George Braswell & Nancy Massey

From THE BRASWELL FAMILY AND ALLIED FAMILIES page 26:

Excerpts from the probate papers of George Braswell:"Petition for the sale of land; real estate of George Braswell, Snr. December 12, 1842, by James Braswell" show "that place George Braswell lived on - 117 acres on BROADMOUTH Creek" to be sold and "Tract #2 - 146 acres on Broadmouth and Reedy Creek; Tract #3 - 118 acres on Reedy Fork, South Carolina, bounded by Asa Braswell to be sold. This petition also listed George Braswell's widow was Nancy Massey Braswell." Also mentioned were 16 children, including the names of all married daughters husbands. All "consented to the sale of the lands therein described December 12, 1842." James Braswell was appointed guardian for his younger sisters, Frances and Caroline, on 12 December 1842. James must have been the family leader, as all have them.

Page 27

The Probate Court records also showed that Henry Maddox and his wife, Matilda (Braswell), also bought Tract #1 - 117 acres; Nancy (widow and mother) bought Tract #2 - 146 acres; son, George, bought Tract #3 - 118 acres; and son, Anderson, bought Tract #4 - 100 acres. All signed for and/or made their mark (X) and witnessed for each other with the final transaction being completed 17 February 1844. A point of interest among these entries was a "Toi C. (his "X" mark) Fields, in right of his wife." There was no indication of which Braswell daughter he married. On 7 January 1863, there was another entry on the court records, "James Braswell, applicant vs. Nancy Braswell, defendant"--"Nancy died intestate (without will) September, 1876"--"Letters appointing administrator granted April 5, 1877, to J.M. Strickland." There is more information from these old court records, but it is of little interest here.

George Braswell and William Jeremiah Hunt married sisters--daughters of Noel Massey. George married Nancy Massey and Jeremiah chose Zaney Massey for his wife. Records show that both were deeded tracts of land by Noel Massey, their father-in-law. This name was spelled different ways--"Massa", "Massie", "Masse", "Macey", and "Masse"--until his family changed it to Massey during the early part of 1800. According to records, these ancestors, the Masseys, were traced back to the Mathieu's in Normandy, France, and that they went from France into England with William, the Conqueror, in 1006.

Records show that Noel Mafsy (Massey) became an extensive landholder and was generally prosperous in this area prior to his death in 1834. According to land deed records, it must have been his policy to deed each of his children tracts of land, varying from 100-209 acres, as a wedding gift, and he included livestock and slaves, on occasion. This is probably how George Braswell and William Jeremiah Hunt became holders of several large-sized tracts of land prior to theri deaths. Most of Noel Massey's transactions were witnessed either by George Braswell, William Jeremiah Hunt, or Laban Massey, a son of Noel's, who was the "Administrator of Estate of Noel Massa." Laban was born in North Carolina in 1777 and married Ester (Easter) Greer, who was born in 1801 and was the daughter of Daniel Greer.

Page 28 in regard to Noel Massey, father in law of George Braswell:

Noel was a descendant of Hezekiah and his wife, Elizabeth, eldest son of John, Jr., son of the immigrant, John. Noel and his wife had nine children: Silas: dates given on previous page); Laban (1777-1856); Emilia (Millie) (1780-22 December 1851), married Burrell Strickland, died May 1829; Nancy (1781-September 1876), married George Braswell (1773-12 December 1842), my great-great-grandparents; Zaney (Zanie) (1785- 6 May 1854), married William Jeremiah Hunt (April 1777-March 1864); Simeon (1793-?); Kindred (1795-October 1843); P. Savil, or Saval (1800-?), married John Smith; and Ansel (1806-?).


From Hildon Basil Braswell's book

Related Post: Massey, Pettipool, Franklin Co., NC 1794