William Bressie, of the Upper Parish

William Bressie, mercer of Oxford, emigrated to Virginia before 1655 with his wife Susannah, sister of Rev. Rowland Jones, of Bruton Parish They returned to Bristol in England for a time, came back to Isle of Wight County, where he died before 9 June 1701 (date will proved). He was styled with the honor as "Mister" in Isle of Wight records, and with his wife donated land for the first Friends Meeting House at Levy Neck.

His widow married 2nd, in 1702, to Mathew Jordan of Nansemond, in the meeting house she helped start.

Family Notes

Kathleen Mary Hanks (born about 1680) is not known to have been his child. His parents are not yet certain (see origins section below) as of March 2018, but it seems that Hugh Bressie and William Bressie were his nephews and Milborn Harrison was his sister.

Will

From http://www.reocities.com/nchood/Samuel_Eldridge_2nd.html

Abstract From Boddie

1699 Isle of Wight Co., VA Will of William Brasie (Brasseur) of Isle of Wight of Levy Neck. Leg. John Harrison my kinsman, son of John and Milboran Harrison lately deceased, land bounding on John Murrey and John Carroll; to his brother William Harrison the rest of the land purchased of John Seward; Samuel Newton of Lawnes Creek Parish in Surry Co., VA; Thomas Page, taylor of Nansemond Co.; the three children of James Tullagh's of ye Lower Parish; Hugh Brassie; William Brasie; wife Susanna. trustees: Daniel Sanborne of the Lower Parish of Isle of Wight; Henry Wiggs carpenter; Isack Reeks, Clerke of ye Yearly Meeting; John Jordan son of Thomas Jordan lately deceased and Robert Lacie of Lawnes Creek in Surry. Wife extx. 22 Jan 1699, proved 9 Jun 1701. Wit: Martha Thropp, William Wilson, Samuel Eldridge, Elizabeth Gainer, John

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from "Isle of Wight County Records", The William and Mary Quarterly, Volume 7, April 1899. https://archive.org/stream/jstor-1919740/1919740#page/n35/mode/1up

Will of William Bressy of Levy Neeke : Leaves his lands to Jno. Harrison my kinsman (son of John H. and Melborrow Harrison lately deceased), and to his Bro. William Harrison; 2000 pds. tob. to Samuel Newton of Lawne's Creek in Surry; to Thomas Page Taylor 2000 pds. of tob. "I give and bequeath unto my Trustees undermenconed two thousand pds of Tob toward y* 5 maintaining and upholding of y e meeting House of ye people of God called Quakers lyeing and being att Levy Necke." 20 shillings to the 3 children of James Tulladgh and 40 shillings to my Trustees. My wife Susannah my copper still with y e utensils and after decease to John and Will Harrison, to my wife my Gold seal ring. "I give and bequeath unto Hugh Bressy and William Bressy, his brother, all my wearing apparell, &c." In case the Heires decease before they come to age, then I give and bequeath all y 6 sd Land unto my Trustees undermenconed for noe use or uses but for y e releafe of y 8 poor people of God called Quakers by y e advice and consent of twelve of y e chief est of v 9 yearly meeting at Levy Neck, on an account by them kept, and Becorded by y 9 Clerk of y 6 meeting house how it is disposed of; Various Legacies ; Trustees Daniell Sanborne of y 8 Lower parish of y e Isle of Wight, Henery Wiggs, carpenter, of y 6 same, Isaack Beeks, Clerke of y 9 yearly Meeting, Jno. Jordan the son of Thomas Jordan, lately deee'd, and Robert Lacier of Lawne's Creek in Surry; to whom I give and grant full power that at the decease of any one of them, they make choice of another amongst the people called Quakers to continue y 9 number from time to time forever. And it is my will y 4 any three of them make an Inventory of all my goods and chattels to pportion them as above

Origins

From https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=bfulgham...

1. WILLIAM BRESSIE was born 1 JAN 1626 in MILLBROOK, BEDFORDSHIRE, and died 9 JUN 1701 in ISLE OF WIGHT CO VA. He was the son of 2. WILLIAM BRESSIE and 3. JOANE ADKINS. He married SUSANNA JONES BEF 1648 in CARDINGTON, BEDFORDSHIRE, daughter of ROWLAND BARTHOLOMEW JONES and ALICE COLLIER. She was born 29 FEB 1624 in WOBURN, BEDFORDSHIRE, and died AFT 26 MAR 1702 in ISLE OF WIGHT CO VA.

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From http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/merry/970/

From a genealogy website, author not credited on page: Francis Bressie was born about 1700 in Norfolk County, Virginia. Most researchers believe his parents were William and Mary (Merry) Bressie. They were more than likely natives of Isle of Wight County, Virginia. There were a large number of Bressie, Bracy, Bracey, Brassee and other variants of the name living in Isle of Wight County during the 17th Century. Many of these Bressies had the same Christian name which makes it extremely difficult to trace the lineage of Francis Bressie. It is believed that Francis Bressie's grandfather was a Thomas Bressie (Brassee). Most of the early Bressies came to Virginia from Bristol, England. There was a Hugh Bressie in Virginia in the early 1600's and it is believed that he is one of Francis Bressie's ancestors. Hugh Bressie was a supporter of the Society of Friends or the Quaker movement in Virginia; however there is no evidence that Francis Bressie was a Quaker.

Notes

From http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/bracy/18/

WILLIAM BRESSIE was born in England about 1626. (On March 9, 1663, in Isle of Wight County, Virginia he stated that he was about 37 years old.) He married Susanna ---.They came to Virginia before 1655 with Capt. Anthony Fulgham. On July 12, 1665, Capt. Fulgham received 1600 acres of land in Isle of Wight County for transporting from England 30 persons including William Bressie and Susan, his wife. Half of his 1600 acres belonged to William Bressie. (Isle of Wight Record of Wills, Deeds, Etc. Vol. 1, 1662-1715, p. )

Source: Carstairs and Verna Bracey Revised, 1955 Printed, May 1955 Earl W. Bracey, Norfolk, Virginia

From page 258 of Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia: A History of the County ... By John Bennett Boddie

John Harrison, above, was married to a sister of William Bressie, a quaker, who was an overseer of the will of Nicholas Hill

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From http://wrenacres.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I1203&tree=Sc...

William Bressie came to the colonies from England. He returned to England with his wife in 1670, but returned to Virginia prior to 1679. Upon his return to Virginia, he deeded land for a Quaker church, having taken up the Quaker faith, in spite of persecution of Quakers in Virginia at that time.
William Bressie made a will 22 January 1699 in Isle of Wight Co, which was proven 9 June 1701 in the same county.

Source: The Braceys of Virginia

From http://braswellgenealogy.blogspot.com/2007/09/isle-of-wight-county-...

(page numbers are from Boddie's book, 2000 edition)

pg. 534 George MOORE, aged 29 years, said mare bought of Capt. ENGLAND was marked by Capt. ADAMS. 9 Mar. 1663. Deposition of William BRESSIE, aged 37, 9 Mar. 1663. Bill passed by Capt. Thomas ADAMS to Mr. Henry RANDOLPH for 400 lbs. tbco. and assigned to George HARDY not due from estate of ADAMS. Wm. BRESSIE, 9 Mar. 1663.
pg. 553 Thomas DEACON of Va. makes Wm. BRESSIE his atty. 2 June 1668. Richard AVERY, Eliz. POWELL. Valentine OLDIS, cit. and apothe cary of London appoints his brother William OLDIS of James River atty. collect debts due me as exr. unto James BANKS, dec. 21 May 1667.
pg. 562 Eliz. and Pharo COBB sell to Samuel HASWELL land where he lives. July 1657. John CORDWENT, Thomas GARDNER. Sam. HASWELL assigns to Wm. BRESSIE 9 Feb. 1658. Dan BOUCHER, John HARDY. Wm. BRESSIE assigns to Robert KING, 14 Dec. 1669, who signs back to Wm. BRESSIE, 9 Feb. 1670. Wm. BRESSIE and wife, Sussanna, assign to George WILLIAMS, 7 Apr. 1671.

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From page 228 of The William and Mary Quarterly, Volume 7

Deed of John Seward of the city of Bristol, merchant, son and heir of John Seward, late of sd City, m'chant, (and whoe died in Virginia) to William Bressie of Va now resident in Bristoll, for land called "Levy Neck" in the Co. of Warwicksquick, 1672. Deed of James Seward, of Bristol, to idem.
Power of Joan Gould, of Bristol, widow and admx. of Thomas Gould, to William Bressie of Va., 2 Dec 1672.

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http://articles.dailypress.com/2003-12-06/features/0312060031_1_mon...

Hugh Bressie married Sarah Champion in Isle of Wight at the home of his uncle and aunt, William and Susanna Bressie, Quakers at Levy Neck. William Bressie had received 1,500 acres in Isle of Wight in 1672. In his 1699 will, he left 2,000 pounds of tobacco, the currency of the time, for maintaining of the Levy Neck meeting house and graveyard on the "olde field near Pagan Creek." The building was erected by John Groves, Francis Wrenn, Edward Jones, Thomas Tooke, Henry Wiggs, Daniel Sanbourne, and Walter Bartlett.

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From https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jreeder1...

Chapman's Isle of Wight County Marriages records the marriage of Richard Reynolds and Elizabeth Williams, daughter of George Williams, in 1685.
The will of George Williams, Tailor, dated Feb 12 1672 named legatees: (Children to foster care as follows:) son William toMr. Pharoah Cobb; son George to Mr. Henry Applewhaite; daughter Elizabeth to Mr. William Bressie and his wife Susannah, if it will please God to send them back to Virginia. Mr. Arthur Smith, Pharoah Cobb, & Henry Applewhaite overseers. Witnessess:Giles Limscott & Richard Lewis. Recorded Oct 9 1672

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From page 79 of House of Page's Alson Eng 10-1 in County of Suffolk, England Viking ... By Robert E. Page

Interesting info but puzzling info is William Bressie & wife were guardians of two John Cary children (Miles Cary) prior to returning to England for a time.

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From http://braswellgenealogy.blogspot.com/2007/09/isle-of-wight-county-...

(page numbers are from Boddie's book, 2000 edition)

pg. Thomas DEACON of the Burough of Warwick in county of Warwick revokes power of atty. to James POWELL to collect bills due from Elias FORT, Thos. MOORE, Geo. MOORE, Robert FLAKE, Wm. BRESSIE, Thos. EDWARDS, George BRANCH, Thos. DARRELL, Ed. GRANTHAM. Wm. MILLER, Ed. BRANTLY, George HARDY, Jno. COLLINS, Jno. HOLBORNE, John MONGER. 7 Sept. 1675.

Source: Isle of Wight County Will and Deed Book I, 1662-1686

From William and Mary Quarterly Vol 7, Number 4 Apr 1899 pp 205 - 315 Isle of Wight County Records

link 1679 deed from William & Susannah Bressie, land to establish a Friends Meeting House see attached documents Page 232 and Page 233

links

• http://wrenacres.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I1203&tree=Sc...
  • Title Dunn, Edwin, The Braceys of Virginia <http://freepages.family.rootsweb.com/~eddunn/bracey/virginia/index.htm [dead link]
• Early Virginia Jones Families website