Will of Richard Braswell 1744 IOW Co., VA

In the name of God AMEN. The 21st day of April 1744 RICHARD BRASWELL of the County of Isle of Wight, being very sick & weak, but of perfect mind and memory: Thanks be given unto God therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament. That is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the Hand of God that gave it and for my body. I recommend it to the earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the direction of my Ex'r nothing doubting but all the General Ressurection. I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God. And as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this Life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. ITEM. I do hereby and give full Power and Authority unto my son WILLIAM BRASWELL whom I likewise make and ordain to be my sole Ex'r of this my last Will and Testament to set up and sell the land whereon I now live at Public Sale for ready money to the highest bidder and after so done I give the Money to him and my Son JOSEPH BRASWELL whom I likewise Ordain to be Ext'r with whom to be equally divided between them. ITEM, I give and Bequeath to my well beloved Daughter ELIZABETH BRASWELL, One feather bed and furniture and a horse colt a small pott, and frying pan and one short chest and two cows and calves, one small Pewter basin and two flat dishes and one pair of fire tongs by her freely to be posessed and enjoyed by her, her heirs and assigns forever after the death of my loving wife. ITEM. I give and Bequeath to my well beloved son JOHN BRASWELL after the death of my loving wife, one small feather bed and furniture one large pewter dish. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my well beloved son WILLIAM BRASWELL after the death of my loving Wife one small pewter basin. ITEM. I give and bequeath to my well beloved son JOSEPH BRASWELL, after the death of my LOVING WIFE two cows one yearling and a calf one breeding mare and her increase, and all the hoggs that he now has in possession and my own proper mark and one feather bed and furniture one large pewter basin and a small one and a pewter dish and one larger iron pot and iron wrack and a small chest. And the rest of my movable estate I give unto my loving Wife to dispose of the same or to use as she shall see fit. And I do hereby utterley disallow revoke and disanulle all and every other former testaments wills and legacies and Extrs by me in any ways before this time nam'd, willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.


Witnesses: Benjamin Johnson Jr, Joseph Woodward, Arthur Edwards

(IOW CO., VA W.B. IV P. 541)


NOTE: Richard is the son of Susannah Burgess Braswell who was married to Robert Bracewell Jr., however Richard Towle claimed to be the father of this Richard Braswell in his IOW Co., VA will in 1692 which led to the observation that the descendants of this branch of Braswells might not match the DNA Braswell haplotype.


Interestingly, Jacob Braswell whose descendants fall within the S/H DNA group was a witness on the will of John Beal whose wife Liddia is the sister of Benjamin Johnson Jr., a witness on the above will.



Additionally, John & Liddia Beal's son Drewry is named as a son in law in the will of Edmund Spencer, whose daughter Elizabeth married William Fiers, and their daughter Lucy married Elijah Braswell, whose descendants fall into the K/L DNA group, through Susannah's son James who died in Edgecombe Co., NC 1761-1765.