ROBERT BRACEWELL I
(Parson)
b. 1611
London, England
d. Spring 1667
Nancimond Dist. VA
His will was written on 15 Feb 1667. It was proved on
1 May 1667.
The 17th C. Colonial Dames have him listed as b. in 1613
d. 1668.
They also say that his wife's name was ELIZABETH.
They list him as Minister and Burgess.
He entered Hart Hall of Oxford College on 22 Feb 1627/28
at the age of fifteen. On 3 Nov 1631, he received his
A.B. degree. (The Colonial Church in Virginia,
by Goodwin; pp 253)
He was in Virginia prior to 29 Apr 1650; as he was a
witness to an agreement.(Deed book 1, pp 426. Isle
of Wight VA.)
He is also mentioned in Captain John Upton's will,
dated 16 Jan 1651, as having 300 acres of land.
(William & Mary's Quarterly, Series 1,vol.7, 1899,
page 220.)
His plantation was located on the Blackwater River,
some miles south of the James River and the colonial
town of Jamestown. (A few miles from where Smithfield Va,
now is.) He was Parson of Lawn's Creek Parish.
(Until 1643, Isle of Wight had only one parish. At
that time, it divided into two parishes.
ROBERT was parson of "Lower Parish."
"The Lower Parish to extend from the Pagan-poynt
uppon the riverside to the plantation of Richard Hayes,
from the Pagan-poynt uppon the bay including all the
southerly side to the plantation of the said (Joseph)
Cobbs, and that all the inhabitants alreadie resideing
or that herafter shall reside on that side to
belong to the said lower parish."
(Parish Lines-Diocese of Southern Virginia; Cocke.
Cocke's reference is 1 Henning 279.)
Unofficially, the lower parish was known as Newport
Parish. ROBERT BRACEWELL'S parish was in the vicinity of
the present boundry line between Surry and Isle of Wight
Counties. (Viola V. Braswell)
ROBERT was chosen to the House of Burgess, for Isle
of Wight Co.,VA. In the term of 1653, but:
"It is ordered by this present Grand Assembly, That
Mr. Robert Bracewell, Clarke, be suspended, and is not
in a capacitie of serving as a Burgesse since it is
unpresidentiall and may produce bad consequence."
(Col. Church in Va by Goodwin. Also in Statutes At Large,
vol. 1, 1629-60, by Henning.)
It appears that the only reason that he was asked to
step down was because he was a Minister of the Gospel.
(Clerk or Clarke.)
On 22 Apr 1670, Robert was granted 800 acres of the
Upper Parish of Nancimond Co., adjoining his own &
land of James Long. This was because he transported
16 people to Virginia.
They were: Mary Greene, Thomas Mekins, William Croach,
Hump. Thorne., William Mingay, Peter Gregory,
Richard Roberts, Charles Grigson, Margaret Rayson,
Jno. Thornape (?), William Jones, Robert Best,
Hugh Green, Abr. Kimberly, Jno. Dayves, and
Dorothy Parsons.
Will legacy to servant Elizabeth Hall; Mr. Richard Izard
& George Gwillin to be guardians, &c., 40 shillings to
each for a ring. Sons Robert and Richard
"shall be putt to schoole until they cann both write
and read."
His will is found in Deed & Will Book 1, pp 9 of the
Isle of Wight Co., records in Virginia.
Appraisal of Estate is found in same, pp.28. Inventory
is found in same, pp.55.
The appraisal of his estate was made on 11 May 1668;
recorded 9 June 1668.
An account of the estate was in the hands of his
friend Richard Izard and was presented by his wife
Rebecca Izard and recorded 10 Jan 1669. The inventory
of property shows that the total value of his estate
was given at 7160 "hogsheads" (35,800 pounds) of tobacco.
His library was worth 1 Hogshead of tobacco. (500 pounds)
He gave each of his married daughters, 3 cows each.
Elizabeth Hall received a heifer when her indenture was
finished.
ISSUE:
ROBERT Jr. b. c. 1635
Jane b. c. 1648 m: Robert Stokes
Anne b. c.1649 m: James Bagnall in 1667.
Rebecca b. c. 1650 m: William West in 1668.