RALPH GROVE, of the Temple and of Canterbury, was born in Canterbury, England.
MARY GROVE married 1) John Brewer I, son of Thomas Brewer and Mary Drake and 2) Rev. Thomas Butler. John Brewer I was born ca 1565 in London, England, and died in 1635 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. He was a merchant and grocer in Bartholomew Lane, London, and a citizen of eminence and respectability in the City of London. Mary and Thomas could have emigrated to Virginia with three children before 1622 as there was a Petition in that year of Captain Francis West, Captain William Claybourne, John Brewer, Robert Sweet and William Capps, gents, ancient planters and adventurer in New England, for the remission of heavy duties on tobacco.
John Brewer was the owner of two large estates, Brewers Neck and a tract in "Stanley Hundred" or "Brewer's Burrough" on Warwick River, Virginia, just across the James River from Jamestown. He was a Representative from Warwick in 1629-30 to the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was a member of the Governor's Council 1632-34, and a man of power and influence. His will was written 04 September 1631 and was filed in London 06 May 1635. for there was no recognized probate court in Virginia. After John died, his widow, Mary, soon afterwards married Reverend Thomas Butler "Clark and Parson of Denbie", or later Warwick County. This is evidenced by a grant of land to Thomas Butler of 1000 acres in Isle of Wight, 11 July, 1635. The land was in right of John Brewer, esq., "of which 50 acres was due as Brewer's own personal adventure of his wife Mary, due said Butler as marrying said relict Mary Brewer." In May 1636 there was a record of administration with will to the relict, Mary Brewer alias Butler, during the minority of the children, John, Roger and Margaret Brewer. Thomas Butler died in 1637 and his will was probated in London in that same year. He and Mary had no children.
References: "In the House of Brewer" by Edward Denton Brewer, "Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County Virginia" by John Bennett Boddie, "Marriages of some Virginia Residents 1607-1800" Volume I Surnames A-H by Dorothy Ford Wulfeck, "In the Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660" by Peter Wilson Coldham, "American Wills & Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1857" compiled by Peter Wilson Coldham, "In the Ambrose Brewer Family" by James Bowman & Dr. Clinton Congleton.
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