notation: 1658. October 4. "To Susanna Bresar, daughter of Herry Bresar, godchild-- 120 fl. Further, the surplus of the estate shall be divided among the children of Herry Bresar, to wit Mary Bresar, Rebecca Bresar, Susanna Bresar and martje Bresar, Susanna to have the same share as the others, excepting the ten pounds sterling."2 • Machtelt Breisjers, bp. 21 Nov 1655 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Joris Homs, Been Homs) • Mathaa Breser (Martha?), bp. 20 May 1657 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Susanna [sic]%29 • Sara Breyser, bp. 14 Dec 1659 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Lambert Moll, Immetje Ver Sluys); m. William Preay (Pree) • Henry Breyser, bp. 29 July 1663 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Hillegond Pieters); m. 5 Aug 1685 NYC Ref Ch, Maryken Joris Van Alst • Isaac Breser, bp. 16 May 1666 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Marritie Huyberts); m. 9 June 1690 Altje Colevelt • Abraham Breser, bp. 25 Nov 1668 NYC Ref Ch (wit: Marritie Pieters); m. 12 Nov 1690 Lysbet Schouten ---Sources: [1] Information online June 1999 from <WayneLII@aol.com> citing Pelletreau, William S., Abstracts of New York Wills, Vol I 1665-1707, page 245; [2] Minutes of the Orphanmasters of New Amsterdam 1655 to 1663" by Berthold Fernow; Nicholson, Mary Ann, "Dirck Claessen, the Potter" in NYG&B Record, Apr 1989, p. 79; “Genealogy of the Family Named Brasier, Brasher, Breser, Bresart, Bradjor” in NYG&B Record, Jan 1896, p. 37; Marriages from 1639 to 1801 in the Reformed Dutch Church, New Amsterdam-New York City, 1940 (Vol. IX of Collections of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society); Baptisms in the Reformed Dutch Church, New York [City], 1901 (Collections of the NY Genealogical & Biographical Society, Vol. III)

http://njgsbc.org/files/BCFamilies/BCFam-Brasier.pdf

ID: I07836

Name: Henry BRASIER 1

Sex: M

Birth: WFT Est. 1597-1626 1

Death: WFT Est. 1651-1711 1

Marriage 1 Susanna SPICER b: WFT Est. 1606-1629

Married: WFT Est. 1638-1670 1

Children

Rebecca BRASIER b: 22 APR 1648

Sources:

Title: World Family Tree Vol. 2, Ed. 1

Author: Broderbund Software, Inc.

Publication: Release date: November 29, 1995

Note: Customer pedigree.

Repository:

Media: Family Archive CD

Page: Tree #0069

Text: Date of Import: Aug 31, 1999

 4 Sep 1645 - Patent. Harry Breser; 16 morgens 486 rods of land on the shore of the East River, adjoining Claes Dircksen, the ferryman, and running through the maize land to the valley (Brooklyn). [New York Dutch Patents - Vol.GG, pg.265.] Full transcript. 

2 Oct 1648 - Sentence. Jan Teunisen, for slandering Harry Breser, an Englishman, and running away, taking with him the company’s ferry boat, to work 100 days for the company, and 50 for the church, and to give bail for the faithful performance of his work. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 120 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.IV, pg.418.].

8 Feb 1649- Acceptance, by Henry Breser, of Philip de Truy’s house and lot from Nicholas Stillwell. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 45 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.III, pg.29.] [Dutch Records, Albany - Vol.V, pg.100] - Abstract.

29 Aug 1651 - Deed. Herry Breser to Cornelius de Potter, of land and cattle on the East river, at Long Island, between the lands of Cornelius Dircksen Hoogland and Frederick Lubbertsen. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 54 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.III, pg.92.].

4 Jan 1652 - Deed. Cornelius Dircksen Hooglant, ferryman, to Cornelius de Potter, of a lot of land on Long Island, containing 12 morgens 55 rods, adjoining Harry Breser, together with a house and lot in Breuckelen. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 55 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.III, pg.99.]. 7 Mar 1652 - Deed. Jacob Leendertsen van de Grist, on behalf of Frederick Lubbertsen, his father-in-law, to Jan Hendricksen Stelman, of 15 morgans of land on the East River, adjoining the lands of Harry Breser and Edmund Wiscock. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 56 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.III, pg.105.] . 9 Sep 1652 - Casper Steimits vs. Henry Bresier, action to recover 12 guilders; defendant acknowledges that he passed his word for Mark Meggs for 12 English shillings; judgment for the plaintiff for that amount. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 127 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.V, pg.53-55.].

18 Nov 1652 - Court Proceedings. Thomas Stevenson vs. Harry Bresier; plaintiff rented a farm from defendant, who was to build a house on the premises whilst plaintiff was to build a tobacco house which he was to leave on the ground, in return defendant was to furnish the nails and half a barrel of beer; plaintiff sues on the contract; the farm having meanwhile been sold to Cornelius de Potter, the case is taken under deliberation; various actions for debt. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 130 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.V, pg.92, 93.].

22 Jun 1654 - Deed. George Rapalje to Hendrick Hendricksen, of a house and a lot in Pearl Street, New Amsterdam. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 57 - Dutch Manuscripts. Vol.III, pg.115].

15 Oct 1654 - Mortgage. Henry Breser, of his house, a lot and garden, on the Island of Manhattans, as collateral security to Thomas Spicer and Thomas Hall, for a bond signed by them. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 57 - Dutch Manuscripts. Vol.III, pg.123].

5 May 1655 - Order. Allowing Harry Brasier, who left in the time of the troubles, to trade and sell his property in New Amsterdam but not to be domicilated. ['Calendar of Historical Manuscripts., Sec. State New York' by Edmund O'Callaghan, pg 148 - Dutch Manuscripts Vol.VI, pg.37.].

1658 - In the records of the Orphan's Court (Holland Society Year Book, 1900) it is stated that Jan Hutsitson (Hutchison) died at the house of Henry Brasar, and Thmas Hal and Isaack Grevers were appointed administrators. By his will, dated Oct. 4, 1658, Jan Hutsitson willed to jan, son of Joris Hom, 100 guilders; to Susanna, daughter of Henry Breser, his god-daughter, 120 guilders, and the balance of his estate to Mary, Rebecca, Susanna and Martje, children of Henry Breser. ['The history of Lieutenant Nicholas Stillwell, proginator.....' by John E. Stillwell, 1929, pg.137.] .

8 Feb 1659 - Gravesend, Long Island - "The town agrees with Henry Brazier for the building of a mill, within the towne, for ye grinding ye corn of the inhabitants, and ye towne will give him 500 guilders; and every man has a team, to cart one day, and such as have none, to give 2 days a piece, in making a dam." ['The History of Long Island' By Benjamin Franklin Thompson. - 1843].

19 Oct 1659 - Will of Isaac Allerton proved - "Due from Henry Brasser for rent for 28 months, from the first October 1656, to the last of May 1658, for three rooms at three guilders a week. I am in debt for work of the old acco which must be deducted. [At a Court of Magistrates 16 Oct 1659. Acknowledgments to : http://aitchcrests.tripod.com/besheersgivennames/id9.html

13 Sep 1667 - Deed - Henry purchased a lot of ground in the Smith’s Valley, without the water port. [New York Patents - Bk.2, pg 100] - Full abstract.

17 Mar 1669 - Deed - Henry purchased a parcel of valley or meadow ground at Maspeth Hills. [New York Patents - Bk.3, pg 90] - Full abstract.

1673 - New York - A list of the principal citizens and the value of their estates, compiled by the burgomasters and schepens at the Stadthuys :- Henry Bresier 300 Guilders. [The American metropolis, from Knickerbocker days to the present time; : New York City life in all its various phases, / by Frank Moss. With an introd. by Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst, an historiograph of New York - Author: Moss, Frank, 1860-1920 - pg's 46-7.].

10 July 1673 - Henry purchased a house & lot of ground in New York - Full abstract.

1674 - List of the owners in the City, about the year 1674, at the final cession of the English, the property being classified according to its relative value, as first, second, third and fourth; with the national descent of the persons named - given to illustrate the condition of the population at that era - and their estimated worth :- On the West side of the present Pearl Street, between Franklin Square and Wall Street; known at that time as 'The Smith's Valley'. - Henry Brazier....... Third ......... Dutch ........$1,500. [pg.319] On the South side of the present Wall Street, between Broadway and Pearl Street, then known as 'The Walls'. - Henry Brazier....... Third ......... Dutch ......... [pg.322] ['History of the City of New York' by David Thomas Valentine - 1858].

1676 - An Assessment and Tax made the 10th day of November 1676 for ye defrayinge of the Charges of the New docke & payinge the Citty debts and other publique dutyes att one penny halfe penny per pound :- Of the City of New York :- Henry Brasier - 12s 6d. [Minutes of the Common Council of the city of New York, 1675-1776 : in eight volumes. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1905, 3774 pgs.].

1677 - Rate of Taxacion (sic) made this 24th day of July :- 1 - Henry Brayier ..... 0 5 6 1 - Henry Brazier ..... 0 6 6 - The Walls Henry Brazier, 29 foot front, 30 foot deep ..... 0 6 0 (Vacant places) ['Historical Index to the Manuals of the Corporation of the City of New York' - NY Common Council, Samuel J. Willis etc. - 1848].

From:
Subject: re: Gwen Oliver's post v98#11 Date: Fri, 03 Jul 1998 07:48:17 -0700

Hi Gwen and all, I have somewhat different data on Henry Brazier/Brasher/Brezer and Susanna Spicer than you have. In 1896, at the request of descendants in Hillsboro, Ohio, R.H. Green researched and published a longish article on this family in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol XXVII (1896), pp.37-42, which I am here rearranging to make the families and descent easier for me to read. Toward the end of the last century, Dr. Lewis B. Brasher, of Denver, (b. 7 Sep 1844, KY) did a great amount of research which he shared with Rev. John Lakin Brasher, of Alabama. A Henry Brser, or Brzier, or Bresart, a French Huguenot who had been living for some years in Nazing, Essex County, England, came to New England in 1635, about the same time as John Eliot. He or another was in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1639. And there was a Henry or Harry Brser in the Dutch Colony, Niew Amsterdam, in 1637. Henry Brser came to spell his name Brasher and founded a large and prominent family in New York City. They apparently pronounce their name BRAY-zher, not BRASH-er or Bra-SHEAR, the other two, main pronunciations of the name. They left quite a number of records in Old New York, before and after it was taken over by the English.

Your data: 1 Henry BRAZIERb: in Englandd: 1691 in New York, New York**I don't know of any descendants who use that spelling of the surname. Those surviving in Connecticut a few years ago were adamant that it was BRASHER, and had to be pronounced BRAY-zher.

• *I really doubt that he was born in England, though it's clear that he lived there. His marriage record in the Dutch Reformed Church of New Amsterdam (New York) called him Henry Brasher of Essex, England. Marriages in the Reformed Dutch Church in New York: 9 Oct 1644, "Henry Brasher of the Province of Essex, Eng. to Susanna Walters, widow of Wm. Walters."

..+Susanna SPICERb: 1634 in Exeter, Englandd: in Gravesend, Long Island, King Co., New Yorkm: September 09, 1644Father: Thomas SPICERMother: Michal ???

• * Susanna has to have been born rather earlier than 1634. She married Henry in 1644, and she already had one child from her first marriage to William Walters: Susanna (nee Walters) Brasher, who m. Lt. Wm. Churchill. Susanna and Henry then had ten children of their own, all of whom were baptized in the Dutch Reform Church, presumably shortly after they were born.
  • And I've got Susanna's parents slightly different from you: Thomas Spicer was baptized 3 Feb 1592, at Barfreston, England, the son of Nicholas and Martha (Grant) Spicer. Thomas Spicer m.1. 4 Feb 1626, Ann Grant, in Sandwich, Kent Co, England, and they had two children: Susanna Spicer, who m.1. William Walters, m.2. Henry Brazier; and Ann Spicer, who m. John Lake. Thomas Spicer m.2. 5 Feb 1635, Michal _____, widow of John Jenkins, and they had one son, Samuel Spicer, bapt 30 Jul 1637 (re: Spicer Family, by Susan Billings Meech, and "Samuel Spicer and his Descendants," by Rev. John R. Stevenson, N.J. Hist. Coll, v.13, 2nd ser, p.41ff).

Both Henry's and Susanna's wills are extant. Henry's would show that he died late 1689 or early 1690, not 1691 as you have: Will of Henry Brasher, dated 23 Apr 1689, proven 4 Feb 1690, City Hall, New York, Book 3, p.199, Book 144, p.147 Will of Susannah Bresier, 20 July 1694 (Book 5, p.85) (Recorded for Abram Brasier); Benjamin Fletcher, Capt. General admits above Will 27 Nov 1694. --which would show that Susanna died Jul-Nov, 1694.

Fourth child of Henry and Susanna: 4. Rebecca Breser, bap. 26 Apr 1648; m. 22 Apr 1665, Peter Tilton (NY Marr. Prev. to 1784, O'Callaghan) 1. Rebecca Tilton, bapt. 28 Dec 1667

I have no way of arguing with you on Rebecca and her progeny. I presume this is your line, eh?

Well, enough of this, Cheers, Charlie Charles Brashear 5025 Old Cliffs Road San Diego, CA 92120-1151 619/265-7674; 582-5513 e-mail: brashear@mail.sdsu.edu