Col. James Bray

Biography

James Bray, J. P., of James City county 1666; member of the Council, 4 March, 1674-5; married Angelica ---. They had issue,

(1) Thomas;

(2) James, J. P. of James City county, in 1710, vestryman of Bruton parish; sheriff in 1717; married about 1698, Mourning, widow of Col. Thomas Pettus.

(3) Col. David Bray, J. P. of James City county, 1710; vestryman of Bruton parish; had issue David, born 1699, member of the Council; died 1731; married Elizabeth, dau. of John Page of Gloucester.

(4) Ann / Angelica, married Mingo Inglis of Williamsburg.

By his wife Angelica, James Bray's children were:

• (1) Thomas Bray --d. before 1732; m. Sarah Fenn. He lived in New Kent County
• (2) David (Col.) Bray b. 1666, d. 1717.
• (3) James Bray II ... married the widow of Thomas Pettus, probably named Elizabeth. Their children were:
  • (a) Thomas Bray m. Elizabeth Meriwether... and
  • (b) Major James Bray III..."

SOURCE: The Whitaker Family, page 97 & 98

GENEALOGIES OF VIRGINIA FAMILIES

William & Mary Quarterly Volume I, p. 447.

"James BRAY, of James City County, was living in Virginia in 1658, was a member of the council in 1670, and died at Middle Planation, October 24, 1691.

(York County Records and Bruton Parish Register.) His shattered tombstone still rests in Bruton Churchyard, Williamsburg. He married Angelica _____, and in 1658 received a certificate from York Court on account of the importation of his wife 'twice into Virginia.' He had issue: (Hening, Statutes at large,

IV., 370-; VI., 412) 2 Thomas Bray, 3 James Bray, 4 David Bray, 5 Anne Bray"

The Bray arms are on the tombs of the first and second David Bray in Bruton churchyard, Williamsburg, VA. They correspond with the arms of Bray in the Visitation of Nottingham in 1614.

Arms: Azure a chevron between three eagles legs erased a la Cuisse sable, armed gules. Crest: An ounce ppr.

Lll
YORK COUNTY VIRGINIA DEEDS, ORDERS, WILLS, ETC., No 10 1694-1697 Part Two.

John F. Dorman. p.1

"Page 188. Capt. Thomas Bray's discharge from Capt. Peter Temple for his wife's legacy was proved by WIllm. Sedgwicke."

COLONIAL VIRGINIA REGISTER

by Standard page 39

Virginia council Members JAMES BRAY, of James City County,Va 1670

GENEALOGIES OF VIRGINIA FAMILIES

James Bray of James City County, was a member of the council in 1676. His grandson David, son of David, was a member of the council in 1699. James Bray, son of James Bray, was a Burgess from James City in 1702. He was grandfather of Elizabeth Bray who married Colonel Phillip Johnson. The wife of Governor Edward Diggs was a Bray.

IBID

After Nathanial Bacon's rebellion was put down a trial was held for the 'traitors'. "The Chief men that subscribed it at this meeting [at Middle Plantation at the Head of Queen's Creek] were Coll. Swan, Col. Beale, Col.Ballard, Esq. BRAY (all foure of the Councell), Coll. Jordan, Coll. Smith of Purton, Coll. Scarsbrook, Coll. Miller, Coll. Lawrence , Coll. Lawrence [the 'brains' of the Rebellion], and Mr. Drummond, later Governor of Carolina [i.e. Albemarle]; all persons with whom you have bin formerly Acquainted." The article goes on to talk about those executed for their rebellion.

WILLIAM AND MARY QUARTERLY, FIRST SERIES, XIII, 266-269 "There seems little doubt that Colonel James Bray was a grandson of Captain Edmund Bray's son Edmund and his wife Dorothy Tracy of Todington. The Brays were of Barrington Magna in Gloucestershire, related to the Chief Gentry of the Shire. Colonel James Bray's family tree reads like a roster of Virginia's colonizers: Lade Dale, the Yeardleys, the Tracys of Todington, the Throckmortons of Coss Court, the Berkleys, the Catchmaids, Captain Thomas Pawlett of Westover (whose family sold the estate to Theodorick Bland), the Wyatts, the Conways, the Chetwoods, and the Baynams, along with Captain Nathaniel Powell, George Thorp, Thomas Lord Fairfax, and others figure in the family connections.

CD-VIRGINIA GENEALOGIES, NEW LIGH ON OLD CHARLES CITY COUTY, pg 486-488:

"Col. James Bray of James City was in Virginia in 1658 and died on October 24,1691, Middle Plantation; he was buried in Bruton Pairsh and his wife Angelica, was twice imported by him. Their children included:

1. Col. Thomas Bray, of New Kint, d.s.lp., ant 1732.

2. James Bry, died 1725 had a)Col. Thomas, died 1751; b) Major James; and c) Elizabeth died 1774; married (1) Arthur Alolen of Surry, (2) Arthur Smith; (3) ____Stith.

3. Col. David Bray, 1661-1717, ; married Judith and had only son, a) David, died 1731 md Elizabeth Page.

4. Anne Bray, mar. (1) Robert Booth, died 1692 (2) Capt. Peter Temple, died 1695; (3) Mungo Inglis.

5. Margaret Bray md William, brother of Robert."...

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mysouthernfamily/myff/d008...

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Bray, James, of James City county, was living in Virginia as early as 1666, and, on April 15, 1670, was sworn a member of the council. He retained his seat until 1676, when during Baron's rebellion, he seems to have been an active supporter of Gov. Berkeley. He signed the proclamation of Aug. 11, 1676, calling an assembly to meet in the following September. The commissioners sent to suppress the rebellion reported, on Dec. 6, 1677, that Mr. James Bray was a great loser in his estate by that uprising, but they were evidently not favorably disposed towards him, for the English board of trade and Plantations, on Dec. 6, 1677, pronounced him to be a "rash and fiery fellow," and, on Feb. 10, 1678-79, the same body directed that he be put out of the council. He was too friendly to Berkeley to suit the tastes of the royal commissioners. His wife. Mistress Angelica Bray, will always be remembered as one of the "guardian angels of the rebel camp," as the ladies whom Bacon stood in front of his men at Jamestown to protect them while they were throwing up fortifications, were called. Her maiden name is not known. Col. Bray was a wealthy merchant and ship owner in Virginia. He died Oct. 24, 1691. He had three sons who left issue and a grandson, Col. David Bray, who was also councillor for a few months.

Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, under the editorial supervision of Lyon Gardiner Tyler, 1853-1935, ed. cn, Volume 1, p. 131

https://archive.org/stream/encyclopediaofvi01tyle/encyclopediaofvi0...

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From the Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover :

On March 25 [1710], Byrd "Rose at 6 o'clock. My wife was out of order a little. I sent to know how Mr. Harrison did and received word he was worse, but it rained so all day that I could not go see him. It continued to rain all day. In the evening I sent again to know how Mr. Harrison did and received word tat he was better and that Dr. Blair was come up to him, who brought me a letter from England that told me that 'Angelica' Foundered at sea *James Bray, owned Angelica, petitioned to sail for England in 1708, apparently the ship that foundered in 1710-Ex. Jour. III 166*"

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~calvertgenealogy/The%20Cal...

The "Angelica" is mentioned 1707-1708 in "English Adventurers and Emigrants, 1661-1733", p. 122-124. It probably belonged to one of the sons of James Bray I.

Anyone with more information--please contact the profile managers.

Col. James Bray was born on 7 Jul 1609 in Great Barrington, Gloucestershire, England. He married Angelica Burgess.

Children:

1. Elizabeth Ray (Allen) 1655 - 1703
2. Col. David Bray 1656 - 1717
3. Ann Bray (Booth) 1657 - 1688
4. James Bray 1660 - 1725
5. Margaret Bray (Booth) - 1662 - 1695
6. Col. Thomas Bray 1664 - 1732

"Bray, James, of James City County, was living in Virginia as early as 1666, and, on April 15, 1670, was sworn a member of the council.

He retained his seat until 1676 when during Bacon's rebellion, he seems to have been an active supporter of Gov. Berkeley. He signed the proclamation of Aug. 11, 1676, calling an assembly to meet in the following September.

The commissioners sent to suppress the rebellion reported, on Dec. 6, 1677, that Mr. James Bray was a great loser in his estate by that uprising, but they were evidently not favorably disposed towards him, for the English board of trade and Plantations, on Dec. 6, 1677, pronounced him to be a "rash and fiery fellow," and, on Feb. 10, 1678-79, the same body directed that he be put out of the council.

He was too friendly to Berkeley to suit the tastes of the royal commissioners. His wife, Mistress Angelica Bray, will always be remembered as one of the "guardian angels of the rebel camp," as the ladies whom Bacon stood in front of his men at Jamestown to protect them while they were throwing up fortifications, were called.

Her maiden name is not known. Col. Bray was a wealthy merchant and shipowner in Virginia. He died Oct. 24, 1691. He had three sons who left issue and a grandson, Col. David Bray, who was also a councillor for a few months." -from

http://vagenweb.org/tylers_bios/vol1-12.htm, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography Vol 1 by Lyon Gardiner Tyler, p 131.

"After Nathanial Bacon's rebellion was put down a trial was held for the 'traitors'. "The Chief men that subscribed it at this meeting [at Middle Plantation at the Head of Queen's Creek] were Coll. Swan, Col. Beale, Col. Ballard, Esq. BRAY (all foure of the Council), Coll. Jordan, Coll. Smith of Purton, Coll. Scarsbrook, Coll. Miller, Coll. Lawrence, Coll. Lawrence [the 'brains' of the Rebellion], and Mr. Drummond, later Governor of Carolina [i.e. Albemarle]; all persons with whom you have bin formerly Acquainted." -from Genealogies of Virginia Families

In 1657 James Bray of Middle Plantation was granted a patent for 1250 acres for transporting 25 persons to the Colony of Virginia. (Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 5, p. 15.) In 1658 he was granted 100 acres for transportation of his wife, Angelica, to Virginia. (Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 5, p. 39, and William and Mary Quarterly, Series 1, Vol. 12, p. 185.)

In 1671 Bray bought 290 acres of Middle Plantation of Henry Wyatt. (PRO/CO 1389 ff 66-68 and Virginia Historical Magazine, Vol. 3, p. 178, and Nugent's Cavaliers… , p. 161.) Henry Wyatt was son and heir of George Wyatt of Middle Plantation, decd. In 1645 George Wyatt held 250 acres, James City County at Middle Plantation, N by E along the Palisadoes and the land of George Lake, S by W to the head of Archers Hope Creek. In 1671/2 Henry Wyatt sold to Col. John Page 50 acres without the forest adjoining upon the Palisadoes of the Middle Plantation. (Hiden's Adventurers of Purse and Person, p. 375 taken from Kingsbury's Records of the Virginia Company, V, p. 1.)

In 1677 he had a house at Middle Plantation. Drummond was tried there. (Tyler's Williamsburg, p. 14.)

James Bray died in 1691/2 leaving a will that has not survived. In 1695 Mrs. Angelica Bray bought 190 acres of escheated land lately John Fisher's. (William and Mary Quarterly, series 1, vol. 12, p. 185.)

James Bray served as a member of the House of Burgesses in 1670-78 and in 1688. He was put off the Council in 1678 at the recommendation of the Board of Trade because of his part in Bacons rebellion. Angelica was one of "the white ladies" used by Bacon at Jamestown. (Tyler's Cradle of the Republic, p. 156.)

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173689368

"Colonel David Bray was the son of James Bray and his wife, Angelica. James Bray was living in Virginia in 1658. He was a member of the council in 1670, 1675, 1676, 1677, and of the General Assembly in 1688. He was called Colonel in 1676. James Bray died on October 24, 1690, at Middle Plantation and was buried at Bruton churchyard, Williamsburg, Virginia. Upon his tomb is inscribed: JAMES BRAY 1690.

References

1. Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography Vol 1 by Lyon Gardiner Tyler. https://archive.org/stream/encyclopediaofvi01tyle/encyclopediaofvi0...
2. Genealogies of Virginia Families, William, and Mary Quarterly Vol 1 p 447.
3. York County Virginia Deeds, Orders, Wills, Etc. No 10, 1694-1697, Part Two.
4. Colonial Virginia Register by Standard, p 39
5. Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol 5, p 39
6. Hiden's Adventurers of Purse and Person p 375, from Kingsbury's Records of the Virginia Company p 1
7. William and Mary Quarterly series 1 vol 12 p 185
8. Tyler's Cradle of the Republic, p 156
9. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I8548... cites
   1. The William and Mary Quarterly > Vol. 13, No. 4, Apr., 1905 > Bray Family