Rev. John Bray

Richard Bray and his wife Mary had two children:

Rev. John Bray b c 1662 m 1) Susanna unknown 2) Anna, widow of Andrew Bowne (she was not Anna Seabrook)

Notes

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/bray/1103/

Finally, the following record from the Baptist Church records of Middletown was used by Stillwell to support the identification of Ann Bray as the daughter of Thomas and Mary Seabrook:

1724/5.Mary Whitlock, widow, dying left a sum of money to her grandsons, Andrew and Daniel Bray, which with money belonging to Peter Bowne, was lent to Thomas Cox.

It is easy to be misled by this deed of gift, since Mary is leaving money only to Andrew and Daniel, who were Ann's children.From this fact Stillwell wrongly deduced that Ann was Mary Seabrook's daughter.However, in the light of the above evidence, it is clear that Rev. John Bray was Mary Bray/Seabrook/Whitlock's son.Who Ann's real parents are, cannot be said.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bray-1479

John Bray (abt. 1663 - aft. 1716)

Rev John Bray

Born about 1663 in New Hampshire [uncertain]

Son of Richard Bray and Mary (unknown) Whitlock

Brother of Mary Bray

Husband of Susannah (Unknown) Bray — married about 1693 (to before 1712) in Holmdel, Monmouth, New Jersey

Husband of Anna (Seabrook) Bray — married about 1712 (to before 25 Feb 1716) in Holmdel, Monmouth, New Jersey

Father of John Bray, James Bray Sr, Andrew Bray and Daniel Bray
Died after 23 Jul 1716 after about age 53 in Monmouth, New Jerseymap
PROBLEMS/QUESTIONSProfile managers: Matt Scheich Find Relationship private message [send private message] and Kimberley Phillips Find Relationship private message [send private message]
Bray-1479 created 7 Nov 2014 | Last modified 27 Jun 2022
This page has been accessed 919 times.

Biography

John Bray, son of Richard and Mary Unknown Bray,[1] may have been born about 1663 based on the probate of his father's estate and the court order dated October 9 1666 which states he was under twenty-one years of age. Also based on the first documentation of him becoming a land owner in the year 1684. Franklin Ellis's book, The History of Monmouth, says John Bray was an early land owner in the year 1668. However, research by Nick D. Swanstrom found no documentation of Bray owing "quit rent" in the year 1668. The N.J. State Archives director was unable to explain why that year was estimated by the author. The official "quit Rent" records from the NJHS indicated he owed no quit rent in 1668. The first quit rent payment was due on Dec 15, 1686 for the 50 acres land. (Information sourced from Nick D. Swanstrom, descendant of Rev. John Bray; retired Assistant Inspector General Investigations, US Treasury; current contractor, FBI, Terrorist Screening Center.) [2] Notes by Clarence Torrey of a possible marriage date of his parents which states they could have been married between 1645-1650 but he questions that.[3] Rev. John Bray died after he had given gifts to Nehemiah and Peter Bowne, sons of his 2nd wife's first marriage and before February 21 1716 when an inventory of his estate was done. On February 25 1716 Anna, his wife, renounced the right of administration in favor of her son-in-law (stepson), John Bray, administrator, who swore affirming the inventory March 29 1717.[4] He married (1) Susannah __________ (2) Anna Seabrook, widow of Andrew Bowne.[5][6]

1705 John Bray was active in the organization of the Baptist Church. The National Register of Historic Places references A History of Baptist in New Jersey by Thomas Griffiths. Book Page 23 states John Bray was a residence and property owner in the year 1688. [7][8]
1705 John and Susanna Bray conveyed four and 1/3 acres of to build a new church that year in a deed of trust with Obadiah Holmes and Jarrat Wall. [9][10][11]
1670 - 1700 Monmouth Purchase. He is listed as one of the early settlers of Middletown between the years of 1670 & 1700 compiled of jurymen and other matters of official records.[12]
29 Aug 1684 he received a petition for 100 acres.[13]
1686 Aug 24 Registered in Ear Mark given to John Bray, his son.[14]
1687, December 15 Received 50 acres as a land grant.[15]
1687 Confirmed[16]
1688 Purchased land for Obadiah Holmes of the Holmes and Lawrence tracts on which he built the third parsonage in 1705.[17]
1688, August 10 Received two parcels from John Reid as attorney for James Miller of Scotland,130 acres and 30 acres adjacent to his land.[18]
1688 Had deed of land of a descendant Richard Bray part of the Lawrence tract[19]
1689 John was living in Middleton in 1689:
There is a deed transfer between his mother, himself and a John Sleeper for his father's property in "Exeter in the Province of Hampshire in New England.." -note this was the property left to him, his mother and his sister. He sold the property, some 'fourscore acres' for twenty pounds. Source: "Deed Book A", pg. 80, Monmouth County, Province of East New Jersey.[20]
Copy of the will of Richard Bray in October, 1666 at Hampton, Essex Co., MA, the "Court ordered that the estate of Rich. Brey (sic) late of Exeter (sic), deceased, be disposed of as follows: Mary, the widow, to have one-third of the house and land during her life and also one-third of the remainder of the estate for her own use and the other two thirds for the maintenance of the children, John and Mary, until they become of age and marry, The son to have two thirds of the house and the land and the other estate, and the daughter to the remaining third. "The Court also "Ordered that Mr. Jn. Gillman, Moses Gillman and Jona. Thing, all of Exeter have the care of the state of Richard Brey (sic), late deceased, until the next Salisbury Court."- (Source: "Hampton Quarterly Court Records").From a deed transfer, recorded in Monmouth Co., NJ, Richard owned approximately 'fourscore" (80) acres and Moses Gillman was his next door neighbor.[21]
1693 First marriage based on birth of first child John born Aug 24 1694 (cited above).
1700 One house in Holmdel, John Bray's known as Bray's Meeting House since his early preaching was thought to occur there for the farmers building their homes and farms there.[22]
1705 Dec 17 He and wife Susanna donated four and one third acres to Obadiah Holmes and Jarret Wall to build a Baptist Church on.[23][24][25]
May 7 1707 Witness to the will of Governor Andrew Bowne, son of William and Ann Bowne. However, this is not the Andrew Bowne that was reported to be married to Anna Seabrook. [26]
1707 September 13 Ordained by the church members.[27][28][29]
May 24 1712 Dispute with John Okeson, lay preacher and pastor John Bray at Philadelphia Association meeting. Both silenced for one year.[30]
May 31 1712 Record of disputer expunged from the church record.[31]
Rev John and Susanna Bray were the parents of:[32]

John Sr b Aug 20 1694, d buried Feb 5 1765,[33], m Elizabeth Bowne, daughter of John and Elizabeth Bowne.[34]
James b Oct 24 1707, d Will dated Mar 3 1758, m 1. _________, 2. Elizabeth Martin.[35][36][37][38]
As named in his will cited above he was the stepfather of:

Nehemiah Bowne b July 6 1708, d. Jan 10 1736, will proved, m. Deborah. He named as brothers: Peter Bowne, Andrew Bray and Daniel Bray.[39]
Peter Bowne b Oct 30 1710, d 1773, m Deliverance Holmes.[40][41]
Rev John and Anna Seabrook Bowne Bray were the parents of:[42][43]

Andrew b July 1, 1713, d Monday July 13 1789.[44] m (1) Margaret Watson before 1738 (2) Sarah Stout before Aug 19 1780
Daniel b Mar 28 1716, d 1778, m __________Martin.
Research Note

His father was a proprietor in Exeter, N. Y. in 1657 served on coroner jury, and on the tax list 1657. Richard Bray was also a land owner in Oyster River. [45]
A memorandum entered and dated Nov 20 1811 in the Middleton Baptist Church Records and appears to be after the death of all of the children. The legacy was made in 1724 by Mary Whitlock, the widow of Thomas Whitlock Sr, who was dying, to her two grandsons Andrew and Daniel Bray. Along with money owed to Peter Bowne by Thomas Cox. [46] [47] In addition, the will of Nehemiah Bowne, son of Andrew and Anna Seabrook Bowne and stepson of John Bray, named as his brothers Peter Bowne, Andrew and Daniel Bray all the sons of Anna Seabrook Bowne Bray.[48]
Aug 29 1684 John Bray cited above received 100 acres and Thomas Whitlock Sr. also petitioned for 200 acres of land within the bounds of Middletown.[49]
Sources

↑ Clarence A. Torrey - New England Marriages before 1700, page 94. Bray, Richard ( -1665, Lynn) & Mary ?, m/2 ____Whitlock before 1689; lived in several places including Exeter, NH, Libby's Dist. 108
↑ Batchellor, Albert Stillman, Ed. etal. Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire. Vol 1. 1635-1717. Concord. N. H. Rumbord PrintingCo:1907. Pages Pages xxiv, 86. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Probate_Records_of_the_Provinc...
↑ Torrey, Clarence Almon. Bentley, Elizabeth F. Ed. New England Prior to 1700. Baltimore. Genealogical Publishing Co,, Inc.:1985. Page 94. https://www.google.com/books/edition/New_England_Marriages_Prior_to...
↑ Nelson, William. Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc. Newark, N. J. New Jersey Historical Society; 1901. Page 59. https://archive.org/stream/calendarofnewjer00newj#page/59/mode/1up
↑ Hornor, William S. This Old Monmouth of Ours". Freehold, New Jersey. Moreau Brothers:1932. Page 331 https://www.google.com/books/edition/This_Old_Monmouth_of_Ours/Cy88...
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Historical and genealogical miscellany. Vol 3. New York, N. Y. John Edwin Stillwell:1903. Page 110. https://archive.org/stream/historicalgeneal03instil#page/219/mode/1up
↑ United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Rec'd Dec 9 1987. #8. Significance. page 1, First paragraph. First sentence. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/32aa253a-a743-49db-b5e9-ca9420f8...
↑ Griffiths, Thomas Sharp. A History of Baptists in New Jersey. Hightstown, New Jersey. Barr Press Publishing Co.:1904. Pages 16, 122, 117, 156, 211, 258. https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_Baptists_in_New_J...
↑ United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places Inventory. #8. Significance. page 2, Second paragraph. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/32aa253a-a743-49db-b5e9-ca9420f8...
↑ Griffiths, Thomas Sharp. A History of Baptists in New Jersey. Hightstown, New Jersey. Barr Press Publishing Co.:1904. Pages Ch 1. 15-16. 23. 210. https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_Baptists_in_New_J...
↑ Ellis, Franklin.1885. Pages 815-817. https://archive.org/details/historyofmonmout00elli/page/817/mode/1up
↑ Ellis, Franklin, 1885, Page 82-83 https://archive.org/details/historyofmonmout00elli/page/82/mode/1up
↑ NJ Colonial Documents. On the same day, Thomas Whitlock received a petition for 200 acres. Colonial History of the State of NJ as edited by Frederick Ricord and WM Nelson, Vol Xiii, Journal for the Governor & Council, Vol. 1 1682-1714. page 134.
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Historical and genealogical miscellany : data relating to the settlement and settlers of New York and New Jersey. Vol 2. New York. John Edwin Stillwell?1906. Page 194. https://archive.org/stream/historicalgeneal02stil#page/194/mode/1up
↑ Monnette, Orra Eugene. First settlers of ye plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge v. 1 : Olde East New Jersey 1664-1714 a period of fifty years. Vol 1. Los Angeles California. The Leroy Carman Press:1930. Page 60. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/236650/?offset=0#...
↑ Ogden, Evelyn H. etal. Founders of New Jersey. 3rd Edition 2016. Page 42. http://www.njfounders.org/sites/default/files/2016-07/DFNJ%202016%2...
↑ Griffiths, Thomas Sharp. 1904. Ch. XXXI. Page 210. https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_Baptists_in_New_J...
↑ see Calendar of records of the office secretary of state pg. 90-91
↑ Ellis. Franklin. 1885. page 816-817. https://archive.org/details/historyofmonmout00elli/page/816/mode/1up
↑ Fritz, Gary. Ancestors of Richard Bray. https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/f/r/i/Gary-S-Fritz/GENE4-0002.html#EN...
↑ Fritz, Gary. Ancestors of Richard Bray. https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/f/r/i/Gary-S-Fritz/GENE4-0001.html
↑ The Holmdel Historical Society. The History of Holmdel and The Evolution of "The Village" of Holmdel. Copyright http://holmdelhistoricalsociety.org/history-of-holmdel
↑ Ellis. 1885. page 816-817. https://archive.org/details/historyofmonmout00elli/page/816/mode/1up
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol 3. 1903. Page 109. https://archive.org/stream/historicalgeneal03instil#page/217/mode/1up
↑ Griffiths, Thomas Sharp. 1904. Ch. 1. Page 20. https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_Baptists_in_New_J...
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol 3. 1903. Page 110. https://archive.org/stream/historicalgeneal03instil#page/219/mode/1up
↑ Christian John T. A History of the Baptists. Vol 2. Page 75. https://www.reformedontheweb.com/history/a-history-of-the-baptists-...
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol III. 1914, Page 110. https://archive.org/details/historicalgeneal03instil/page/219/mode/1up
↑ Griffiths, Thomas Sharp. 1904. Ch 1. Page 19. https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_Baptists_in_New_J...
↑ David Stout. Ch 3. Page 25. https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/f/f5/Stout-115.pdf
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol II. 1906. https://archive.org/details/historicalgeneal02stil/page/256/mode/1up
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol 3. 1903. Page 110. https://archive.org/stream/historicalgeneal03instil#page/219/mode/1up
↑ Lythgoe, Darrin. Long Island Surnames: Long Island Genealogy. Copyright 2001-2021. https://www.longislandsurnames.com/getperson.php?personID=I01512&tr...
↑ Hornor, William S. 1932. Page 338 https://www.google.com/books/edition/This_Old_Monmouth_of_Ours/Cy88...
↑ Goodspeed, Marfy. Goodspeed. December 25, 2020. © GOODSPEED HISTORIES 2021. https://goodspeedhistories.com/bray-family-tree/
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol 3. 1903. Page 110-111. https://archive.org/details/historicalgeneal03instil/page/219/mode/1up
↑ Honeyman, A. Van Doren. Calendar of Wills. Vol. XXXII (1751-1760). Somerville, N.J. The Unionist Unionist-Gazette Association, Printers:1924 Page 39. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/110932-docu...
↑ Horner, William S. 1932. Page 331. https://www.google.com/books/edition/This_Old_Monmouth_of_Ours/Cy88...
↑ Honeyman. A Van Doren. Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Administrations, etc.. Vol III. 1730-1750. Somerville, N. J. The Unionist-Gazette Association, Printers:1918. Page 55 https://archive.org/details/calendarofnewjer01newj/page/55/mode/1up
↑ Reading, Miller K. William Bowne, of Yorkshire, England and his Descendants. Flemington, New Jersey. H. E. Deats:1903. Page 18. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=BTY3AAAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PA18&pr...
↑ Honeyman, A Van Doren. Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc.. Vol V 1771-1780. Newark. N. J.:1901. Page 58. https://archive.org/details/calendarofnewjer06newj/page/58/mode/1up
↑ Hornor, William S. 1932. Page 331 https://www.google.com/books/edition/This_Old_Monmouth_of_Ours/Cy88...
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol 3. 1903. Pages 112-113. https://archive.org/details/historicalgeneal03instil/page/223/mode/...
↑ What Happened On 13th July 1789 In History. Year 1789 historical events for the month of July. http://www.eventshistory.com/1789-july-13/
↑ Stackpole, Everett Schermerhorn, e'tal. History of the town of Durham, New Hampshire : (Oyster River Plantation) with genealogical notes. Durham (N.H.). Vote of the town:1913. https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofd00stac/page/45/mode/1up
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Vol III 1914. Page 110 https://archive.org/details/historicalgeneal03instil/page/219/mode/1up
↑ Stillwell, John Edwin. Historical and genealogical miscellany : data relating to the settlement and settlers of New York and New Jersey. Vol 2. New York. John Edwin Stillwell?1906. Page 262. https://archive.org/stream/historicalgeneal02stil#page/262/mode/1up
↑ Honeyman, A. Van Doren. Calendar of New Jersey wills, administrations, etc.. Vol 2. 1730-1750. Somerville, N. J. The Unionist-Gazette Association, Printers:1918. Page 55.https://archive.org/details/calendarofnewjer01newj/page/55/mode/1up
↑ Colonial History of the State of New Jersey Vol 13, Journal of the Governor & Council, page 134

• Residence: United States, United States
• Residence: Monmouth County, NJ, Monmouth County, NJ - 1669
  • Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Apr 6 2017, 10:26:17 UTC