Braswells in Tennessee by Ruby King

Printed in Braswell Branches Vol. 4 No. 2 in response to someone who thought that Aaron BRASWELL and Sampson BRASWELL (who married WILLIAMS' sisters) were brothers:

My belief that Samuel Braswell is the father of Sampson who married Priscilla WILLIAMS (d./o of William WILLIAMS ) is based Samuel BRASWELL's will, which can be found on LDS Family History Library film # 1577511 item 2, "Loose Wills of Nash Co., North Carolina," will dated 30 Dec. 1794 in Nash Co., North Carolina, probated February Court 1795.

Documented proof that Sampson is the son of Samuel is found in the following deed: LDS film # 417604, Nash Co., North Carolina, Deed Bk 8 pg. 183 Fifth day of Dec. 1806, Sampson BRASWELL to Benjamin Whitfield, 608 acres on the north side of Pig Basket Creek, adj. Ellin's corner, it being the land which my father Samuel BRASWELL bequeathed to me in his last will and testament. Witnesses on this deed Samuel WILLIAMS, Hardy Whitfield, Willie Whitfield.

Howell Ellin/Ellen, neighbor of Sampson in the above deed was one of the executors of Samuel BRASWELL's estate.

Another note of interest, our Samuel WILLIAMS that married Sally BRASWELL (d/o of Samuel) had a son named Sampson B. WILLIAMS, maybe named after her brother Sampson.

The following article by Ruby King appeared the Braswell Branches Vol. IV, No. 3:

Braswells of Tennessee by Ruby King

In all my research on Samuel BRASWELL I do not find any mention of Aaron as being his son. The younger children Sampson, my Sarah, and Quinney show up in court records where Archibald GRIFFIN was appointed guardian after their father, Samuel, died. No mention of Aaron, if he was younger than Sampson he should have had a guardian record.

Archibald GRIFFIN was a court official and he was appointed guardian to many different minors. The court records of Nash Co., North Carolina show this for several years. I have not researched him to see if there is a possible family connection to the BRASWELLs. We do have GRIFFIN connections with our WILLIAMS family, so there may also be BRASWELL/GRIFFIN connections.

The Abstracts of Early Records of Nash Co., North Carolina 1777-1859 shows where the estates of Samuel’s children Micajah and Queeny were inventoried, along with Samuel and Sarah’s inventory dates. Never a mention of Aaron as being an heir of Samuel or Sarah. I wonder if he could have been a son of Wilson or Micajah, thus a nephew of Sampson and not a brother? Wilson and Micajah were apparently sons of Samuel by his first wife (her name unknown) and they were much older than Sampson and old enough to have a son Aaron’s age. Something to consider and research further.

Note from Nona: Samuel BRASWELL's first wife was apparently Mary WILLIAMS.
The microfilm numbers 419206 through 419209 are filmed from the original court records of Nash Co. Filmed by the LDS church in Salt Lake City and can be ordered at LDS branch libraries. I will not be able to order them and read them any time this year. I hope someone else can read them and send extracted information to Nona for the newsletter. It is very time consuming as they are not indexed.

Will of Sarah HUNT
LDS film #1577512

State of North Carolina, Nash County, January 10, 1782 [Note that in Abstracts of Wills, Nash Co., North Carolina, Book 1 this will was incorrectly abstracted with a date of 1792.]

This day William BRASWELL, Sen. Came before me one of the Justices for said County and made oath that he heard Sarah HUNT say on her death bed about the 20th of December last in her proper senses that her will and desire was that Jesse HUNT should have a two oats cows and one heiffer and that if Henry LONG ever returned from the war her will was that he should have three cows, one ____ bason, one bed, two ___ and one coat and ___ that if H. LONG never returns from the war her will was that the sd three cows shall go to her daughter Dicey HUNT and the bed and bason to Dicey HUNT’s daughter Morning and the clothes above mentioned to her son Jesse HUNT and that she gave the remainder of her household furniture to her daughter Dicey HUNT and the remainder of her clothing and that she gave her waring hat to her daughter Sarah BRASWELL [wife of Samuel BRASWELL]. Also the day above mentioned Judith HUNT came before me and made oath that she was present at the time the above ____ was given as before mentioned and that she heard Sarah HUNT say that her will was that her young cattle not already given should be equally divided between her son Jesse HUNT and her daughter Dicey HUNT and that she gave one ____ to her daughter Dicey HUNT as witness my hand the day and date above mentioned. Signed: Thos. HUNTER.

April Court 1782

691-The Verbal Will of Sarah HUNT proved by the Oath of Wm. BRASWELL and Judith HUNT as per the Written affidavits of the within mentioned Persons taken before Thos. HUNTER Esqr.

692-Ordered that Capt. Howell ELLIN, Thos. HUNTER Esqr and Thos. WILLIS audit & Divide the Estate of Sarah HUNT agreeable to the will & Report to Next Court.

Lineage of Ruby King
PO Box 792, Forest Grove, OR 97116-0792

Sarah BRASWELL born about 1783, Nash Co., North Carolina; died about 1850 DeKalb Co., Tennessee; married about 1809 to Samuel WILLIAMS born about 1784 Nash Co., North Carolina; died about 1848 DeKalb Co., Tennessee.

Sarah BRASWELL’s parents were Samuel BRASWELL born about 1738 Edgecombe Co., North Carolina; died about 1794/95 Nash Co., North Carolina; married Nash Co., North Carolina to Sarah HUNT born Edgecombe Co., North Carolina; died before 7 Jan. 1806 Nash Co., North Carolina.

Samuel BRASWELL’s parents were William BRASWELL born about 1708 Isle of Wight Co., Virginia; died about 7 Mar. 1785 Nash Co., North Carolina; married Bertie Co., North Carolina to Margaret DOUGHTERY born about 1708 Isle of Wight Co., Virginia; died before 7 Nov. 1794 Nash Co., North Carolina.

Sarah HUNT’s parents, although not proven, may have been Jesse HUNT born Edgecombe Co., North Carolina; died Nash Co., North Carolina; married to Sarah LONG born Edgecombe Co., North Carolina; died about 20 Dec. 1781 Nash Co., North Carolina. Jesse HUNT may have been the son of William HUNT.