Sarah ‘Valentine’ Bracewell

Evidence needed to support as daughter of James Sampson, III & Elizabeth Sampson

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-350238

Some say, without source, that Sarah was born on 16 Jan 1651 in Isle of Wight, Virginia Colony. There have been no records of her parents or maiden name discovered to date.

Sarah married Richard Bracewell Sr. about 16 Jan 1673 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. They had the following children:

1. William Braswell,
2. Richard Bracewell Jr.,
3. Martha (Basewell) Murphy,
4. Ann (Braswell) Edwards,
5. Jacob Bracewell,
6. Robert Braswell,
7. John Bracewell,
8. Jane (Braswell) Williams and
9. Valentine Bracewell

Sarah died about 26 May 1735 in Isle of Wight, Virginia Colony

Disputed Origins

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-350238

An undocumented article in "Following the BRASWELLs in America 1600-1983," by Dr. R.B. BRASWELL identifies RICHARD's wife as SARAH SAMPSON and gives their wedding date as 16 Jan 1673. [2] No source was given and "Southside Virginia Families," by JOHN BENNETT BODDIE doesn't identify her surname. If she was a SAMPSON, she might have been a daughter of JAMES SAMPSON and ELIZABETH BARCROFT of Isle of Wight Co., VA. He is the only man named SAMPSON in that area who was the correct age to be her father. ELIZABETH immigrated in 1647 with CHARLES BARCROFT who may have been her brother. Other SAMPSONs in the Isle of Wight Co., VA, area were ELIZABETH, who married THOMAS CLARK and ANN, who married EDWARD MOSELEY. EDWARD MOSELEY was very wealthy. He died in New Hanover Co., NC, and owned land in Edgecombe CO., NC.

Per Braswell Genealogy website: https://sites.google.com/site/braswellgenealogy/0003---sarah-is-not...

SARAH IS NOT A SAMPSON

Sarah, wife of Richard the 1st (in America) is not a Sampson! 1st of all, James Sampson, her supposed father, had a will dated 1688, and he did not name Sarah, at all. Now if he had omitted her (which he didn't), she did not name a son James. That far back in time, people were pretty good about naming sons after fathers. So,

1. No Sarah Braswell in James Sampson's will 2. No son named James in Richard and Sarah's wills.

http://braswellgenealogy.blogspot.com/2007/10/james-sampson-will-is...

I suspect the following deed is where someone came up with the "bright idea" that Sarah was a Sampson. Below we have "A" Richard Braswell living adjacent to James Sampson. BUT, it's the WRONG Richard Braswell. This Richard is Susannah's son, (who was named in the will of Richard Towle) proved by the 60 acres adjacent to his brother William Braswell.

1731 - December 5, Richard Braswell, Lower Parish, Isle of Wight County, to Richard Jordan, Senr. Upper Parish, Isle of Wight County, for 1500 weight of tobacco and cask 60 acres "bounded as followeth beginning at a path called Shears Neck running from the Coblers Branch adjoining to the dividing line of William Braswell coming up to the line of James Sampson, deceased, thence down to the first station. Witnesses: Cannon, Rich. Jordan, Jr., Mary Jordan. (Copy of deed, IOW Co., VA DB 4 P. 201)

From Susannah's will:

I GIVE & Bequeath unto my Son Richard Braswell and to his Heirs the plantation I now live upon with Sixty Acres of Land I say to him and to his heirs for ever & ever I give and bequeaath unto my Son William Braswell my Old Plantation House with fforty Acres of Land joining to it out of the Hundred Acres in all,

http://braswellgenealogy.blogspot.com/2007/09/will-of-susannah-burg...

So now we add this to our list:

3. Wrong Richard living adjacent to James Sampson

It has been suggested that Sarah's surname is Valentine. The reason is that Richard and Sarah named a son Valentine, which was not a popular given name, but it was also surname. I NEVER refer to our ancestress Sarah as a Sampson, but sometimes use (Valentine) in ( ) which suggests a lack of proof. At least everyone knows who we're talking about when we say Sarah (Valentine). The simple truth is, no one has found anything in the records which proves or even suggests that Sarah was born a Sampson.

---

Life Sketch

Sarah Braswell wrote her will in 1734 and it was proved 26 May 1735. In it, she named her daughter, JANE, and her son, JOHN, as well as grandchildren, children of her son John: John Jr., Benjamin, Mary, William, and Sampson.

1733 - SARAH BRASWELL'S WILL

SARAH IS THE WIFE OF RICHARD BRASWELL THE 1ST. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DOCUMENT WHICH REVEALS HER SURNAME.

• IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. The 20th day of March in the Year of our Lord 1733/4. I Sarah Braswell of the Isle of Wight County being very sick & weak of Body but of perfect Mind & Memory thanks be to God for the same
• ffirst & cheifest I Give & Bequeath my Soul to the Hand of Almighty God who gave it me.
• Secondly my Body to be decently Buried at the Discretion of my Executors, and as for my Worldly Estate as it pleased God to endew {sic} me with I Give & Bequeath in manner and form as followeth.
• I Give & Bequeath my whole Estate in General to my Grandson John Braswell junr that's Cattle Hoggs household- Goods and all manner of Implements whatsoever to me belonging EXCEPT one Negro Man named Limehouse
• I give him the said Negro to my Daughter Jane, and him to be hers any person or persons after my decease
• AND I make & ordain my son John Braswell and my said Grandson John Braswell junr my whole Executors of my aforesd Estate, and my Son JOHN BRASWELL to have the Care of look after the said Estate 'till the said JOHN BRASWELL junr shall come to the Years of Twenty one my said Grandson to have the aforesd Estate in his own possession and my Son JOHN BRASWELL to sell such Cattle & Hoggs out of the same as shall be necessary And for what is Sold out of the said Esate my Son JOHN to have to have the one Half for his Trouble and the other half to be laid out for the Use of my said Grandson
• And Benjamin Braswell my Grandson shall have the first Mare Colt that a Mare shall bring which said Mare is part of the said Estate and given to my Grandson JOHN BRASWELL junr as aforesd but if in Case the said JOHN BRASWELL junr should decease without Heir the same shall be equaly divided amongst the other of my said Son John's Children
• namely Mary, Benjamin, William & Sampson Braswell and to either of them if in case the other deceaseth without Heir
• And I own this to be my last Will & Testament denying all other Wills & Testaments ever made before by me and this to stand and no others. AS WITNESS whereof I have hereunto put my Hand & Seal the Day and Year above written.

SARAH (X)

BRASWELL (Seal)

RICHARD BLOW junr SAMUEL (X) SMITH

SAMUEL (X) WILLIS

At a Court held for Isle of Wight County May the 26: 1735

THE last Will & Testament of SARAH BRASWELL deceased was Proved by the Oath of SAMUEL WILLIS one of the Witnesses thereto and it is admitted to Record.

Teste James Baker CC: Cur

Vera Recordatur Teste. Ja:s Baker Cl: Cur:

Will Book 4, p. 64

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Aug 3 2016, 21:58:09 UTC
• There are 3 wives and EACH lists Richard Braswell III, 1704-1764, as her child in Fam Search Spouse: Richard Braswell. I have seen some records that a Sarah Bryant married Richard Braswell or a Sarah Sampson or a Sarah Valentine
• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 18 2020, 22:21:00 UTC
• This Braswell Genealogy website asserts that Sarah is not a Sampson: https://sites.google.com/site/braswellgenealogy/0003---sarah-is-not...
• GEDCOM Note Virginia, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951 Virginia, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951 Wills and administrations bk II 1719-1760. Will Abstract of Sarah Braswell, drawn March 20, 1733/1734 and recorded May 26, 1735. Page: 65. Image: 85 & page 74.
• ncgenweb Libraries, Books and Microfilm: FOLLOWING THE BRASWELLS IN AMERICA: 1600-1980 by Braswell, R. B [n.p.%C2%A0: Pub by Author, 1973] Braswell Memorial Library-Local History-LH 929.2 BRASWELL 2-Non-Checkout [2 copies].
• "Wills and Administrations of the Isle of Wight Virginia 1647-1800 Book 1-3" compiled By Blanche Adams Chapman. Page 124. Braswell, Sarah, Leg. Grandson John Braswell JR, Dau. Jane ; Grandson Benjamin; to the other children of my son John, Viz, William, Mary, and Sampson. Executors son John Braswell and Grandson John Braswell. March 20, 1733/34. Recorded May 26, 1735. Wit Richard Blow Jr, Samuel Smith and Samuel Willis.
• Sampson went on to be tithable in Granville CO Tax District.
• Jim Strickland gives her name as Sarah Elanor Bryant