Mary Platt was not a known daughter of John Browne of Charles City & Temperance Cocke

She was the sister of Martha Stratton who named “my sister Platt” in her 1696 will.

Mary (Brown?) [Tanner] Platt

• BIRTH unknown
• DEATH 1 Feb 1700 Henrico County, Virginia, USA
• BURIAL Burial Details Unknown
• MEMORIAL ID 234067865

Mary Brown, perhaps the daughter of John Brown, was born ABT 1639 in Henrico County, Virginia, and died Bet. 3/18/1698/9 and 1/311699/00 in Bermuda Hundred, Henrico County, Virginia. **If Mary was born about 1639 and John Browne died about 1632 then he can not be her father and records tell us he was definitely deceased before June 5 1632 because Temperance Bailey Browne (his widow) had already remarried by then.

Because Mary was very sick & weak in February 1688/9 when the will of her brother-in-law Edward Stratton was to be proved, the court had to send Francis Epes to take her deposition. [5]

Gilbert Platt and "Madam Mary" were in court "at variance . . . over a portion of Gilbert Platt's own estate which by deed . . . he had made over to her." Then came trouble with his wife and her children, or rather her eldest son. (See Henrico County Court Vol 1677-92, p 142 for depositions). The stepson tossed lightwood sticks at his stepfater one evening as the stefather was returning home which elicited a complaint from Mr. PLATT to his wife, MARY, as to the treatment he had received from MASTER JOSEPH TANNER. "and for his pains" sazys Mr. CABELL, "was promptly called a liar, since as Mrs. Platt, explained she had reared her children so carefully in common reason none of them would ever have been guilty of such outrageous conduct." And the storm then broke as young JOSEPH going into the room, accused MR. PLATT of having slandered him on a certain occasion and recourse was had to a 'tobacco stick" or a 'stake" whose blow seems to have knocked out MR. PLATT. They went to court with the upshob being that GILBERT PLATT no longer troublees his wife and her children with his presence, resigining by deed 28 March 1681 all his right to the plantation at Buldings to JOSEPH, EDWARD, MARTHA, and MARY, orphans of JOSEPH TANNER, dec'd (Henrico Records, Vol1677-92, p 162). That "Bauldings" was in "Hell Garden Bottoom" (repeatedly mentioned as a boundary in Tanner deeds) seems not insignificat in connection with the various disturbances in this family.

On 4/2/1679 Mary Platt, made a deed of gift to her daughter Mary, wife of William Lygon. Mary Platt's will, dated 3/10/1699/1700, named daughter Mary Liggon, and grandchildren Thomas, Joseph, Phebe and Lucretia Liggon.

Notes

ALTHOUGH LISTED HERE AS THE DAUGHTER OF JOHN BROWN & TEMPERANCE BAILEY BROWN THAT RELATIONSHIP IS NOT POSSIBLE If Mary was born in 1639 then John Browne can not be her father as he was dead before 6/5/1632. It is recorded in 'The Minutes of the Council and General Court of Virginia' in Jamestown on 6/5/1632 that Richard Cocke was married to the widow of John Browne (Temperance Baley Browne), paid a fee discharging the debts of Brownes estate and assumed guardianship of John Brownes children. The children were not named in the court record, however, any child born after that date can not be a child of John Browne. That means either she was born before 1632 or she is the daughter of a different John Browne/Brown. There were more than one man named John Brown in the colonies after all.

The other choice is that he (Joseph Tanner Sr.) married two women, one to have been Mary Jones, and the other to have been Mary Brown. She married Joseph Tanner Sr. in 1660 and later she married Gilbert Platt. On other records with this same information, it gives her dob as circa 1639. She has a daughter Mary Liggon, another daughter Martha Haskins, two grandsons, Thomas and Joseph Lygon, two grand daughters Phebe and Lucretia Liggon (looks like a variation of Lygon). Until I figure out how to place them on the tree, I'll keep their names here. If someone else comes by and knows the relationship, let me know and I'll add them to the tree.

William R. Scott, op. cit., gives this information: "Mary Tanner Platt's sister, Martha, widow of Thomas Shippey, was the second wife of Edward Stratton, Sr. Her niece was Martha Shippey who married Edward Stratton, Jr. She was one of the witness of Edward Stratton's will. In a sworn statement qualifying as her sister's executrix she stated that she was born in 1638. Her will dated March 18, 1699, recorded in Henrico, February 1, 1699/1700, mentions her grandson Thomas Jones, son of Martha Tanner Haskins, by her first marriage. James Branch Cabell in his book "Branchiana" says that her maiden name was probably Brown, in as much as William and Mary College, in 1699, brought suit against Benjamin Branch of Henrico, "as the executor of Edward Osborne, who married the executor of John Brown." If this is true then Martha Shippey Stratton's maiden name would also be "Brown". I have tentatively used the (Brown) surname in this record."

Will of Widow Martha Stratton

Henrico County p. 622,
To my kinsman Edward Skerme and his sister, each of them a yone (?) and one to Johns Worsham, Jr. To my son in law Edward Stratton, my long gunn, and to his wife my dark shiff gown and pediciat and to each of his children a cow calf. To my sister Platt, clothing, and to her daughter Lygon, two best barrows. To Thomas Griffis, if he is willing to stay the time he is bound to me for, with my daughter Elizabeth, a feather bed and items. My negro man to my daughter Frances. To my daughter Elizabeth, during her widowhood, 400 lbs and three barrels of Indian corn yearly, and also I give her my servant girls. To my grandaughter Frances Shippy, a gold ring. The rest to be divided between daughters Elizabeth and Frances, and if one die, the survivor to have 1/3, daughter Martha Stratton's children to have 1/3, and other 1/3 to herself. Daughter Frances is to live with my sister Platt until she is married, and if my sister should die, she is to live with my coz. Mary Ligon. My sister Platt to be sole executrix. Dated 24 July 1692. Wit: Martin Elam, Frances Elam, John Worsham. Probated 1 April 1696.

Will of Mary Platt (1699/1700)

Bold names and line breaks added to transcription. (eh)

Abstracted from her will as follows:

• She left a will on 10 March 1699
• Will of Mary Platt - 10 March 1699/1700
• In the name of God Amen. I Mary Platt of Henrico County Virginia Spinster being weak in body but of Sound perfect sense & memory, praised be God Doe well Make and Ordaine this my last will & testament in manner & forme as followeth.
• Imp. I give & bequeath my soul to God that gave it; my body to be buried at the Discretion of my Ex.x in True & certain hopes of a joyfull resurrection at ye last day.
• Item. I Give and bequeath to my son Edward Tanner the Cattle he hath in his possession which I delivered him.
• Item. I give unto my son Edward Tanner twelve pound.
• Item. I give & bequeath unto my Daughter Martha Haskins twelve pound.

& Item. I give and bequeath unto my Grandson Thomas Lygon one black cow & one heifer.

• Item. I give and bequeath to my Grandson Thomas Jones twelve pounds to be paid when he comes of Lawfull Age.
• Item. I give & bequeath unto ye said Thomas Jones one feather bed bolster & two pillows wch I bought at the store at my Son Ed Tanner; one pair of blankets, one Rugg, one pair of Coarse holland sheets, two pairs of new canvis sheets four pillow beens one bedstead one whole cord two new pewter Dishes two new basins Ditto two Iron Pots on Large one Small two pewter Dishes half worn one doz: pewter plates.
• Item. I give and bequeath to my Grandson Joseph Ligon to him & his heirs forever two hundred Acres of land to me belonging Lying & being upon Swift Creek in Hen Coty joyning on ye Land of Mr. Eusebius King.
• Item. I Give & bequeath unto my Grand Daughter Phebe Liggon forty Shillings to buy her a beaker and twenty shillings to buy her two silver spoons all to be marked wth her name.
• Item. I Give & bequeath to my Grand Daughter Lucretia Liggon my sidesaddle.
• Item. I give and bequeath unto Charles Roberts thirty shillings.
• All ye Rest of my Estate not yet Disposed of I Give and bequeath unto my executrix she paying all my Debts & Legacies
• and I do hereby will & Ordaine my Daughter Mary Liggon my full whole & sole Ex of this my last will and testament
• in witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of March Anno Dom 1699 Mary Platt
• Witnesses: Mary Chamberlaine, William Anderson, William Ligon.

  ---

MARY BROWNE (JOHN BROWN1) was born ABT 1639 in Henrico County, Virginia, and died BET 18 MAR 1698/99 AND 31 JAN 1699/00 in Bermuda Hundred, Henrico County, Virginia. **If Mary was born about 1639 and John Browne died about 1632 then he can not be her father and records tell us he was definitely deceased before June 5 1632 because Temperance Bailey Browne (his widow) had already remarried by then

On 2 Apr 1679, Mrs. (Mary) PLATT, made a deed of gift to her daughter Mary, wife of Mr. William LYGON. Mary PLATT?s will, dated 10 Mar 1699/1700, named daughter Mary LIGGON, and grandchildren Thomas, Joseph, Phebe and Lucretia LIGGON.

Married

1. JOSEPH TANNER ABT 1661 in Henrico County, Virginia. He was born BEF 1639 in of Bermuda Hundred, Henrico, VA, and died ABT 1670 in Bermuda Hundred, Henrico County, Virginia.
2. Gilbert PLATT AFT 1677 in Henrico County, Virginia. He was born in Henrico County, Virginia, and died in Henrico County, Virginia.

Children of MARY BROWNE and JOSEPH TANNER are:

• i. JOSEPH TANNER II was born ABT 1662 in Bermuda Hundred, Henrico County, Virginia, and died BET OCT AND DEC 1698 in Bermuda Hundred, Henrico County, Virginia.
• ii. Edward TANNER was born 1664 in Henrico County, Virginia, and died BET 13 AUG AND 01 NOV 1719 in Henrico County, Virginia.
• iii. Mary TANNER was born ABT 1655 in Henrico County, Virginia, and died AFT 1707 in Henrico County, Virginia.
• iv. Martha TANNER was born ABT 1666 in Bermuda Hundred, Henrico County, Virginia, and died AFT 1689.

  ---

Spouses
Joseph Tanner 1629–1673 m. abt. 1661 in Henrico County, Virginia
Gilbert Platt 1620–1692 m. aft. 1677 in Henrico County, Virginia

Children with Joseph*, Gilbert

• Joseph Tanner Jr. abt. 1662-1698
• Edward Tanner 1664-1719
• Mary Tanner abt. 1665- aft. 1707
• Martha Tanner abt.1666- aft.1689
  • Tabitha Platt Osborne 1660–1692

    ---

Gilbert Platt left his wife Mary one shilling in his 1692 will

Comments

The Stratton family seems to claim Mary, who married Gilbert Platt, as a Shippey; Martha, widow 1st of Thomas Shippey & second of Edward Stratton, refers to “my sister Platt.” That 1692 will also mentions her niece Ligon, who was the daughter of Mary and Joseph Tanner; the Mary who married Tanner was likely a daughter of John Brown & Temperance Bailey, making the Mary SHIPPY Platt theory less likely.

Notes

From link to A book of Strattons: being a collection of Stratton records from ..., Volume 1

At just what date Edward Stratton l came to Henrico County the writer has not been able to learn, but he was living in Bermuda Hundred in that part of Henrico which later became Chesterfield County, as early as 1674. He was then a man of at least thirty-eight years of age, hence born as early as 1633. The probabilities are that he was a much older man.*

Of his first wife, the mother of his children, we know nothing, t He married her before 1655, and she died before 1776. Some time before 1679 he married Martha Shippy, widow of Thomas Shippy of Bermuda Hundred. J She died about 1695, leaving a will dated July 24, 1692

Her sister, Mary, who was aged about 50 years in 1688, and was the wife of Gilbert Platt, ”was her executrix. The will mentions her children by Thomas Shippey. Her daughter, Martha Shippey, married Edward Stratton, Jr.

WILL OF EDWARD STRATTON'
1688 In the Name of God Amen, I Edwd Stratton Sen' being in a Sick weak condition doe make & ordain this my last will & testament in manner & form as followeth First. I will & bequeath my Soul to Almighty God who gave it hoping in his merceyes to receive full & free pardon & absolution & remission of all my sins, & my body to return to ye dust from whence it came & to be buryed at ye discretion of my Exec" hereafter named. ImpTM I bequeath to my loveing wife Martha ten pds. Sterling & after my debts & funerall charges paid And fully satisfied. All the rest of my estate Goods & Chattells to be divided into three parts my wife to have one & my son to have the other two. I make my son Edwd Stratton Junr my Exec' of this my last will & testam' whereunto I have sett my hand & seal this tweneth fifth day of December 1688. Signed & sealed in ye G1 Elam psence of his John Warsham Edwd E Stratton Sen' [seal]

Mary Platt mark

References

• [1] http://www.allrelated.com/Nts66.html
• [2] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/234067865/mary-tanner_platt
• [3] https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Browne-478 also addresses the DOB discrepan
• [4] https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bhreed&i... (dead link)
• [5] Henrico County Court Record Book 2, 1678-1693; Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, vol 31, pp. 310-311.]
• [6] Early Generations of the Tanner Family of Henrico County, Virginia William Clayton Torrence The William and Mary Quarterly Vol. 25, No. 2 (Oct., 1916), pp. 87-95 Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture DOI: 10.2307/1915191 Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1915191 Page Count: 9
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-560605
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Oct 10 2018, 2:34:36 UTC
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Oct 10 2018, 2:38:46 UTC
• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Oct 10 2018, 14:50:49 UTC