THE ANCESTRY OF CAREY H. BRACEWELL
This Braswell Research Provided to “The Braswell Family”
by Carey Bracewell.
CBracewell@aol.com
The Braswell Family
http://www.pbmo.net/suburb/braswell/
Keith Braswell braswell@pbmo.net
Our ancestral home is the village of Bracewell, England,
located in yorkshire, near the Lencashire border. “The name
Bracewell is a pure Saxon or Scandinavian name, meaning ‘we well
on the bray, or hill’ and this feature is found in Bracewell where
the water is derived from a well on the hillside above the
village....Bracewell was originally a Saxon manor. After the
Norman Conquest in the Reigh of Henry I, the family were
dispossessed by the Normans and replaced by a family named
Tempest, William le Tempest having come over with the
Conqueror.... bought by a cotton manufacturer from Blackburn,
named Hopwood, who on the ruins of the orginal Norman manor
house, built a horrible looking mansion in the Scottish Baronial
style. This would be about the 1850’s ....When the Saxon family
were dispossessed by the Normans, they moved into the surrounding
districts and referances to the Bracewells are to be found in the
Parish Records of the adjoining Parishes Thorton-in—Craven,
Barnoldswick, Salterforth, and a little further afield in Colne
and Burnley, where the name is quite common.” (William F.
Bracewell Austerfield Manor, North Doncaster. Letter of March
18,1960, to Klute Braswell of Berryville, Arkansas. Mr.
Bracewell is a son of the late Vicar of Barnoldswick and
Bracewell. Mr. Braswell is a descendant of WILLIAM BRASWELL,
1766-185?, son of our ancestors, RICHARD & OBEDIENCE BRASWELL.)
“One class of American surnames is ‘Objects of nature or
features of landscape’, e.g. TALLHILL, MIDDLEBROOK,
LOWBRIDGE....” (Bureau of Census. A Century of Population Groth,
1790-1900 GPO, Washington, D.C.: 1909.) BRACEWELL obviously
belongs to this same class of English surnames.
The W in BRACEWELL was silent. Its function was to separate
the two E’s so as to avoid the double-e, e sound. Undoubtedly
BRACEWELL was pronounced, from the first, as brasul. Since
American English has no silent w’s (except for such English
proper nouns as “Greenwich”) many—if not most—of our American
cousins who have the w still in their surname pronounce the w.
That includes our Cousin Klute Braswell (braswul) in Berryville.
“BRACEWELL: Local “of Bracewell”, a parish in County York
and Diocese Ripon. 1273 A.D.—JOHN DE BRACEWELL, County
Lincoln....” (Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames)
“BRASYLL, JOHN, M.A., supplication for B.D. degree on March
14, 1507/1508, after study at Oxford and Parish.” (Registrum
Universitatis Oxon)
E. BRACEWELL, 124 Skipton Road, Silsden, Steeton, Yorkshire;
E. A. BRACEWELL, 8 West Bank Road, Skipton, Yorkshire; JAMES
BRACEWELL, 1 Prospect Drive, Fell Lane, Keighley, Yorkshire.
(some Bracewells listed in the 1970 telephone directory of the
Bradford area of England.)
BRACEWELL B., 18M, a citizen of Great Britain, arrived on
the S.S. “Bengal” August 7, 1826; BRAZILL, BRIDGET, 20F, a
citizen of Ireland, arrived on the “William Penn” Oct 2, 1848;
BRASSEL, URASSEL, 34F, a citizen of Switzerland, arrived on S.S.
“Vaderland” June 16, 1873. (“index to Passenger Lists of Vessels
Arriving at Philadelphis, 1800-1906 National Archives,
Washington, D.C.)
Baptisms
Bracewell, Richard, son of William, Park. (1639 A.D.)
Bracewell, Susannah, daughter of William, Salterforth (1694)
Marriages
Bracewell, Richard, to Lettice Hartley, Salterforth (1593)
Bracewell, William, to Susan Baldwin, (1661)
Bracewell, Malentine, Carpenter, to Ann Pollard, Salterforth
(1726)
Bracewell, George, Coln., to Mary Herd (1747)
Burials
Bracewell, Richard, Salterforth (1637)
Bracewell, James, son of William, child (1733)
(Exerts from Records at St. Mary-le-Gill at Barnddswick, West
Riding Yorkshire at the British Genealogical Society
Headquarters, 37 Harrin Gardens, London, S.W. 7.
Our immigrant ancestor was the Reverend ROBERT BRACEWEll who
made his first appearance in American records by witnessing a
deed in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, on April 29, 1650. (I of
W Deed Book I, page 426). It seems clear that he was a
“Cavalier” and immigrated to Virginia following the execution of
King Charles I By Cromwell’s Puritans in 1649. An Anglican
clergyman, he became Vicar of Newport Parish, Isle of Wight
County. The parish church (now called “St. Luke’s”), still
stands. It is the oldest existing church of English foundation
in the United States, and it is the only surviving original
Gothic building in the nation. Construction on it was begun in
1632. Much of the original furnishings have been preser inside
the church, including the soundboard above the pulpit, some pe
the baptismal font, alms box and alms basins. Rev. BRACEWELL’s
plant was within easy walking distance of the church, and it
seems certain he was buried in the churchyard (or under the
altar, in English style but no marker has been found. One of his
North Carolina descendants placed a brass plaque on the rood
screen (adjacent the altar) as a memorial to the good Reverend.
It is any wonder that our family has had church leaders in every
generation since?
Rev. ROBERT “BRACELL” made his will in Isle of Wight County
on Febuary 15, 1667/1668 (Under the old Julian calendar, which
e\was in use in the British world until 1752, the new year did
not begin until March 21. Thus Feburary 15, 1667 was actually
February 15, 1668 under our present Gregorian calendar system.)
Following English custom, Rev. ROBERT left his 1300 acres of
tobacco land and plantation buildings to his two sons, ROBERT,
JR. and RICHARD. His daughters—JANE STOKES, REBECCA WEST< and
ANN BAGNALL, were given cattle. Likewise to his indentured
servant, ELIZABETH HALL,”when she shalbe free”, he gave a
two-year old heiffer. Also following the custom, he gave Mr.
RICHARD IZARD and GEORGE WILLIAMS, executors and guardians to
ROBERT & RICHARD 40 shillings each “to buy them each one
ringe”—a remembrance ring. His main plantation contained a
grist mill that was old and in need of rebuilding. Hence he
directed that a new mill be built “to be left
wholly to my sonne Richard...” We know that his daughter, ANN,
had only recently married for his will states “I Give unto my
Daughter Ann Bagnall one Cowe & Calfe And one Cowe & calfe to her
first Child, if it please God she have any...” This was followed
by, “And likewise it is my desire that my two sonnes, Robert &
Richard shalbe putt to schoole untill they cann both write &
read...” The will was probated May 1, 1668. (Will & Deed
Book I, Vol. A, page 52)
The inventory of Rev. ROBERT’s estate, dated May 11, 1668,
is a fascinating document. It proves that the good Reverend was
quite interested in worldly affairs as well as spiritual matters,
for his was the estate of a gentleman planter, equal to most and
superior to many of those of the FFVs (First Families of
Virginia). I was valued all together at more than 35,000 pounds
of tobacco, and included such imported luxuries as “one silver
Tankard one dram cupp & three silver spoones...one (looking)
glass...five paire of shoes...one parcell of black
broadcloth...one parcell of Books att 500 pounds of tobacco...4
Iron potts & a brass Candelsticke...one Servant boy at 800 pounds
of tobacco...” Perhaps the boy was a Negro slave. The estate
also included the “old Boate” (sloop) that he used to send his
tobacco hogsheads down Cypress Creek to the tobacco warehouse on
the James River. (W &D B I, Vol. 2, P. 55)
On a recent expedition to Isle of Wight County, I located
the site of our ancestor’s plantation, including the remains of
the earthen dam that impounded the waters of Cypress Creek and
furnished power to run the Bracewell mill. Perhaps further field
work would discover the site of his plantation house—who knows?
ROBERT BRACEWELL, JR., the elder of the two brothers,
married SUSANNAH BURGESS. SUSANNAH’s family was quite wealthy
and of the same class as ROBERT (Recall that in those days,
marriages were made for family alliances and property gains, not
necessarily for love.) For example, SUSANNAH’s Aunt JOYCE
CRIPPS, in her will signed in Isle of Wight County on April 18,
1679, disposed of a sizeable platation, several smaller
plantations (including to NICHOLAS DAVIS “that Plantation whereon
he now liveth during his naturall life without paying of Rent
only a Capon a Yeare for a Acknowledgment”); to SARAH LUPO” a
feather bed and Bolster One Rugge Blanket and Bedsted halfe a
dozen of leather Chayres (chairs) and a Round Table; “I do give
unto Margaret the wife of Peter Vasser a Suite of my wearing
apparell and my Wedding Ring”; “I do give unto my three Bod
Daughters (Viz) Elizabeth hayes Joyce Butler and Joyce Wombell
Each of them one Ell of holland of about Sizty pr Ell”; “I do
give unto My Mother Flake a gold Ringe with a Blew Stone” she cut
her neice, SISANNAH BRASWELL, off with only “One Shillihng of
English money.” Perhaps SUSANNAH had already recieved her
legacy. (W & D Book I, Vol. 2 P. 202)
This will is important for several reasons. For one thing,
it is the first time BRACEWELL is misspelled “BRASWELL” in
American records. Note that “BRASWELL” saves the writing of one
letter in the name. Today, over 90% of our American cousins bear
the surname, BRASWELL.Sone pronounce it with a W, other leave it
silent—as they should.
A 17th century Virginia planter’s wife’s life was not always
so genteel, however. Consider, for example, this entry in the
Isle of Wight County curt records dated October, 1694: “order is
granted SUSANNA BRASEWELL agst JOHN COLLINS SENr for foure
hundred pounds of tobo; for looking after ye sd COLLINS his wife
in her late extremity when she was beaten by ye sd COLLINS with
costs.” (COLLINS was married to SUSANNA’s mother, who had
remarried following the death of SUSANNA’s father.)
All the available evidence suggests that we descend from
Rev. ROBERT BRACEWELL’s son, RICHARD BRACEWELL. RICHARD’s wife
was named SARAH. He made his will in Isle of Wight County on
July 28, 1725. He left the estate to SARAH, execpt for ten
shillings to each of his eight surviving children to make the
will binding. The children named were: sons RICHARD, JR.,
ROBERT, VALENTINE, JACOB, JOHN; daughters MARTHA MURPHY, ANN
STRICKLAND, and JANE WILLIAMS. He also seft a cow and calf to
his granddaughter, SUSANNAH BRASWELL. (“The Great Book”, p. 174)
SARAH BRASWELL made her will in Isle of Wight County on
March
20, 1733/34. She left the bulk of the estate to her grandson,
JOHN BRASWELL, JUNIOR, “EXCEPT one Negro Man named Limehouse I
give him... to my Daughter JANE.” Her son, JOHN BRASWELL, SR.,
to be exector and to tend to the estate until JOHN, JR. came of
age (21); “And BENJAMIN BRASWELL my Grandson shall have the first
Mare Colt that a Mare shall bring the which said Mare is part of
the said Estate and given to my Grandson JOHN BRASWELL JUNr
should decease without Heit the same shall be equaly divided
amongst the other of my said Son JOHN’s Children namely MARY
BENJAMIN WILLIAM & SAMPSON BRASWELL...” SARAH signed with an “X”
mark. The will was probated May 26, 1735. (Will Book, 4, p. 64)
Some interesting sidelights on the Virinia Period:
In July, 1653, Rev ROBERT BRACEWELL was elected to the
Virginia House of Burgesses and then suspended after a few days
because it was contrary to English custom for an ordained
minister to serve in a legislative body. The entry in the House
record stated, “He is not in a capacuty to serve as a Burgess,
since it is unprecedented and may produce bad consequences.”
(Hening. Statutes, I, p. 378.) Maryland still has that law on its
books, and a preacher who was elected but denied his seat in the
Maryland House has recently filed a suit to challenge that
archaie rule. the rule is, of course, a classic manifestation of
the principle of separation of Church and State.
Rev. ROBERT’s family was quite active in Bacon’s Rebellion
of 1676. Two of his sons-in-law were officers in Bacon’s “army”:
ROBERT STOKES and WILLIAM WEST. STOKES was captured and hanged.
WEST was captured and sentenced to death but managed to escape
the prison ship and was later pardoned. That both ment were
sentenced to death, in a curious way, is a point of pride for us.
Ror only leaders of the gentry class were so penalized (the
prevailing opinion in those days being that “commoners” were
too stupid to relly know what they were doing!) STOKES was one
of the more than 20 Virginia gentlemen to be executed by Governor
Berkeley following the collapse of the “rebellion”.
In October, 1677, our RICHARD BRACEWELL was among those
citizens of Isle of Wight—more than half the county—who signed
a petition for the pardon of his brother-in-law, WILLIAM WEST, “a
rebel absconding who took up arms against the indians by whom his
father had been most barbarously murdered, was taken prisoner and
carried aboard ship, from hense to prison and was condemned to
death, but made his escape and has not yet been found. We pray
for his life and the restitution of his estate to his wife and
children.” (Boddie, John B. Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight
County, Virginia.)
Shortly after 1700, most of RICHARD BRACEWELL’s family
drifted southward into North Caroline, in search of fresh lands
for tobacco cultivation. They settled along Albemarle Sound and
the lower Tar River valley (in present Edgecombe and Nash
counties) where some of them also took up the naval stores
industry—producing turpentine, itch, and spars for the Roal
Navy. Thus BRASWELLs were among the original “Tar Heels”.
About 1730 was born yet another RICHARD BRASWELL of
Carolina. He was doubtless a great-grandson of the first
RICHARD, but his exact lineage is still being worked out. About
1750, this RICHARD married a girl named OBEDIENCE, whose maiden
name may have been SNOW. (Laura Brazil said that the maiden names
of her oldest known ancestresses taken together, made
“SNOW-WHITE”.) The known issue of our RICHARD & OBEDIENCE BRASWELL are:
GEORGE BRASWELL (born c. 1750; married MARY
ANN—“POLLY”—MORGAN
ELIZABETH BRASWELL (born c. 1755; married JAMES BUTLER)
RICHARD BRASWELL, JR. (born 1759; married JEMIMA WHITE
in Anson County, North Carolina, on May 15, 17__; died
in Saline County, Arkansas, on November 5, 1842)
JAMES BRASWELL (born c.1761; married NANCY HALL(?);
died in Knox County, Tennessee, on July 29, 1799)
OBEDIENCE BRASWELL (born c.1765; married DAVID HALL
in Wilkes County, North Carolina, on January 20, 1784)
VALENTINE BRASWELL (born in 1765; married (2nd) NANCY
JOURNEY; died in Jo Daviess County,, Illinois, on
November 27, 1848)
JOHN BRASWELL (born c. 1770 in Anson County, North
Caorlina; married REBECCA PRUTT in Breenville District,
South Carolina about 1790; died in Tennessee.)
ROBERT BRASWELL (born c. 1771 in Anson County; died in
Madison County, Illinois, on May 17, 1825.)
WILLIAM BRASWELL (born in 1766. Died in Carrol County,
Arkansas, in the decade of the 1850’s—the last of his
family.)
Saunders. The colonial Records of North Carolina. Vol.
VIII,1769-1771. pp. 80-86:
“Anson County Petition
Mr Speaker and Gent of the Assembly
The Petition of the Inhabitants of Anson County,
Being part of the Remonstrance of the Province of North
Carolina,
HUMBLY SHEWETH
That the Province in general labour under general
grievances, and the Wester part thereof under particular ones;
which we not only see, but very sensibly feel, being crouch’d
beneath our sufferings: and not withstanding our sacred
privileges, have too long yielded ourselves slaves to remorseless
oppression—Permit us to conceive it to be our inviolable right
to make known our grievances, and to petition for redress....A
few of the many grievances are as follows (Vizt)
1. That the poor Inhabitants in general are much oppress’d by
reason of disproportionate Taxes, and those of the western
counties in particular as they are generally in mean
circumstances.
2. That no method is prescribed by Law for the payment of the
Taxes of the Western counties in produce (in lieu of a Currency)
as is in other Counties within this Province; to the Peoples
great oppression.
3. That Lawyers, Clerks, and other pentioners; in place of
being obsequious Sarvants for the Country’s use; are becoming a
nuisance, as the business of the people is often transacted
without the least degree of fairness, the entention of the law
evaded, exorbitant fees extorted, and the sufferers left to mourn
under their oppressions
.................................................................
12. That the assembly in like manner make known that the
governor and Council do frequently grant Lands to as many as they
think proper without regard to Head Rights, notwithstanding the
Contrariety of His Majesties Instructions; by which means immense
sums have been collected, and numerous Patents granted, for much
of the most fertile lands in this Province, that is yet
uninhabited and uncultivated, environed by great numbers of poor
people who are necessitated to toil in the cultivation of bad
Lands whereon they harkly can subsist; who are thereby deprived
of His Majesties liberality and Bounty: nor is there the least
regard paid to the cultivation clause in said Patent mentioned,
as many of the said Council as well as their friends and
favorites enjoy large Quantities of Lands under the above-
mentioned circumstances.
16. That every denomination of People may marry according to
their respective Mode Ceremony and custom after due publication
or license.
17. That Coctr Benjamin Franklin or some other known patriot be
appointed Agent, to represent the unhappy state of this Province
to his Majesty, and to solicit the several Boards in England:--
Dated Octoberye 0 th 1769
Among the hundreds of signers: RICHARD BRASWELL, GEORGE
BRASWELL.
North Carolina Land Grant #3187, dated November 22, 1771: to
RICHARD BRASWELL to CHRISTOPHER CHRISTIAN, both of Anson County,
for 35 pounds Proclamation Money, the above 200-acre tract.
Signed by RICHARD “BRASSWELL” and his wife, OBEDIENCE (“X”)
BRASWELL. Witnesses: GEORGE BRASSWELL, GOING MORGAN.
An entry dated July 13, 1774, in the minutes of the Anson County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions:
“Ordered that JOHN WILSON be overseer of the road from Clark’s
Creek near his own house to MARK ALLEN’s store on the Cross Creck
Road near the ford of the Little River, and that hands Sias
Billingsley, Thomas Wilson, Samuel Williams, Solomon Williams,
John Sheppard, Elisha Thompson, GEORGE BRASWELL, John Creek,
William Morgan, Isacc Cooper, Joseph Morgan, and his son, John
Morgan, work same.”
North Carolina Land Grant #3769, dated February 29, 1775: RICHARD
BRAZIEL granted 100 acres on Dry Creek in Anson County.
McBee, May Wilson. Anson County, North Carolina: Abstract of Early Records:
On October, 1777, RICHARD BRASSEL, JR. (#36) and RICHARD BRASSEL
(#37) were signers of the following petition: “Petition of the
inhabitants of Anson County” 1777. Because of the Pee Dee River
dividing the County it is very inconvenient to many of the
inhabitants; they ask for a d’vision of the county with the river
as the dividing line....Court House now stands in ten or twelve
miles of South Carolina and is extremely inconvenient.”
By this time, the Revolutionary War was underway and
conditions wee very unsettled. GEORGE BRASWELL and his wife,
POLLY MORGAN BRASWELL, by 1777, had moved east over into what is
now Moore County. They were in the company of some of the
MORGANs. George settled on Wolf Creek and the MORGANs on nearby
Cabin Creek. A son was born to GEORGE & POLLY about 1780, and
they decided to name him “MORGAN”, in honor of his mothers
people. Here’s how “baby” MORGAN appeared on the 1850 census of
Walker County, Alabama. Notice the significance of his
children’s names:
#396 BRAZEL, MORGIN 70M Farmer $1000 Unknown
(dumb”—unable to speak)
SARAHAN 57F Virginia
GEORGE 33M Farmer Tennessee
OBEDIANCE 28F Tennessee
MARY 28F Alabama
SARAH 23F “
TOMAS 19M Farmer “
MORGIN 16M “ “
#182 BRAZEL, RICHARD 29M Farmer $150 Alabama
Milla 35F “
MARY AN 4F “
THOMAS 1M “
Our RICHARD BRAZIL’s Bible inscription states that he
married JEMIMA on May 15, 17__. The ink blotted on the last two
numbers and they are impossible to read. All we can be certain
of is that he married JEMIMA WHITE in Anson County on the 15th of
May in some year between 1775 and 1781.
The Whites were Scotch-Irish, as well were a many other
pioneers of the western Carolinas. She was apparently the
daughter of WILLIAM WHITE and the sister of MOSES WHITE. No
doubt our mutual ancestor, MOSES BRAZIL (1803-1872) was named in
honor of MOSES WHITE, for “Moses” had never been used in our
family before that.
Anson County Deed Book 6, p.310: June 24, 1762. WILLIAM WHITE
from the King, for L 16-10-4, a 158-acre tract on the south side
of Rocky River.
“An inventory of all & singular the goods & chattels Rights &
credits of WILLIAM WHITE Late of Anson County Deceased Viz: 2
mares 2 unbroken mares one of 3 & the other of 2 years old 3 cows
and yearlings & 1 cow two years old in all 7 head 1 old feather
bed 2 beds of hen & Turkey feathers 2 sheets & 2 old sheets 1
Rifle gun & 1 smooth Boreed gun with horn & shot bag 2 Pots & pot
Hooks 3 Hides 1 Box Iron & Heater 1 slay & old Harness 1 large
Bell & 2 small Bells 2 sides of tan Leather 1 pr Tooth Drawer 2
old Tins 1 Bottle 1 small Jugg 1 old Broad ax & 4 old Hoes 1 hone
1 jointer Iron & 1 Case Iron & pleate 1 old cracked Earthen cup &
pan 1Howell & chisel 1 Gague 1 gunblet 1 old lancet 2 old Piggins
1 old saddle horn 1 old Linen Wheel 1 Keeler 1 p. cotton cards 1
Prayer Book 1 Psalter 1 old Rasp 1 p. sheep shears 8 spoons 1
Smoothing plain 3 firjs 1 p. sissors.
JAMIMA WHITE adm.”
(It would seem that our JEMIMA was named for her mother. Are you
good enough at this detective work to see what items in WILLIAM’s
inventory prove that he was Scotch-Irish? The linen wheel, the
sheep shears, the prayer book, but especially the Psalter—
standard equipment for the Presbyterian Ulsterman!)
Anson County Deed Book K, p. 18: October 21, 1771. MOSES WHITE,
from THOMAS (“X”) CANNON, for 30 pounds a 200-acre tract “on
Savanna Creek So. W. of Pee Dee River beginning about a mile and
a half above RICHARD JAMES’s sd. Servay...” The tract was
granted to JAMIMA WHITE, Deceased on May 4, 1769, “and since
becane the property of sd. THOMAS CANNON by maraing of her the
said JEMIMA WHITE and now convaid to MOSES WHITE as it appears.”
Witnesses: JAMES OLIVER, NATHANIEL ASHLEY. Proved by ABRAM BELEW
in the January Court, 1773.
Revolutionary War military service records, Mational Archives, Washington, D.C.:
Private RICHARD BRACEWELL enlisted in the 1st South Carolina
Regiment, cammanded by Colonel C. Pinckney, on May 21, 1776 and
served until December, 1776.
Volume 9, page 18, Office of Army Accounts, Paymaster
Beneral, act of July 4, 1783.
RICHARD & OBEDIENCE BRASWELL, along with their unmarried
children and some of their married children, moved from Anson
County to Wilkes County, North Carolina, Sometime toward the end
of the Revolutionary War, Wilkes County was then a raw fromtier
area, peopled by Ex-Regulators, Baptists, Scotch-Irish, and other
unruly groups.
Johnson J. Hayes. The Land of Wilkes. Wilksboro: 1962. pp 110:
“Before 1790, a Baptist Church, known as Deep Ford Baptist Church
of Reddies River was in existence and an associational meeting
was held there in 1790 and 1792. Baptists seemed to be the only
active church group in Wilkes County before 1800....”
page 446: “FREDERICK BRASEL (BRASWELL), entry #1929, “beginning
at a pine, so as to include Reddies River Meeting House.” (This
was a land grant for 100 acres dated June 5, 1781. FREDRICK may
have been on the tract some years before the actual date of his
grant. I cannot identify him except that he must have been a
member of the family of RICHARD & OBEDIENCE BRASWELL, for there
were nof other BRASWELLS in the Wilkes area at that time except
them.)
Washington County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, Vol. I,
1785-1798, page 163:
May Court, 1782. State vs. THOMAS CARDER. “in indictment for
stealing a small peace of steel”. The witnesses for the State
were EDMOND WILLIAMS, WILLIAM BEMER, AUGUSTUS EASTER, AND RICHARD
BRASIL. The jury found the defendant not guilty.
(Wilkes County and Washington County (now in Tennessee) were
adjacent each other at the time of this record. I feel certain
that this RICHARD was “ours”; the only question is whether it was
JUNIOR or SENIOR.)
According to the Hall Family genealogists, DAVID HALL was
born in Henry County, Virginia, on March 25, 1760, a son of
SAMUEL and MILLIEN WEBB HALL. About 1778, the Halls moved to
Wilkes County and settled near Stony Fork. There, on January 20,
1784, DAVID HALL married OBEDIENCE “BRAZEL” (the daughter of
RICHARD & OBEDIENCE BRASWELL). HALL died in Anderson County,
Tennessee, on April 22, 1842.
Genealogical Society of the Original Wilkes County: “1782 Tax List of Wilkes County, North Carolina”:
Captain Rowland Judd’s District included FREDRICK “BRAZEL”
The will of MILLIEN HALL of Wilkes County, signed August 27,
1802, and probated in the May Term, 1803: ....To my Daughter
NANCY BRAZEL my Cotton Petticoat and fine linen shift &
handkerchief...”
(It is thought that NANCY HALL BRASWELL was the widow of JAMES
BRASWELL who was murdered in Knox County, Tennessee, in 1799.)
South Carolina Land Grants, State Archives, Columbia, S.C.:
October 28, 1786. To RICHARD BRASSELL, for L 3-17-0, a 165-acre
tract in Greenville District on both sides of Clear Creek of the
South Tyger River, adjacent WILLIAM USERY and DANIEL KELLEY.
(Volume 20, p. 142)
June 24, 1793. To RICHARD BRASWELL, a 666-acre tract on Green’s
Creek in Greenville District adjacent RICHARD BRASWELL & DAVID
HALL, JONAS DAWSON, HUDDLESTON, JOHN MARTIN, SAMUEL MCCLURE, the
village of Billewsfield, and a branch of Tyger River.
August 19, 1791. To RICHARD BRASWELL, a 200-acre tract on the
Chickeroa Fork of Suldda River.
Federal Census of 1790, Greenville District:
DAVID HALL 1 male 16 & over, 3 under 16, 1 female
7 other households, then---
RICHARD BRASWELL 2 males 16 & over, 1 under 16, 5 females
4 other households, then---
JAMES BRASALL 1 male 16 & over, 1 under 16, 3 females
3 other households, then---
VALENTINE BRASWELL 1 male 16 & over, 2 females
36 other households, then---
RICHARD BRASWELL 1 male 16 & over, 3 under 16, 3 females
WILLIAM “BRASHERES” 1 male 16 & over, 1 female
BRIGHT PREWET 2 males 16 & over, 1 female
2 other households then---
JOHN BRASWELL 1 male 16 & over, 1 female
(We may identify the members of these households as follows:
DAVID HALL: 1 male 16 & over—DAVID HALL; 3 males under
16-- his sons, RICHARD HALL, SAMUEL HALL, and
JOHN HALL: 1 female—his wife, OBEDIENCE
BRASWELLL HALL
RICHARD BRASWELL: 2 males 16 & over: RICHARD BRASWELL, SENIOR,
and his son, ROBERT; 1 under 16--his youngest
son; 5 females his wife, OBEDIENCE BRASWELL,
and four unmarried daughters, perhaps one of
whom was named SARAH BRASWELL
JAMES BRASALL: 1 male 16 & over—JAMES BRASWELL; 1 under
16; his son DAVID BRASWELL; 3 females—his
wife, NANCY HALL BRASWELL, and two daughter,
perhaps one named RHODA.
VALENTINE BRASWELL: 1 male 16 & over—VALENTINE BRASWELL, son of
RICHARD & OBEDIENCE; 2females—his first wife
and eldest daughter, neither of whom are
known by name
RICHARD BRASWELL: 1 male 16 & over—RICHARD “BRAZIL”, another
son of RICHARD & oBEDIENCE; 3 under 16--his
sons, GEORGE, RICHARD, JR., AND “D”; 3
females—his wife, JEMIMA, and two eldest
daughters, names unknown
WILLIAM “BRASHERES” 1 male 16 & over—WILLIAM BRASWELL, another
son of RICHARD & OBEDIENCE; 1 female—his
recent bride, name unknown
JOHN BRASWELL: 1 male 16 & over—JOHN BRASWELL, another son
of RICHARD & OBEDIENCE; 1 female—his recent
bride, REBECCA PRUITT BRASWELL, sister to
BRIGHT “PREWET”)
1790 Census of Moor County, North Carolina:
GEORGE BRAZEL 1male 16 & over, 3 males under 16, 3 females
Leah Townsend. South Carolina Baptists.
“About 1791, the members of theReedy River Church began
fussing among themselves. This led to a split in the church,
part going to the Bethel Assocication and the majority of the
former Reedy River Church members under the leadership of Rev.
EDMUND BEARDEN constituted a new church with the name of Head of
Tyger River Church....Besides the pastor, the officials in 1794
were Rev. ROBERT SMITH, RICHARD BRASWELL, DAVID HALL, and JAMES
HOLLINS....”
“EDMUND BEARDEN is listed as the only minister for Reedy
Rever and Concord (Tyger River) Church, 1790-1800. Other
messengers to the Association: HENRY MITCHAM, BAYLIS EARLE,
ROBERT SMITH, JAMES BUTLER (1795-1796), RICHARD BRASWELL (1797),
DAVID HALL (1798), and WILLIAM BIRD.”
(The Head of Tyger River—Concord—Baptist Churst was located in
northern Greenville County. It had 26 members in 1794. We may
be certain that the BRASWELLs were Baptists for several years
before they moved to South Carolina.)
Dee Records of Greenville District (County), South Carolina:
December 1, 1789. WILLIAM & MARY LYNCH to RICHARD BRAZZLE, for
50 pounds sterling, a 50-acre tract on both sides of Green’s
Creek of the South Pacolet River adjacent RICHARD BRASWELL &
DAVID HALL, granted to LYNCH on June 5, 1786. Witnesses: DAVID
HALL, JAMES & ELIZABETH STEVENSON. (DB B, p. 153)
December 1, 1789. WILLIAM & MARY LYNCH to DAVID HALL for 90
pounds, an 80-acre tract on both sides of Gree’s Creek, granted
to LYNCH on June 5, 1786. Witnesses: RICHARD BRASWELL, JAMES &
ELIZABETH STEVENSON. (R-142)
April 15, 1793. JOSEPH MAXWELL to DAVID HALL, for 3 pounds, a
40-acre tract on Gree’s Creek adjacent SAMUEL EASLEY and DUNCAN CAMPBELL, granted to MAXWELL on December 5, 1791. Witnesses:
RICHARD BRASWELL, THOMAS MAXWELL, JOHN LUSK. (C-495)
April 4, 1795. RICHARD BRASWELL from JOHN PEACE, for 40 pounds,
a 50-acre tract on the north side of Green’s Creek adjacent
RICHARD’s own land, the southwest end of a tract granted to
SAMUEL MCCLURE who sold it to peace on December 31, 1793.
Witnesses: RICHARD BRASWELL, SENIOR; ROBERT BRASWELL, GEORGE
BRASWELL. (d-499)
April 20, 1795. RICHARD (“X”) BRASWELL to WILLIAM STEWART, for 8
pounds, 30 acres on the north side of Clear Creek, adjacent
CHILDRESS and DIAL, part of the 165-acre tract granted him in
1786. Witnesses: GEORGE BRASWELL, CHARLES BRUCE, WILLIAM
LEAGREAVIS. (F-143)
March 1, 1797. RICHARD BRASWELL to SAMUEL BOWEN, for 35 pounds,
the remainder of the tract granted to him (RICHARD) in 1786.
Witnesses” GEORGE BRASWELL, JOSEPH BOWEN, ALEXANDER STEWARD. (D-
484)
April 21, 1798. RICHARD BRASWELL from ISHAM BURKES, for 50
pounds, a 100-arce tract containing a tub mill on a shoal, at the
confluence of Green’s Creek and the South Pacolet River, adjacent
WILEY S. BROWN and DAVID HALL, part of a tract granted to JOSEPH
MAXWELL on December 5, 1791, who sold it to JOHN DUDDLESTON.
Witnesses: JOHN DAVIS, JR., JAMES HUGHS. (E-272)
October 9, 1798. RICHARD (“X”) BRASWELL to ELIAKIN HAMBLIN, for
20 pounds, 80 acres of the tract granted to him (RICHARD) in
1793. Witnesses: DAVID HALL, JAMES BUTLER, ELISHA MAXWELL. (F-
520)
October 15, 1798. RICHARD (“X”) BRASWELL to NATHANIEL GENTRY,
for 130 pounds, the 50-acre tract “whereon I now live” on Green’s
Creek adjacent DAVID HALL which he bought from WILLIAM & MARY
LYNCH in 1789; 343 acres of the tract granted him in 1793; and
the 100-acre tract that he bought from ISHAM BURKES in april,
1798. Witnesses: NIMROD MAXWELL, ROBERT GOOGION, BENJAMIN
HUDDLESTON. (E-278)
October 9, 1799. RICHARD (“R”) BRASWELL to RICHARD WARD, for 25
pounds, the remaining 193 acres of the tract granted to him
(RICHARD) in 1793. Witnesses: JOHN PEACE, JEREMIAH BROWN. (E-
453)
Noverber 22, 1800. DAVID HALL of Knox County, Tennessee, to JOHN
BRASWELL of Greenville County, for $200, the tract that he bough
from GEORGE BRASWELL in 1795. Witnesses: MICHAEL PRUITT, ABNER
SENTER. (L-32)
Feburary 8, 1809. JOHN BRASWELL of White County, Tennessee, to
ABNER SENTER, for $100, the above tract. Witnesses: THOMAS
BOWERS, JAMES PENNINGTON. (L-188)
(Except for the last two deeds, all Greenville deeds except those
relating to RICHARD BRASWELL—SENIOR and JUNIOR—were omitted.)
Federal Census of 1800, Greenville County, South Carolina:
#379 JOHN BRASSEL males: 1 under 10, 1:26-44
females: 3 under 10, 1:16-25
#530 MOSES WHITE males: 1:10-14, 1:45 & over
females:1:16-24, 1:45 & over
(MOSES WHITE, brother (?) to our JEMIMA WHITE BRASWELL, was a
witness to the September 29, 1800, deed, THOMAS MAXWELL to NIMROD
MAXWELL, for a 205-acre tract near Hogback Mountain on both sides
of Green’s Creek. Other witnesses: JOHN & BENJAMIN HUDDLESTON.
Deed Book F, page 116.)
Dee records of Knox County, Tennessee:
October, 1795. WILLIAM STANDEFER to JAMES BRASEL, for $84, a 50-
acre tract adjacent STADEFER on Grassey Creek. (Deed Book C, page
244).
October 20, 1795. STOCKLEY DONELSON to VALL BRASEL, for $300, a
200-acre tract on the south side of Clinch River on Mayberry’s
Branch on the side of Piney Ridge. (C-248)
August 7, 1796. WILLIAM RUSSELL to GEORGE BREAZEAL (BRASWELL),
for $100, a 100-acre tract on Clinch River, part of the second
bottom below the Eagle Ford, adjacent JOHN LATHRUM. (B-76)
April 10, 1797. STOCKLEY DONELSON (brother-in-law of President
Andrew Jackson) to GEORGE “BREAZEALE” and JOHN FINLEY, for $200,
a 210-acre tract on the south side of Clinch River beginning at a
large gap in the River Ridge near the Mosutee Lick. (E-239)
Other Knox County records:
December 10, 1798.. PATTY “BRIXELLE married JOSEPH GRAYSON.
1796. GEORGE W. “BREAZEALE” served on jury duty.
1798. VANCE BRAZEL of BUTLER’s Company delinquent on his taxes
for 1798 in the sum of 12 1/2L, 31, and 3.
September 29, 1800. VALENTINE BRAZEAL commissioned an ensign in
the Knox County militia. (Moore. Records of the Tennessee
Militia.)
Documents relating to the murder of JAMES BRASWELL:
from the Knoxville Gazette of August 7, 1799-- “On Monday, the
29th, JAMES BRAZEL was found murdered on the road leading to
Stogden’s Valley, in Price’s Settlement. This unfortunate man is
supposed to also have fallen victum to the above named atrocious
villians. Upwards of four hundred and fifty dollars have been
subscribed by the citizens of Knoxville and its vicnity to any
person or persons who will apprehend and commit to the jail of
Knox County the above mentioned Harps; which, together with the
reward offered by the Governor and citizens of
Kentucky,...amounts to up wards of two thousand dollars.”
The National Archives, Washington, D.C. The Revolutionary War
Pension Application of DAVID HALL, 72, Of Anderson County, Tennessee, signed August 29, 1832:
“....sometime in the spring of 1780...he entered into the service
of the united States as a volunteer...into a company of
lighthorse commanded by Captain Wittherspoon...to continue in
service while ever it would be necessary to keep down the
torries—that his said company first redezvoused at Wilkes
Courthouse, and marched up the river about twenty miles above the
courthouse, and from there, down the mountain into Burke County
and through many of the counties around, where ever it was
understood there was a collection of tories—he recollects once
while marching near where the counties of Wilkes and Burke join
each other, his company had seperated with the understanding that
if one division should hear the other firing upon the tories,
that the other shuld immediately join them—that at the time
spoken of the company had just separated, the division to which
he did not belong fell in with a company of tories dispersed them
and killed one man—that upon hearing the firing the party to
which applicant belonged, immediately rode to where the firing
was heard, but before they reached there, the tories had fled and
applicat recollects distinctly of seeing the man who had been
killed, whom they left to be burried by the women while the
company proceeded on after the tories....at the expination of
three months applicant states that he staid at his Fathers house,
in Wilkes County, about one week, when he again marched with his
company...suppressing the tories whenever they attempted to
embody themselves...on a tour up into the mountains in Wilkes
County...they came upon a parcel of tories six of whom they took
prisoners, and Colonel Cleveland ordered three of them to be well
whipped, and released the whole of them....after this time the
tories becoming less troublesom applicants company was disbanded
and he returned home where he remainded but a few weeks, untill
he came over the mountain to what is now Washington County, Tenn,
in Geecy cane on Chucky river to a place where the whites wee
forted, at a place called fort Sevier—where he volunteered as an
Indian spie into a company commanded by Captain Edmund Sams, who
were stationed at the said fort as theit headquarters, and a
party of whom were sent each day about twety five or thirty miles
to look out for Indians and then to return again to the fort—if
upon the return of any of the spies any trace of Indians had been
discovered, the whoe company marched out in search of them—In
gaurding this fort and the neighbouring frontier applicant states
that he continued to serve as a spie and a guard in said company
for two years, shen the whole company marched under the command
of Col. John Sevier into the Cherokee nation, and burned their
towns, nine in number, took som prisoners and killed some of
their men—in thes expediton applicant states that he was about
four weeks gone when applicant returned to the said fort where he
remainder three or four weeks, to be cured of the small pox, and
then returned to his fathers in Wilkes County N.
Carolina....applicant states that soom after the revolutionary
war he married in Wilkes County N.C. and moved to Greensville
District S. Carolina where he lived about ten or eleven years,
when he moved to the same neighbourhood in Anderson County Tenn.
where he has cont’nued to live rver since....”
Lillie D. Harper. “Outlaws of Cave-in-Rock”, Colonial Men and Times. (1916):
“It chanced that day in 1799 that they (the HARPS) met JAMES and
ROBERT BRAZEL (I think was the brother’s name) soon after
committing an outrageous murder, on the trail in the forest,
stopped and told them of the killing and said they were out
looking for the killers. Then suddenly they accused the BRASEL’s
of the crime. They ordered they boys (actually, JAMES & ROBERT
BRASWELL were both grown men—C.B.) off their horses. ROBERT
broke for the underbrush and escaped, but JAMES was shot and
killed. ROBERT made his way to habitation and tried to rouse a
posse to pursue the Harps, but people were too timid and nothing
was done, to ROBERT’s indignation.”
Mrs. Glen Brasel of Wartburg, Tennessee. Letter of September 1,
1971, to Mrs. Palmyra Spencer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. (Mrs. Brasel’s husband is a great-great-grandson of JAMES BRASEL.):
“I called an 80 year old relative this morning and she told me
tat JAMES BRASEL, her husband’s great-grandfather, was slain and
buried in the West end of Morgan County. She also said times
were so hard that a coffin couldn’t be obtained and relatives
skinned green bark from trees and wrapped his body for burial.
Her husband’s grandmother told her about this....”
John William McNairy Brazeale. Life As It Is... Chapter XVI “History of the Harps”, pp. 136-151. Knoxvill: 1842:
“....In the year 1797 or 1798, two men came into the county of
Knox, and settled near Beaver creek. They professed to have came
from the State of Georgia; represented themselves as being
brothers, and said their names were HARP. One of them, who
called himself Micajah Harp, was a very large brawney-limbed,
big-boned man, of a most vicious, savage and ferocious
countenance.—He brought with him a woman, who he represanted as
being his wife. The other Harp wo called himself Wiley was
unmarried....sometime after he came, married a young woman by the
name of Sarah Rive, The daughter of an old gentleman, who lived
some five or six miles from Knoxville.... The planted and
cultivated a crop, the first year after they came to the country,
and lived in peace and friendship with their neighbors. But
after they had resided about a year in Knox county, they began to
steal and plunder....Shortly after this, the Harps commenced the
bloody work of inhuman and ruthless murder; which they prosecuted
to an extent that alarmed and terrified the inhabitants of the
whole country. Their relentless and furious rage, spared neither
the aged, or the young, nor regarded either size, sex or color.
They murdered a youth by the name of Coffey, on the Copper
Ridge, in Knox county, who was on his way to a grist mill. Their
next victim, so far, at least, as was known, was a man by the
name of Johnson, who was believed to be a resident of Hawkin’s
county. They murdered him on the road two miles below
Knoxville.—Shot him through the head, ripped him open, filled
his abdomen and chest with stones, and threw his body into the
Holston river.
These tragic deeds aroused the whole community.—Every man
carried his fire arms, his dirk of his butcher knife about
him;....companies were raised, scouts kept continually out, and
rewards offered for the apprehension of these murderous and
marauding wretches; in consequence of which they were compelled
to seek shelter in a more wild and uninhabited region; and they,
therefore, fled, taking their women with them, to the mountains
along the line between Teenessee and Kentucky; occasionally
breaking into the settlements, as well in Kentucky as in
Tennessee, and committing the most awful, horrible and bloody
murders....
...crossing Clinch river, at the Pawpaw ford, in the eastern end
of Roane county. Thence they proceeded, along what was then
called the Kentucky trace; ascending the Cumberlan mountain, and
crossing Emery’s river about one mile above where the town of
Montgomery, in the county of Morgan, is now situated. About a
mile and a half or two miles beyond the river, they met two men,
one by the name of BRASIL, whom they murdered; the other, whose
name I have not been able to ascertain (this proves that the
author was not related to us BRASWELLS—C.B.), made his escape.
BRASIL had with him a rifle gun, which the Harps battered over
the rocks, shattering the stock to pieces. He also had in his
pockets a quarter of a dollar, which was left in his pocket, and
found with his corpse. The place where he was murdered, being on
a spur of the mountain, yet bears the name of BRASIL’s knob....
On their arrival in Henderson county (Kentucky), they
encamped, with their women, under a projecting bluff of rocks,
called by the mountain people, a Rock house. They went to the
house of (Moses) Stegall, early one morning, and called for
breadfast—Stegall not being at home. Mrs. Stegall told them
they could have breakfast, but would have to wait some time, as
her child was very fretful and cross, and she had no one to nurs
it. The Harps replied that she might put the child in the
cradle, and they would rock the cradle, and attend to the chile
until she cooked their breakfast. She, accordingly, placed her
inocent babe in the cradle, and retired to the kitchen, to
prepare a breakfast for them, leaving them rocking the
cradle....After Mrs. Stegall had prepared their breadfast, and
the ruthless and savage murderers had partaken of her
hospitality, she went to the cradle to see if the child was
asleep, expressing some astonishment...that her child should
remain quiet for so great a length of time. And what could have
been the horror that seized upon a mother’s soul, and the pang
that rent her bosom, when she beheld her tender, harmless and
helpless infant, lying breathless, with its throat cut from ear
to ear, and almost floating in its own innocent blood!! She
shrunk back, with terror, from the awful and shocking spectacle,
uttering a loud and frightful scream!....But the relentless
monsters staid not their bloody hands for the tears and heart-
broken wailings of a bereaved mother! They instantly dispatched
her, with the same instrument, (a butcher-knife) with they had
cut the throat of the child; then set fire to the house, and
fled....
Stegall, not being a great distance from home, was soon informed
of the direful tragedy. Thomas Leiper, Stegall and Williams,
with some others, made immediate pursuit ; and overtook the
blood-thirsty wretches the next day, about noon, quietly resting,
in supposed security, in their rocky dwelling on the
moutain....the Harps were not apprised of danger until they were
fired upon, and the big Harp ( as Micajah was called) wounded.
Upon being fired on, they flew to their horsed, leaving their
women to their fate....They dashed off at full speed, in
different directions. The number of the pursuers did not allow
of their separating, and following both of the fugitives; and
they, therefore, selected the larger Harp as their game, and made
hot pursuit; leaving one or two of the company to secure the
women. Leiper was mounted on an animal, fleet of foot, and
possessing great elasticity of bottom; and he, therefore, was
soon out of sight of his comradeslllThe race continued for about
eight miles, over hills, across ravines and through
thickets....Harp’s mare finally began to fail and Leiper
discovered he could soon overtake him....He dashed suddenly upon
him—fired, and broke his arm, the ball passing, also, through
the side of the chest. Harp fell from the noble, but jaded
animal, that bore him, rolled over, and crawling up by a log,
that lay hard by, he seated hmself with his back abainst it.
Leiper...did not approach him, until he re-loaded his gun. Then,
cocking his piece, and presenting it at Harp’s breast, he
advanced to him, telling him that, if he moved a hand, he would
send the contents of his rifle through him. Leiper, having
satisfied himself that Harp had nof arms about him but a butcher-
knife and tomahawk, made him surrender these, and then entered
into a conversation with him; with a view to ascertain, if
possible, the reasons that prompted him and his brother to the
commission of such savage and cruel deeds. Harp said his brother
an himself (for he declared Wiley Harp was his brother) had
became disgusted with all mankind, and agreed with each other, to
destroy as many persons as they could. He knew, at the time they
commenced the perpetration of these bloody deeds, they he must
die, some day, by the hands of man...but he determined to risk
the consequences, and slay as many as he could, before the sword
of justice should overtake him, He said he never had committed
but one murder for which he felt remorse; and that was the murder
of his own child. It cried, and vexed him, and he killed it. He
confessed that, his brother and himself had committed many
murders (perhaps as many as 37--C.B.); some of which related by
him, had never before been heard of. The object of leiper was to
extract from him a full account of all the bloody deeds
perpetrated by him and his brother; but, the remainder of the
company coming up, Stegall with them, xho was buring with rage,
on accout of the cruel and inhuman slaughter of his wife and
child, an end was put to the conversation, By Stegall cuttint
off the head of Harp. Stegall took Harp’s own butcher-knife,
which Leiper had compelled him to deliver up, and taking Harp by
the hair of the head, drew the knife slowly across the back of
his neck, cutting to the bone; Harp staring him full in the face,
with a grim and fiendish countenance, and exclaiming, ‘you are a
G-d d---d rough butcher, but cut on and be d-----d.’ Stegall
then passed the knife aroud his neck, cutting to the bone; and
the wrung off his head, in the same manner a butcher would that
of a hog.
....Some of the company happened to have with them a bag, into
which they put Harp’s head, and set off on their return march.
As they passed a small farm of a new settler, knowing that they
would be obliged to camp in the woods, they procured as many
roasting-ears as would serve them for their supper; and, having
no other neans of carring them, they put them, unhusked, into the
bag, with Harp’s head. They accordingly camped in the woods; but
Williams would not eat any of the roasting-ears, because they had
been put into the bag with Harp’s head; and, consequently, he was
compelled to endure the cravings of hunger until they returned
into the settlements....They carried Harp’s head to the nearest
justice of the peace, by the name of Newman, and, having made
satisfactory affidavits, before Esquire Newman, that it was
Harp’s head, they then took it to the nearest cross roads, and
put it upon the top of a lofty pole....The spot...is near the
Highland Lick in Union county, and is still known by the name of
Harp’s Head....
Wiley harp made his excape, and fled to the neighbourhood of
Natchez; where he continued his bloody deeds until the winter of
18093, or spring of 1804....It so happened that he arrived in
Natchez...at the same time the troops from East Tennessee
arrived, who were on their march, by order of the Federal
Government, to take possession of Louisiana. Some of the troops
were well acquainted with Harp—identified his person beyond a
doubt—and he was condemned and executed shortly there afterllll
The Lesislature of kentucky, by act of Assembly, gave leiper
two hundred and fifty dollars in consideration of his bold and
chivalrous conduct in arresting the big Harp.”
petition of 1799
“TO THE HONORABLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE.....
The petition of sundry Inhabitants of Knox County humbly sheweth
that their local situation is such as reders it very inconvenient
for them to attend the usual place of holding courts, general
musters, elections, etc. som of us having at least 25 to 40 miles
to travel, and generally very bad roads, having sundry large
water courses, and ridges to cross, your Petitioners humbly
conceive their grievance might be much alleviated by a division
of KNOX COUNTY in the following manner....”
(Among the signers of this petition were NATHAN HALL, WILLIAM
BRAZEL, DAVID HALL, RICHARD BRAZEL, VALINTINE BRAZEL, GEORGE
BRAZLE, MORGAN BRAZEL, CONSTANTINE CLARKSON, and ROBERT BRAZELL.
A similar petition of about the same time was signed by ROBERT
BRAZEL and DAVID HALL. The outcome of this petitioning was the
creation of Anderson County out of part of western Knox County on
Noverber 6, 1801. Some of the Anderson County records—those
that pertain to our direct “BRAZLE” ancestors—follow.)
Pollyanna Creekmore, editor. East tennessee historical society
Publications, #23 (1951)
1802 county tax list of Anderson County
Captain Haile’s Company (“on Clinch River, below Clinton. Much
of this land is now in the Atomic Energy
Commission Reserve.”)
RICHARD BRAZIL 1 poll (a poll was a white man aged 21-50)
VALENTINE BRAZIL 1 poll
Captain Davis’ Company (compiler: JAMES BUTLER, Esquire)
WILLIAM BRAZLE 1 poll 100 acres Wolf Valley
GEORGE BRAZLE 1 poll 100 acres Clinch River
ROBERT BRAZLE 1 poll 89 acres Raccoon Valley
DAVID HALL 1 poll
JAMES BUTLER 1 poll 200 acres Clinch River
(“One of the first justices of the
peace and formerly a captain, Knox
County militia, 1799)
1803 county tax roll:
Captian Aldridge’s Company
WILLIAM BRAZLE 1 poll 100 acres Wolf Valley
ROBERT BRAZLE 1 poll 89 acres Raccoon Valey
GEORGE BRAZLE 100 acres Clinch River
Captain Hawkins’ Company
RICHARD BRAZLE 1 poll
DAVID HALL 1 poll
September 12, 1803. “Ordered by the court that ELIZABETH BUTLER,
widow and relict of JAMES BUTLER, have leave to administer the
estate of the said JAMES BUTLER, they having entered into bond
with AUGUSTIN HACKWORTH and WILLIAM BRAZLE in the sum of $800 and
qualified as the law requires.”
September 15, 1803. RICHARD BRAZLE and GEORGE BRAZLE served on a
jury.
1804 county tax roll:
Captain Heard’s Company
WILLIAM BRAZLE 1 poll 100 acres Wolf Valley
ROBERT BRAZLE 89 ½ acres
Captain Hawkin’s Company
NANCY BRAZLE 100 acres
GEORGE BRAZLE 1 poll
Captain Hoges’ Company
GEORGE BRAZLE 1 poll
(In explanation of these tax lists, RICHARD, VALENTINE, WILLIAM,
GEORGE, and ROBERT “BRAZLE’ were brothers, the sons of RICHARD &
OBEDIENCE BRASWELL who were apparently both dead by 1800. DAVID
HALL and JAMES BUTLER were married to OBEDIENCE BRASWELL and
ELIZABETH BRASWELL, sisters and also childre of RICHARD 7
OBEDIENCE. “NANCY BRAZLE” was NANCY HALL BRASWELL, widow of the
murdered brother, JAMES “BRASEL”. The “extra” GEORGE was GEORGE
“BRAZIL”, elder son of RICHARD & JEMIMA WHITE “BRAZIL”. The
deaths of the parents of these older siblings probably accounts
for the way the clan members separated and scattered after 1800.)
July 24, 1817. DAVID BRASEL (son of the murdered JAMES BRASWELL)
was married to ANNA CLARKSON by WILLIAM McKINNEN, J.P. (ANNA was
the daughter of CONSTANTINE CLARKSON.)
Records of White County, Tennessee—
November 16, 1808. RICHARD BRAZEL served as a juryman in the
county court.
November 24, 1808. RICHARD BRAZELL was granted 100 acres on the
north side of Calf Killers fork of Cany Fork “and on jthe waters
of same” in the Third District of White county. (Grant #1629, G
B-501)
February 8, 1809. JOHN BRASSEL of White County sold a tract on
Tyger River in Greeville County, S.C. to ABNER CENTER. (See S.C.
notes) (JOHN was RICHARD’s younger brother. JOHN lived out the
rest of his life in Jackson County, Tennessee.)
September 20, 1809. RICHARD BRAZIL, “of the County of White and
State of Tennessee, being about to remove to the Mississippi
Territory” appointed “my true and trusty friend SAMUEL USREY of
the County of White” his attorney to sell the 100-acre tract he
was granted in 1808. RICHARD signed with an “X”. (Deed Book E,
page251)
July 18, 1814. RICHARD BRAZEL and (son) GEORGE BRAZEL sued
WILLIAM RIDGE for $17.981/2 and $25.oo, respectively, for non-
payment of a debt. RIDGE lost the case and was ordered to pay.
(No doubt USSERY sold RIDGE the above tract of land, RIDGE
refused to pay for it as agreed, and RICHARD & GEORGE sued—
probably by an appointed attorney—to collect on the debt.)
Records of Johnson County, Illinois (created from Randolph Count
in 1812)
March 13, 1810. RICHARD BRASSEL married PATTEY ALLEN.
Federal Census of 1810
Wilkersonville
(Jesse, Merril, Alfred, Eheazel)
#784 S. ALLENS 3 under 10, 3:10-16, 2:26-45
3 under 10, 1:26-45
(Matilda, Martha T.)
#785 G. ALLEN 1:45 & up (father of Squire Allen)
1:45 & up
Clear Creek
(Richard, Jr.)
#887 D. BRASEL 1:16-26
1:16-25
(Moses Valentine, Robert, Richard, Sr.)
#888 R. BRASELL (Sr)2 under 10, 1:10-16, 1:16-26,
1 & over
1 under 10, 1:45 & over
(Elizabeth, Jemima)
#889 G. BRASELL 2 under 10, 1:26-45
1 under 10, 1:16-26
Note, the above names within () are hand written notations, J.D..
(Pease, Theodore C. Collections of the Illinois State Historical
Library, Volumn XXIV “Illinois Census returns, 1810, 1819),
Springfield: 1935.)
I use this format on all census returns before 1850: all males
on the same line as the name of the head of household (first
line); all females on the second line. Slaves, if any, are
listed after the white females.
Both “Wilkersinville” and “Clear Creek” appear to have been
within the present bounds of Johnson County.
#785, G.(eorge) ALLEN, was old enough to have been the father of
#784, S.(quire) ALLEN, but that remains to be proved.
One of SQUIRE ALLEN’S three sons under ten was JESSE B. ALLEN.
Two of his sons in the 10-16 age bracket were MERRILL ALLEN and
ALFRED ALLEN. A one of his three daughters in the “under 10”
bracket was our very own MATILDA JANE ALLEN (1805-1972). The
womanin the 26-45 bracket was, of course, his wife, MARTHA T.
ALLEN. One of the other sons was probably ELEAZER ALLEN, for an
1841 Saline County, Arkansas, deed shows ELEAZER ALLEN and wife,
ELIZABETH, selling a 40-acre tract to MOSES BRAZIL, Which
transaction was witnessed by Justice of the Peace SQUIRE ALLEN
and JESSE ALLEN, his son.
Apparently “Squire” was a popular name among there Allens,
for we find in the General Index at the Illinois Archives in
Springfield that justice of the peace in Johnson County.
There can be little doubt that “PATTEY” (nickname for’MARTHA’)
ALLEN was an elder daughter of SQUIRE & MARTHA ALLEN, and thus an
older sister of MOSES’ wife, MATILDA JANE ALLEN BRAZIL.
The Allens appeared on the 1830 Census of Conway County, Arkansas, thus:
SQUIRE ALLEN 1:10-14, 1:15-19, 1:50-65
1:50-59, 1 slave
ELIZER ALLEN 2 under 5, 2:20-29,
1 under 5, 1:20-29
SUSANNAH ALLEN 1:5-9, 2:10-14,
2 under 5, 2:10-14, 1:30-39
And on the 1840 Census of Saline County thusly:
ESQUIRE ALLEN 1:70-79
1: 70-79
JESSE B. ALLEN 1 under 5, 1:5-9, 1:30-39
1 under 5, 1:5-9, 2:10-14, 1:30-39
ARRON ALLEN 2 under 5, 2:20-29
2 under 5, 2:20-29
MERRILL ALLEN 1:10-14, 2:20-29, 1:40-49
2:15-19, 1:40-49, 1:80-89
ALFRED ALLEN 1 under 5, 1:40-49
1:5-9, 1:20-29
Returning now to the 1810 Census of Randolph County, Illinois, we
may surmise that—
#887, “D” BRASEL, was a newlywed son of our RICHARD & JEMIMA
BRAZIL.
#888, R. BRASELL, was of course, our RICHARD BRAZIL, SR. The 2
males under 10 were “our MOSES BRAZIL (1803-1872) and VALENTINE
BRAZIL (1801-?). The one male 10-16 was ROBERT BRAZIL (1796-
1841). I don’t know who the 16-26 year old male was, but the one
over 45 was, of course, RICHARD, Sr. (“D” BRASEL, #887, was
probably RICHARD,JR., for he was married in March and the census
did not officially begin until August, 1810.) I have no idea who
the daughter under 10 was, unless it was ELIZABETH BRAZIL, who
later married a Mr. Fowler. The woman over 45 was “our JEMIMA
WHITE BRAZIL, RICHARD, Sr.’s wife.
#889, G(eorge) BRASELL, was an elder son of RICHARD & JEMIMA
BRAZIL, born,c.1872. His two sons under 10 were ROBERT BRAZIL
and JESSE BRAZIL. Again, we don’t know the daughter’s name. His
wife was named MARY.
ROBERT BRAZIL (1796-1841) married SARAH ANN TERRY in Johnson
County in 1813. The ceremony was performed by HENSON DAY, a J.P.
(Bounty Land Warrant Application, National Archives, Washington,
D.C.)
VALENTINE BRAZIL (1801-186-) married ELIZABETH BLAND in Saline
County, Arkansas.
The War of 1812 military service
records at the National Archives
show Privates RICHARD BRASEL and WILLIAM BRASEL enlisted in
Captain OWEN EVENS’ Company of Mounted Militia, Illinois
Territory, on August 20, 1814, for 60-days’ service. They
mustered at Johnson Court House(RICHARD lived 6 miles from the
place of rendezvous, WILLIAM 8 miles). Each was paid $16 for
their military services and $24.50 “allowande for rations and
forage” for their horses. They were discharged on October 19,
1814.
There fore this WILLIAM “BRASEL” must have been that other son of
RICHARD & JEMIMA. And like GEORGE BRAZIL, he did not accompany
his family when they moved to Arkansas later. Perhaps he died
young.
P.T. Chapman. A History of Johnson County, Illinois. (1725)
“There was a mill located in the western part of the county known
as BRAZEL’s MILL.” (This was GEORGE BRAZIL’s saw mill. C.B.)
“In May, 1818, the county court ordered that a new court house be
built at what was to become Vienna, Illinois. It was ‘to be
built of logs of good size to be hewn down outside and in,
twenty-four feet in length and eighteen feet in width, with two
doors and three windows....” In July, 1818, GEORGE BRAZEL
submitted the lowest bid for the above construction contract, and
was awarded it. In June, 1819, the county court ordered that
GEORGE BRAZEL be paid for building the court house and jury
rooms.
In May, 1825 GEORGE BRAZIL was appointed a justice of the peace
and was a candidate, also, for county commissioner. He was
mentioned as the owner of Lot #46 in Vienna. (House Journal
1824, p. 154 & 175.)
In May, 1825, GEORGE BRAZELL’s property was mentioned as being on
the boundary of School District #1. He was a patron of this
first free school district in Johnson County.
On October 12,1827, GEORGE BRAZEL was again commissioned a
justice of the peace. (Executive Record, 1818-1838, Vol. 1, p.
166)
1818 Territorial Census:
GEORGE BRASELE 1 male 21 & up, 8 other whites. (page 75)
1820 Federal Census of Johnson County, Massac Township:
GEORGE BRAZIL 1 under 10, 2:10-15, 1:16-25, 1:26-44
3 under 10, 1:10-15, 1:26-44
one person engaged in Agriculture
1830 Federal Census of Johnson County, Illinois:
MARY BRAZELL 1:10-14
1:60-69
G. W. BRAZELL 1 under 5, 1:15-19
1:10-14, 1:30-39
JESSE BRAZELL 1 under 5, 1:5-9, 1:10-14, 1:30-39
no females
Records of Fulton County, Illinois: (derived from the county
records)
April 19, 1825. MOSES BRAZIL, entered his mark as a swallow fork
on each ear, and underbit on the right, and on undernick on the
left ear.
1826-1827. MOSES BRAZIL, signed a petition for the buklding of a
road from Lewiston to the Fever River lead-mining District.
July 22, 1828. MOSES & MATILDA BRAZIL sold the southern half of
the northeastern quarter-section of Sec. 10, Township 6 Range 3
(80 acres),(which they had acquired of WILLIAM MEDFORD & wife on
June 3, 1828) to ELIJAH PUTNAM for $350. Witnesses: SHELDON
LOCKWOOD, JESSE WILLIAMS.
July 24, 1828. MOSES BRAZIL bought the N1/2 of NE 10-6-3 (30
acres), Putnam Township, from WILLIAM & ELIZABETH MEDFORD of
Adams County for $150. Witnesses: JABEX PORTER, HENRY H. SNOW.
September 18, 1828. MOSES BRASSEL BOUGHT THE w1/2 OF ne 11-5-3
(80 acres) Lewiston Township, from ELIJAH WENTWORTH of Laviess
County for $100.
December 8, 1828. OLIVER BROCK entered his mark as a shallowfork
and and underbit on the left ear and a slice on the right ear.
(BROCK married “JENNY”—JANE BRAZIL, daughter of WILLIAM BRAZIL,
in madison County, Illinois, on May 8, 1821. The marriage was
recorded in Madison County.)
December 19, 1828. MOSES & MATILDA BRASSEL sold OLIVER BROCK the
N1/2 of SE 11-5-3 for $100.
May 13, 1829. MOSES & MATILDA BRASSEL sold OLIVER BLOCK the W1/2
of NE 11-5-3 for $80. Both MOSES & MATILDA BRASSES signed by
“X”.
August 3, 1829. MOSES BRASSEL bought the S1/2 of NW 13-5-3 (80
acres) from BENJAMIN HOLCOMB for $150.
February 6, 1830. WILLIAM BRASSEL sold the E1/2 of SE 2-5-3 to
WILLIAM POWELL for $50. (40 acres)
May 3, 1830. WILLIAM BRAZEL sold the E1/2 of SE 2-5-3 to OLIVER
BROCK for $50 (40 acres).
June 5, 1830. MOSES BRASSELL bought the N1/2 of NW 13-5-3 from
BENJAMIN HOLCOMB for $150.
September 30, 1830. MOSES & MATILDA BRASSEL (again, signing with
“X”’s) of Fulton County sold NW 13-5-3 (160 acres) to SAMUEL
COZAD for $350. Witness: VAALENTINE BRASIL.
August 2, 1830. WILLIAM BRAZLE was a candidate for county
commissioner.
1930 Federal Census of Fulton County, Illinois (page 247)
VALENTINE BRAZLE 1:5-9, 1:50-59
1:5-9. 2:10-14, 1:40-49
3 other households, then—
WILLIAM BRAZLE 1:50-59
1 under 5, 2:20-29
OLIVER BROCK 2 under 5, 1:5-9, 1:30-39
1:5-9, 1:30-39
BENJAMIN HOLCOMB
Our MOSES BRAZIL did not appear on these schedules. Evidently he
was in trasit to Arkansas at the time of the census, for he is
not found on the schedules of any county.
MOSES’uncle VALENTINE soon moved to Jo Daviess Couty, Illinois,
where he died on November 27, 1848.
MOSES’ uncle WILLIAM soon returned to the Boshen Settlement area
of southeastern Madison County, where he acquired a new wife and
then, about 1837, moved to northwestern Arkansas. He died in
Carroll County, Arkansas, some time during the 1850’s. OLIVER
BLOCK accompanied him and settled in Neosho, Newton County,
Missouri.
MOSES BRAZIL was born in Anderson County, Tennessee, c.1803,
married MATILDA JANE ALLEN in Johnson County, Illinois, in 1820,
and died near smithville, Texas, on April 3, 1872. (His wife was
born in Kentucky c.1805 and died near Smithville on February 4,
1872.) Their know issue:
1. JESSE BRAZIL. Born “near Springfield, Illinois” on
April 5, 1827. Married (1) MARTHA JANE HUCHINGSON in Saline
County, Arkansas, on April 2, 1845. (She was born in Alabama on
August 25, 1828, and died in childbed with her fifth child in
Saline County on March 18, 1852); he married (2) ELIZA JANE
PRILLEMAN in Saline County on February 5, 1854 (She was born on a
riverboat near Nashville, Tennessee, on June 20, 1835 and died at
Chappel, San Saba County, Texas, on May 4, 1907. JESSE L. BRAZIL
died in Chappel, Texas, on July 18, 1888.
2. JEMIMA BRAZIL. Born in Fulton County, Illinois, in 1828.
Married THOMAS W. BOLT in Saline County on February 17, 1845.
4. JANE BRAZIL. Born in Pulaski (present Saline) County,
Arkansas, in 1832; married MARK MILLER in Saline County on March
3, 1850. Died in Saline County during the 1850’s.
3. MARTHA BRAZIL. Born in Fulton County, Illinois, on April
29, 1830l Married in Saline Clunty to THOMAS A. COLBERT on
February 3, 1848 (after his death, she married Colonel WILLIAM
HEBBLE, U.S. Army). She died in Dallas, Texas, on December 3,
1926.
5. JAMES B. BRAZIL. Born in Saline County c. 1836. Married
MARTHA BOLT in Saline County on December 30, 1855. Died in the
Civil War.
6. ELIZABETH ANN BRAZIL. Born in Saline County c.1839.
Married JASPER MILLER in Saline County on October 13, 1858.
married, 2nd, BENJAMIN CHASTAIN.
7. SQUIRE ALLEN BRAZIL. Born in January, 1841, in Saline
County. Married Mary jane Holland in Saline County on March 27,
1859. According to the late Ida Brazil Bolton, his neice,
“SQUIRE died of measles he contracted as a Confederate soldier.
He died shortly after returning to his home.”
8. MARY ANN BRAZIL. Born in Saline County c. 1843. Married
(1) her second cousin, WILLIAM BRAZIL, in Saline County on March
27, 1850. After he was killed in Confederate service, she
married JOSEPH RANKIN. She died in Pearsall, Texas, during the
1930’s.
9. MOSES E. BRAZIL. Born in Saline County on December 28,
1845. Married MARTHA ELLEN GAGE in Fayette County, Texas, on
October 18, 1875. Died in San Saba, Texas—a victim of the
great, world-wide flu epidemic—on January 28, 1919.
Some records of Pulaski County, Arkansas (from which Saline County was formed in 1835):
Tax list of July 16, 1828: ROBERT BRAZIL, VALENTINE BRAZIL, and
RICHARD BRAZIL (Senior).
1830. “The first Baptist church in Saline County was the Union
Baptist Church which was organized in 1830 by Reverend JESSE
BLAND, with eight members. Subsequent preachers were reverends
SAMUEL HENDERSON (1834-1840) and AARON BOLT (1840-1845).”History
of Saline County, Saline County Library)
1830 Federal Census of Pulaski County
RICHARD BRAZIL 1:10-14, 1:60-69
1:5-9, 1:60-69
VALENTINE BRAZIL 1 under 5, 1:20-29
2 UNDER 5, 1:5-9, 1:20-29
ROBERT BRAZIL 2 under 5, 1:5-9, 2:10-14, 1:30-39
2 under 5, 1:5-9, 1:30-39
1933 tax list: ELIZAR ALLEN, SQUIRE ALLEN, JESSE ALLEN, RICHARD
BRAZIL, VALENTINE BRAZIL, ROBERT BRAZIL, MOSES BRAZIL, RICHARD
BRAZIL, SENIOR.
“PETITION TO CONGRESS BY INHABITANTS OF THE TERRITORY (referred
December 1, 1833, to the Committe on the Public Lands)
To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States, in Congress Assembled.
Your petitioners respectfully request, that your honorable
body pass a GENERAL PRE-EMPTION LAW, granting the right of
preemption to all persons who are now settled, or may hereafter
settle, on any of the unappropriated public lands of the United
States and that every person who may wish to avail him or herself
of the benefits of such law, may be authorized to file with the
Register of the Land District in which he or she may wish to
settle, an application designating the quarter section or tract
of land which he or she may desire to locate, and...that the
person making such location...be entitled to enter at the Land-
office for the District in which the land may lie, previous to
the same being offered at public sale, at the minimum price of
the public lands ($1.25/acre—C.B.), a quantity of land not
exceeding one hundred and sixty acres...
Your petitioners would farther represent, that, in their
opinion, a law on the plan proposed by them, would have a
tendency to put down those pestilential speculators who have
stalked over the Territory of Arkansas, carrying privation,
vexation, and distress, to the laboring class of the community,
for the last eighteen years, and who have uniformly taken
protection under the tail of loose ended laws which merely
invited the laboring class to a benefit, but really made than a
tantalus in favor of speculation. Your petitioners consider
those unfair speculators, in a moral sense, as mere drones in the
hive of nature. They produce nothing. They neither assist in
forming the hive, nor in collecting the honey. They merely live
to devour, by arrogating undue advantages to themselves....”
Among the subscribers in “Section One”: RICHARD BRAZIL, WILLIAM
TERRY, ROBERT BRAZIL, MOSES BRAZIL, JOHN BRAZILE, VALENTINE
BRAZIL.
AUGUST 13, 1858. JESSE BRAZIL bought a tract from SUSAN
PATTERSON in Sec. 32. Township 3N 16W, Pulaski County.
Federal Census of 1860 (June 1, Maumelle Township)
BRAZIL, SQUIRE ALLEN 19M Farmer Arkansas (birthplace)
MA®Y JANE 16F Mississippi
BRAZIL, JESSE 32M Farmer Illinois (my great-
grandfather)
JANE (PRILLEMAN) 25F Arkansas
*MITILDA 13F “
*WILLIAM 12M “
FRANCIS 10F “
ELIZABETH 9F “
JACOB 6M “
SARAH 3F “
(*) denote’s a child uho attended school within the Census Year)
Slave Schedule: JESSE BRAZIL, owner of a 15-year old female
mullato. (This was “ROSE”, JANE BRAZIL’s wedding present from her
brother, JACOB PRILLEMAN, JR. Rose accompanied my family to
Texas after the Civil War and married another ex-slave in
Smithville, Texas later on.)
The courtship of Richard Brazil and Jemima
White took place in Anson County, North Carolina, in the late
1770’s: Moses White, Memima’s pa, was a tight-fisted
Scotch-Irishman who didn’t believe in giving away anythin. So
when young Richard asked Him for his daughter’s hand in marriage,
he refused until Richard agreed to go to work for him—with-out
wages. Months later, after Richard had cleared a large tract of
forest land for Moses White, Moses finally consented. For the
rest of his life, Richard would joke about that experience and
compare himself to Jacob of the Bible, who had to labor fourteen
years for Laban before he woud consent to his marriage to his
daughter, Rachel.
A distant relative had Richard Brazil’s personal Bible, an
1834 free edition published by the American Bible Society. On
the flyleaf was written: “Richard Brazil, his Bible, and his
name wrote above and age set below is___. Richard Brazil was
borne in the yeare of our Lord 1759. Jemima Brazil his wife was
born Dec. 25 in the yeare of our Lord 1765. Richard Brazil and
his wife Jemima was married the 15th day of May A.D. 17__.” (The
ink had blotted and could not be read.)
Some records of Pulaski County, Arkansas (from which Saline County was formed in 1835):
Tax list of July 16, 1828: Robert Brazil, Valentine Brazil, and
Richard Brazil (Senior)
1830. “The first Baptist chursh in Saline County was the Union
Baptist Church which was organized in 1830 by Reverend Jesse
Bland, with eight members. Subsequent preachers were Reverends
Samuel Henderson (1834-1840) and Aaron Bolt (1840-1845).”
(History of Saline County, Saline County Library)
1830 Federal Census of Pulaski County:
RICHARD BRAZIL 1:10-14, 1:60-69 Males
1:5-9, 1:60-69 Females
VALENTINE BRAZIL 1 under 5, 1:20-29 Males
2 under 5, 1:5-9, 1:20-29 Females
ROBERT BRAZIL 2 under 5, 1:5-9, 2:10-14 1:30-39 Males
2 under 5, 1:5-9, 1:30-39 Females
1933 tax list: Elizar Allen, Squire Allen, Jesse Allen, Richard
Brazil, Valentine Brazil, Robert Brazil, Moses Brazil, Richard
Brazil,Sr.
And some Saline County, Arkansas, records—
December 26, 1833. The results of the county election held this
date: (1) RICHARD BRAZIL (Jr), JOHN L. LOCKHART, and RESIN DAVIS
were elected as a commission to locate the county seat (and thus
became co-founders of Benton, Arkansas—C.B.): (2) THOMAS
HUCHINGSON was elected county judge; and (3) VALENTINE BRAZIL was
elected county sheriff (served as justice of the peace after his
term expired in 1836). Centannial History of Arkansas, Volume I.
February 22, 1836. MOSES BRAZIL bought the NW1/4 of the SW1/4 of
Sec. 5, 1N 16W (40 acres @ $1.25 an acre: $50) from the Federal
Government.
He tendered $30 in specie and a $20 note on the “Union Bank”.
Issued patent certificate #1191 on April 15, 1837. Recorded in
Volume 2, page 410. (These and all other Federal land purchase
records were copied from the plat books at the Bureau of Land
Management, Washington, D.C.)
April 25, 1836. RICHARD BRAZELL, (Jr.) and ROBERT BRAZELL bought
the NW1/4 of Sec. 27, 1N 16W (160 acres, $200) under the
Preemption Act of 1834. Patented October 11, 1839. Certificate
#1368. Vol. 6, p.473.
RICHARD submitted the required statement to prove his eligibility
for preemption rights. He said that he was “the actual settler”
on this tract...that in 1833 he cultivated about 20 acres of
cotton and corn on it, that he hewed a dwelling house, kitchen,
smoke house, corn crib and stables. He also planted about 300
fruit trees. He was in possession of the tract on June 19, 1834
(date of act), and “still possesses and cultivates same.” His
family consists of a wife and seven children. He stated also
that ROBERT BRAZEL was an actual settler and occupant in the year
1829 on the NW part of said tract; in 1833 ROBERT had in
cultivation about 15 acres in cotton and corn, that he had two
log dwelling houses, kitchen, smoke house, corn crib, stable, and
blacksmith’s shop; that ROBERT was still in possession of same;
that ROBERT “is married man with a large family consisting of a
wife and ten children” and that “he resides at this time on
purchased land. Signatures of ROBERT BRAZIL & RICHARD BRAZIL.
Witnesses: “near neighbors” GEORGE JAMES & GEORGE S. TERRY.
“Called out for the protection of the Saline Frontier (during the
Cherokee Indian Removal)--1836--under authority of General
Gaines...” RICHARD BRAZIL, SR. (actually, junior—son of RICHARD
& JEMIMA), and Captain ROBERT BRAZIL, (the company commander).
“Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who
Served During Indian Wars and Disturbances, 1815-1858.” National
Archives.
April 25, 1836. VALENTINE BRAZIL and GEORGE JAMES bought the NE
fraction ¼ of Sec. 1, 1S 17W (224.55 acres: $280.69) from the
Federal Government under the Preemption Act of 1834. Patented
June 6, 1840, under Act of August 3, 1846. Certificate #1365.
Vol. 10, p. 23. Testimony of VALENTINE BRAZIL, taken April 22,
1836:
In 1831, VALENTINE settled on the tract, cultivated same to 1833,
when and where he cultivated about 4 acres of sand in corn and
had about
200 peach trees, a good hewed log dwelling house, smoke house,
smoke house, kitchen, corn cribs, and stable; thathe had the
posssession of same on the 19th of June 1834 and still continues
to cultivate the same up to this date; that he is a married man,
has a wife and a family of five children; that GEORGE JAMES
cultivated about 8 acres of land on the north part of said
quarter section in corn and cotton and had a log swelling house,
smoke house, in the year 1833 and in the year 1834 had a hors
mill erected; that GEORGE JAMES commenced his said improvement in
the year 1831 and is still there; that JMES is a married man and
has a family consisting of a wife and six children. Witnesses:
“near neighbors” ROBERT BRAZIL, ANDREW McALISTER.
June 20, 1836. MOSES BRAZILL bought the W1/2 of the NW1/4, Sec.
20 1N 16W (80 acres @ $1.25: $100) from the Federal Government.
Patented April 15, 1837. Certificate #2290. Vol. 3, p. 474.
August 12, 1836. Captian ROBERT BRAZIL and Privates RICHARD
BRAZIL, “Sr. RICHARD BRAZIL “Jr.”, and JOHN BRAZIL—all of Saline
County, Mustered in at Little Rock into Federal service in
Company “B”, 1st )Lt. Col. ABSOLOM FOWLER’S) Regiment, Arkansas
Mounted Gunmen, for 6 months’ service. The regiment was raised
by order of the Governor of Arkansas by authority of General E.P.
Caines in order to protect the western frontier from the Cherokee
Indians during their removal to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma).
January 20, 1837. All of the 1st Regiment was discharged
(including Capt. ROBERT BRAZIL’s Company “B”) and Mustered out of
service at Fort Gibson in the Cherokee Nation. In all, they had
travelled about 250 miles from home.
January 18, 1837. MOSES BRAZIL bought the NE1/4 of the NE1/4 of
Sec. 6, 1N 16w (40 75/100 acres @ $1.25: $50.94) from the Federal
Government. Patented August 2, 1838. Certificate #2744. Vol.
5, p. l55.
June 14, 1837. MOSES BRAZIL bought 40 acres (SW1/4 of SW1/4 of
Sec. 5, 1N 16W) from ROSWELL, BULE, and ASHLEY for $50.
October 1, 1838. RICHARD BRAZIL sold CORNELIUS HAMMOND one
stallion named “Spectator” and a chestnut sorrel about sixteen
hands tall for the price of 80 acres of land four miles from
Benton (NW1/2 NW1/4 of Sec. 29, 1S 15W).
1940-1843. RICHARD BRAZIL was elected to the Arkansas State
Legislature as a Representative.
Federal Census of 1840 (Saline Co)
MOSES BRAZIL 1 under 5, 1:10-14, 1:30-39
1 under 5, 2:5-9, 1:10-14, 1:30-39
slaves: 1 male under 10, 1 female 10-24
RICHARD BRAZIL, SR. 1:10-14, 1:20-29, 1:80-89
1:70-79
(8 other Brazil households—ANDREW J. BRAZIL, ROBERT BRAZIL,
MOSES BRAZIL, “JUNIOR”—meaning, “the younger”; ARRON BRAZIL,
ALFORD BRAZIL, RICHARD BRAZIL(2), & VALENTINE BRAZIL.)
August 25, 1840. RICHARD BRAZIL made a $400 mortgage to JAMES
PETITIAN and EBINEZER WALTERS, merchants of Little Rock, that
read: “In consideration of a note owned to above merchants, he
gave his entire cotton crop then growing on his farm known as the
‘Robertson Place”, three miles east of Benton, about thirty acres
of cotton.” Other collateral included a gray horse, a brown
mare, two brown mules, and an ox wagon.
June 4, 1841. MOSES BRAZIL, “SENIOR” (the “junior” MOSES BRAZIL
was his nephew, not his son) bought 40 acres (SW1/4 of Sec. 5, 1N
16W) from ELEAZER ALLEN.
September 22, 1841. RICHARD BRAZIL, aged 83, married JANE
CARPENTER, 66. (Although no legal notice was taken of it, our
JEMIMA WHITE BRAZIL must have died sometime between the 1840
Census and this date. Obviously, our RICHARD was lonely and
probably needed a nurse during this last year of his life. Not
even a red-blooded Brazil man would still be taking mistresses at
the age of 83! Incidentally, I have tried to find out more about
this JANE CARPENTER, but to no avail, not even the mane of her
previous husbands (if any). She disappeared as mysteriously as
she came!)
c.1842. RICHARD BRAZIL, SR., died intestate.
Noverber 25, 1842. RICHARD BRAZIL appointed the administrator of
the estate of SQUIRE ALLEN, who died intestate on January 2,
1842. WESLEY ALLEN was appointed administrator on the next day
(November 26)> The estate was appraised at $1145.09. (Recall
that RICHARD BRAZIL, JR. married “PATTEY” ALLEN.)
October 9, 1843. MARTHA T. ALLEN died intestate. MOSES BRAZIL,
SR., was appointed administrator on October 27. RICHARD BRAZIL
was appointed administrator the day before (October 26) for which
he gave $400 bond.
December 15, 1843. VALENTINE BRAZIL, Jr. sold VALENTINE BRAZIL,
Sr., two yoke of oxen, two cows, ten higs, and 80 acres (W1/2
SW1/4 Sec. 30, 1S 15W) for $200. (VALENTINE’s family, following
the deaths of his parents, removed to Ouchita County, where they
remained. Such breakups and scattering of clans was a common
phenomena that followed the heels of the passing away of the
“partiarch”.)
February 7, 1844. RICHARD BRAZIL sold slaves from the estate of
SQUIRE ALLEN to MOSES BRAZIL. The slave were “one Negro woman
named ‘Meriah’ and two Negro children, ‘Jefferson’ and ‘Miner’.
The price: $675.
February 27, 1844. MOSES BRAZIL sold ANDREW JACKSON BRAZIL the
Negro woman named “Merian”, about 24 years old, for $5. “For
affection I have for the family of my brother, RICHARD BRAZIL, I
hereby sell to JACKSON BRAZIL, whose real name is ANDREW JACKSON
BRAZIL, one Negro slave named Meriah. Said slave to be in the
trust of MARY BRAZIL, wife of RICHARD BRAZIL, for her sole use
and for the use of her children by her present husband, RICHARD
BRAZIL.”
January 29, 1850. MOSES BRAZIL bought the SW1/4 of Sec. 31, 2N
16W (40 acres @ $1.25: $50) from the Federal Government.
Patented May 1, 1854. Certificate #5337. Vol. 11, p. 97.
Federal Census of 1850
Brazil Post Office (MOSES BRAZIL was appointed the Postmater of
Brazil, Arkansas, in 1853)
BRAZIL, MOSES 47M Farmer $2500 Tennessee (owned a
10-year old black boy slave)
MATILDA 45F (married 1820) Kentucky
*JAMES B. 14M Arkansas
*ELIZABETH 11F “
*SQUIRE A. 9M “
*MARY 7F “
MOSES 5M “
MILLER, JESSE 18M Laborer Georgia
BRAZIL, JESSE 23M Farmer $300 Illinois (the dollar
MARTHA 20F (married 1845) Alabama figure
MATILDA J. 4F Arkansas refers to
WILLIAM 3M “ the value of
MARY FRANCES 1F “ his real
estate and
personal property)
(“Brazil Post Office” enumeration district contained 62 families-
-including four other Brazil households not listed above, those
of ANDREW JACKSON BRAZIL, BETTIS BRAZIL, RICHARD BRAZIL, and
GEORGE W. BRAZIL--58 of which were headed by a farmer of fame
laborer. Four heads of households were wagon makers, one a
mechanic, one a blacksmith, and one a physician.)
September 20, 1852. JESSE BRAZIL sold MOSES BRAZIL 20 acres on
the east side of the North Fork of Saline River (NW SW fr Sec.
31, 2N 16W) for $100.
August 20, 1853. MOSES BRAZIL was appointed as the first
official postmaster of the postoffice at Brazil, Arkansas. The
postoffice was closed June 22, 1866, and reopened September 26,
1876, with WILEY B. FOWLER as postmaster. FOWLER served until
June 5, 1895. The postoffice was permanently closed on August
31, 1924. (National Archives)
December 12, 1851. RICHARD BRAZIL, aged about 62, of Ouchita
County, Arkansas, applied for a bounty land warrant based on his
service in the war of 1812 and in the “Indian Disturbance” of
1836.
A report from the 3rd Auditor of the U.S. Treasury Department
stated that RICHARD BRASEL served in Capt. Owen Evans’ company of
Illinois Militia from August 20, 1814, to October 19, 1814, when
the company was discharged at Johnson Courthous. RICHARD
referred to his unit as the Johnson County Mounted Rangers” in
Major General Harrison’s Division in the “War Against the Six
Nations.” He said that he served at Fort Masak (Massac) and that
“I would further state that it is very probable that my name was
enrolled as RICHARD BRASIL or BRASWELL...” “as it is by some
pronounced.”
(Bounty Land Warrant Application of RICHARD BRAZIL, National
Archives)
July 20, 1858. MOSES BRAZIL bought the NW NE of Sec. 6, 1n 16W
from WILLIAM CROCKETT.
MAY 19, 1859. MOSES BRAZIL allowed his ward, JACOB PRILLEMAN,
18, to marry EDA CROW, 20, (“JAKE” PRILLEMAN was a younger
brother of my great-grandmother, ELIZA JANE PRILLEMAN. Their
father, JACOB PRILLEMAN, SR., had died on November 20, 1852.)
Federal Census of 1860
BRAZIL, MOSES 57M Farmer $1200-$4000 Tennessee
(owned a 20-year old black male and a 17-year old black male)
MATILDA 55F (illiterate) Kentucky
MOSES, Jr. 14M Arkansas
MILLER, ELIZABETH 21F (illiterate) “
JESSE F. 6/12M “
BRAZIL, JAMES B. 23M Farmer $200 Arkansas
MARTHA 18F “
THOMAS 2M (twin) “
JESSE 2M (twin) “
MOSES 4/12M “
BOLT, THOMAS 36M Farmer $250 Arkansas
JEMIMA 31F Illinois
AARON 13M Arkansas
MOSES 12M “
MATILDA 10F “
MARTHA 9F “
MARY A. 7F “
FRANCIS M. 5F “
JAMES M. 2M “
Civil War service record of WILLIAM M. BRAZIL (husband of MARY
ANN BRAZIL daughter of MOSES & MATILDA BRAZIL): enlisted on July
27, 1861, at Benton as a Private in Company “B”, 11th Arkansas
Infantry (commanded by his brother-in-law, Lt. Colonel MARK
MILLER). Captured in the surrener of Island Number 10 on April
8, 1862. Released with the rest of his regiment near Wicksburg,
Mississippi, on September 20, 1862. Advanced to grade of “Senior
2nd Lieutenant” of the new Company “A: by December 2_, 1862.
Last paid on February 13, 1863. (Confederate Service Records,
National Archives) According to a Texas neice, Ida Braxil
Bolton, “Wild Bill” Brazil was drowned in quicksand when he rode
out to show his men that the crossing was safe. “Both horse and
ricer went down, and William was saving his sword as he sank.”
His widow, MARY ANN, was taken in by the grandparents, MOSES &
MATILDA BRAZIL, who brought her to Texas, where she later married
THOMAS W. GAGE. Altogether, said Cousin Ida, MOSES & MATILDA
reared four sets of orphans.
Their son, JAMES BRAZIL, enlisted in Company “H” of the 1st
(Monroe’s) Arkansas Cavalry at Benton on June 19, 1962. He died
December 12, 1862, at the Confederate Hospital at Van Buren,
Arkansas. (National Archives record)
JOCOB PRILLEMAN, Jr. enlisted as a private in Company “E”, 1st
(Colquitt Arkansas Infantry at Benton on February 20, 1862. The
company muster roll
for June 30-August 31, 1863, states that “Jake” was sent to the
hospital at Holly Springs, Mississippi, on May 5, 1862, and “Has
not been heard from, supposed to be dead.” It is said that he,
like SQUIRE ALLEN BRAZIL died of measles.
October 29, 1869. MOSES BRAZIL sold JESSE & MOSES BRAZIL, Jr.
the SW SE Sec. 31 and NW NE Sec. 6 and SW Fr. Sec. 31, 2N 16W.
MOSES & MATILDA BRAZIL to WILLIAM DYER, for $550, an 80-acre
tract (N & SW & S1/2 fr NW fr ¼, Sec. 5, 1n 16W)
JESSE BRAZIL of bastrop County, Texas, sold WILLIAM GRUMMETT 40
acres (SE SE Sec. 23, 2N 17W) for $75.
MOSES & MATILDA BRAZIL sold (their daughter) ELIZABETH ANN
CHASTAIN a 40-acre tract (NE NE fr Sec. 6, 1N 16W & N fr NW Sec.
5) for $500.
November 2, 1869. MOSES BRAZIL and JESSE BRAZIL sold WILEY B.
FOWLER 40 acres (SE SE Sec. 31, 2N 16W) for $600.
November 7, 1869. MOSES & MATILDA BRAZIL sold the NE NE Sec. 26
and NW NW Sec. 25, 2N 16W to J.N. Chastain for $100.
As you can tell from the value (and perhaps, by the
location) of these properties sold by MOSES & JESSE BRAZIL, the
father and his eldest son were selling their “home places” in
preparation for their permanent move to Texas.
Their motives for doing so are probably complex. JESSE’s
health demanded that he live in a frier climate than Arkansas’
(he contracted malaria while in Confederate service) and his
doctors advised him to leave Arkansas or die. (As it was, his
life was shortened by at least one or two decades as a result of
his two war wounds, the malaria, and the rheumatoid arthritis it
led to. He returned periodically to take the hot mineral baths
at Hot Springs, but to little avail.) MOSES & MATILDA had
sustained frightful losses in the war—two of their four sons
dead; at least one son-in-law dead; their eldest son permanently
crippled; the loss of much of their property (through the
convesion of their money to worthless Confederate notes); and a
complete revolution in their society, which toppled them from
their former high social position and put Yankee “Carperbaggers”
in control. Add to that the fact that they wanted to be with
their eldest and youngest sons (the two survivors of the war) in
Texas and perhaps we accout for their willingsess to move away
off to South Texas. At any rate, it is obvious that MOSES &
MATILDA made a mistake by moving to Texas, away from the places
and people they knew so well (including all their surviving
daughters) to a place where they were total strangers. The fact
that they lived such a short time after arriving in Texas is
evidence of that.
Federal Census of 1870. Bastrp[ County, Texas )page 304)
BRAZIL, JESSE 44M Farmer Illinois
JANE 35F Keeping house Tennessee
M.F. 20F Arkansas
ELIZABETH 19F “
JESSE 10M “
MARTHA 7F “
LAURA IDA 1F “
TOWNSEND, GEORGE 23M Farm Laborer
Arkansas
BRAZIL, MOSES 67M At Home Kentucky
MATILDA 67F Keeping House Kentucky
CORDELIA 16F Arkansas
M. E. 13F “
JESSE 12M “
H. T. 10F “
R. P. 8M “
BRAZIL, MOSES 24M Farmer $200 “
WILLIAM C.21M “
(The census taker made a mumber of mistakes on these schedules,
so that it is difficult to sort the people out properly.
Apparently, though, all the children listed with MOSES & MATILDA
were (with the exception of their own son, MOSES BRAZIL, Jr.)
orphaned children of their son, JAMES. Perhaps one or two of
them were orphans of another BRAZIL who was killed in the war.
Since none of them moved to San Saba County later on, they either
married and moved away or returned to Arkansas.)
August 9, 1870. JESSE and MOSES BRAZIL bought a 100-acre tract
“situated partly in Fayette and Bastrop Counties about 15 miles
west of the town of La Brange” (about five miles southwest of
Smithville) from NANCY JANE SAWYER for $1500. The tract was
located on Barton’s Creek.
February 4, 1872. After having gone out one cold night to take
care of a farrowing sow, MATILDA JANE ALLEN BRAZIL caught a cold,
then pneumonia, and died this date. (testimony of her grandson,
RICHARD ALLEN BRAZIL.)
April 3, 1872. MOSES BRAZIL died this date of inluenza.
according to RICHARD ALLEN BRAZIL, he was buried in a family plot
overlooking Barton’s Creek, but neither his nor his wife’s graves
have ever been found, even though they were supposedly marked
with stones.
December 7, 1872. JESSE BRAZIL was appointed administrator of
his father estate, since his father died intestate.
May 6, 1873. The appraisal of MOSES BRAZIL, deceased’s estate:
50 acres of land at $15 per acre $750
One bay horse, fifteen years old 75
One dun horse, ten years old 60
One sorrel colt, two years old 50
Seven head of stock 35
Seven head of hogs 21
Household and kitchen furniture 100
$1091
MOSES BRAZIL, Jr. was bonded as administrator this date in the
sum of $2200. (Fayette County Probate Records)
February 9, 1874. MOSES BRAZIL, JR., sold JESSE BRAZIL half
interest in the 100 acres above mentioned for $400 in gold.
Dear Cousin Keith,
I read over the data listed under “Braswell Quarterly” on the webpage
and found only minor errors. The typos any intelligent reader can figure
out; a couple of errors in fact, which has since (1973) been corrected
are:
1. The Julian calendar began on March 21, not 25.
2. The exact date of RICHARD BRAZIL’s death is not known, only “c.1842”.
The November 5th date was the death date of another ancestor, REUBEN GAGE,
who died in Saline County on that date (11/5/1842).
3. The daughter listed on the 1790 Census of Greenville District, SC for
VALENTINE BRASWELL had to have been MARY ANN (“Polly”) who later married
ANDRE ST. JEAN, the French furtrapper, in St. Clair County, Illinois
Territory, in 1805.
4. The explanation of the 1810 Census of Clear Creek, Randolph Co.,
Illinois Territory, has GEORGE born in “1872” which was obviously c.1782.
5. The middle name “LIGHT” given to my ggf, JESSE BRAZIL, is bogus, based
on accepting the wrong Confederate service record of another, different
JESSE BRAZIL who served in the 19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (our JESSE
served in the 2nd Texas Partisan Rangers (cavalry)......
Evidently this summary of my lineage’s primary records was one I gave
Cousin Klute Braswell of Berryville, Arkansas, for use in his book, about
1973. It reflects the state of my research to that point, and is a good
introduction to other Braswell researchers to this cousin (CAREY). Thanks
for sharing it with the membership!
CAREY
This Research Provided to “The Braswell Family” by Carey Bracewell.
The Braswell Family
http://www.pbmo.net/suburb/braswell/
Keith Braswell braswell@pbmo.net
THE ANCESTRY OF CAREY H. BRACEWELL
-
Stanley
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 90876
- Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 12:01
- Location: Barnoldswick. Nearer to Heaven than Gloria.
THE ANCESTRY OF CAREY H. BRACEWELL
Stanley Challenger Graham
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
Stanley's View
scg1936 at talktalk.net
"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
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