John Browder, Sr.

Date of death has also been (erroneously?) reported to be 1760 and circa 1777.

John Browder

c1686 - c1755

Birth: c1686 Bristol Parish, Charles City Co., Virginia

There is NO documentation that supports a daughter named Jane who married a member of the Griggs family. In fact, if Jane had existed, she would likely be in later court records concerning the estate of Jones Browder. She is not mentioned and no member of the Griggs family is mentioned.

Residence: Robert Bolling surveyed John's 100 acres of land on Gravelly Run, Brunswick Co., now Dinwiddie Co., Va. Apr 29 1712 Marriage: Marriage to: Elizabeth Jones Circa 1715

Residence: on Gravelly Run, Prince George (later Dinwiddie) Co., Va. when John and Isham Epes got a patent for neighboring land-John later patented his land on June 22, 1722 1721., Bristol parish Virginia vestry book recorded an allownace of 100 pounds of tobacco per month to John to board Robert Glidewell, who was unable to work 1721 Land Purchase: Between 1736 and 1741

Living on Gravelly Run, Prince George Co., Va. when he purchased a neighboring 300 acres and in 1741 expanded his plantation to 325 acres. 

Land Purchase: Aug 4 1737

John lived in Prince George (later Dinwiddie) Co. when he purchased 100 acres in Brunswick Co., on the south side of Waqua Creek from John Scoggins. Waqua Creeks runs into Nottoway River which forms the boundaries of Brunswick and Dinwiddie counties.

Misc: Mar 26 1751

John sold the 100 acre tract acquired from John Scoggins tract to Joseph Crook when he and brother, George arrived-sold for 20 shilling-witness: William Scoggins, Jr.,John Scogins, James Love.

Residence: Possessed lands in Bristol Parish, Prince George Co., Va. with Morris Vaughn. 1760 Residence: Caring for Ann Hawks in Bristol Parish, Prince George Co., Virginia 1769

Bath Parish, Prince George Co., Virginia was formed from part of Bristol Parish. John and his wife, Elizabeth, resided in the part formed into Bath Parish.

John B. Browder (c1686-p. 1762), son of Edmund Browder, Sr. (c1661-c1739) and Elizabeth (c1676-1721/22), whom I strongly believe to have been a Parsons, was born in Charles City (later Prince George) County, Virginia.
It has always been known that the name of John’s wife was Elizabeth, and family tradition has always held that she was a “Welsh woman.” The fact that she has been remembered as “Welsh” is telling, since that would signify that she was, perhaps, descended from one of the Welsh noble families. And it is known that Welsh noble families traced their ancestry to the mythical King Arthur, and tended to name their first sons Arthur.
I am certain that Elizabeth was a daughter of Arthur Jones IV (from a line of several persons named Arthur Jones) and Susanna King, partly because Jones is a Welsh ancestral name of noble origins, and also because one of their descendants, a grandson of Richard Browder and Mary of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, was named Jones Browder. Another of their descendants, son of their granddaughter Nancy Browder, who married Thomas Williams, was named Jones Williams. And, the first son of John and Elizabeth Browder was named Arthur. And the name "Arthur" has been perpetuated through several Browder generations since.
Thus, in further support of the belief that Elizabeth was of Welsh descent, one needs only to look at the name of her eldest son, Arthur (c1715-by 1738). During this time period, it was very common for the Welsh, Cornish, and those from Brittany in Northern France, to name their first sons after the mythical figure, King Arthur. This appears to be the first time that the name Arthur can be found within the Browder family line anywhere.
John Browder and Elizabeth were married, almost certainly, in 1715, since that is the year Arthur is supposed to have been born, and because Elizabeth is still referred to as “Eliz Jones” in her father’s will, which was written early in that year. This date proves important in determining Elizabeth’s parentage.
John Browder I is first mentioned (as in, for the first time) in the official records of Prince George (later Dinwiddie) County, Virginia, in 1712, at which time he had some land surveyed by Robert Bolling, son of Col. John Bolling and Mary V. Kennon (PGCDB III, 1718-1728, p. 750). This land was located on Gravelly Run near old Petersburg. The fact that he first appears in such a record in 1712 shows that he had likely turned twenty-one years of age by that time and was, therefore, considered to be an adult. So, the earlier estimate of his birth year as being about 1690 is accurate, although he could have easily been born earlier, and was more probably born about 1686.
The next record we have took place when, on August 11, 1719, John Browder, along with several others, was summoned to answer a petition and complaint of William Davis, Overseer of Highways,
for their contempt in refusing to assist in clearing the highway, and these persons (except JOHN BROWDER), failing to show just cause, it was ordered that each of them, except BROWDER, pay Davis 5 shillings. Present: Maj. Robert Munford (Va. Gen. Soc. Qtly., Nov. 1986, p. 58).
The timing of this alleged incident is interesting to me as it must have been around the time of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with their son, Richard Browder, and this birth may have had something to do with his refusal in this situation, as he probably needed to be home. Obviously, John Browder had already made his reasoning clear, and it was accepted, whatever it was.
Later, on June 22, 1722 (on the same day his brother, George Andrew Browder, was granted 264 acres of land in the same general area) John Browder received a grant of 100 acres on both sides of Gravelly Run. This land was probably that which had already been surveyed during 1712. Also, on June 22, 1722, John Browder had even more land surveyed (p. 482).
Later, the Bristol Parish Vestry paid John Browder 100 pounds of tobacco per month for allowing Robert Glidewell to board with the family, since Glidewell was unable to work. The Bristol Parish Vestry Book, in a notation dated April 14, 1728, (pp. 88-89).
John and Elizabeth Browder were obviously, therefore, members of the Church of England, residing within the boundaries of Bristol Parish, Virginia, just as Edmund and Elizabeth Browder, John’s parents, had been. They obviously attended services within the very brick church which still exists today. However, during 1742, Bath Parish was formed from part of Bristol Parish. It seems that this family resided within the boundaries of the new parish, as records of them in Bristol Parish cease about 1741/42.
On July 20, 1736, John Browder was granted 300 more acres of land, located on Gravelly Run, by King George II. This land joined that which he had previously been granted. It also bordered on the land of his brothers (as stated in the document) George Andrew Browder and Edmund W. Browder (Prince George County Land Grant Records Book [PGCLGRB] 17, p. 125).
Further, on October 15, 1741, John Browder was granted 325 additional acres of land. At that point, then, his property holdings totaled at least 725 acres. On this deed, John signed only with a mark, “B” (but that did not necessarily mean that he was illiterate, as some misunderstand).
Also, on September 20, 1745, John Hailes sold 74 acres of land located “on the heads of the branches of Gravelly Run and Hatcher’s Run” to William Sanders. This property was bordered by the properties of John Browder, William Sanders, and Jeffrey Mumford (PGCDB, p. ?).
And, on September 3, 1750, John and Elizabeth Browder together sold some of the land they had acquired on June 2, 1737 from John Scoggan [(c1697-July 1760), son of George Scoggan (b. c1665)], to Joseph Crook [son of George Crook and his wife, Elizabeth] of St. Andrew’s Parish (Brunswick County Deed Book [BCDB] 5, 1751-1755, pp. 35-37). This tract was located on the south side of Waqua Creek, which was in Brunswick County at that time, because some of John Browder’s land was in that part of Prince George County which was later formed into Brunswick County just across the Nottoway River.
John and Elizabeth Browder both died, and are surely buried, where they resided, in Dinwiddie (previously Prince George) County, Virginia. They very well could have been buried in or near the old Blanford brick Church and Cemetery, but their gravesites appear to have been lost to time.

Family members

Parents:

Edmund Browder, Sr. c1651 - c1739

Elizabeth Browder c1653 - c1722

Wife:

Elizabeth Browder c1685 - c1755

Siblings:

George Andrew Browder c1701 - 1741

William Browder c1702 - 1788

Edmund W. Browder, Jr. c1699 - c1771

Children:

Arthur Browder 1715 - c1738

Edmund Browder c1716 - 1759

John Browder, Jr. c1717 - 1814

Richard Browder - 1719 - 1807

William Browder 1723 - 1763

George Browder 1731 - 1819

Anne Pettypool (born Browder) 1733

Joseph Browder 1741 - 1801

links

• http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/a/w/Sandy-L-Rawls/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1...

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