Sarah, wife of Richard the 1st (in America) is not a Sampson! 1st of all, James Sampson, her supposed father, had a will dated 1688, and he did not name Sarah, at all. Now if he had omitted her (which he didn't), she did not name a son James. That far back in time, people were pretty good about naming sons after fathers. So,
1. No Sarah Braswell in James Sampson's will
2. No son named James in Richard and Sarah's wills.
http://braswellgenealogy.blogspot.com/2007/10/james-sampson-will-isle-of-wight-co-va.html
I suspect the following deed is where someone came up with the "bright idea" that Sarah was a Sampson. Below we have "A" Richard Braswell living adjacent to James Sampson. BUT, it's the WRONG Richard Braswell. This Richard is Susannah's son, (who was named in the will of Richard Towle) proved by the 60 acres adjacent to his brother William Braswell.
1731
- December 5, Richard Braswell, Lower Parish, Isle of Wight County, to Richard Jordan, Senr. Upper Parish, Isle of Wight County, for 1500 weight of tobacco and cask 60 acres "bounded as followeth beginning at a path called Shears Neck running from the Coblers Branch adjoining to the dividing line of William Braswell coming up to the line of James Sampson, deceased, thence down to the first station. Witnesses: Cannon, Rich. Jordan, Jr., Mary Jordan. (Copy of deed, IOW Co., VA DB 4 P. 201)
From Susannah's will:
I GIVE & Bequeath unto my Son Richard Braswell and to his Heirs the plantation I now live upon with Sixty Acres of Land I say to him and to his heirs for ever & ever I give and bequeaath unto my Son William Braswell my Old Plantation House with fforty Acres of Land joining to it out of the Hundred Acres in all,
http://braswellgenealogy.blogspot.com/2007/09/will-of-susannah-burgess-braswell-1714.html
So now we add this to our list:
3. Wrong Richard living adjacent to James Sampson
It has been suggested that Sarah's surname is Valentine. The reason is that Richard and Sarah named a son Valentine, which was not a popular given name, but it was also surname. I NEVER refer to our ancestress Sarah as a Sampson, but sometimes use (Valentine) in ( ) which suggests a lack of proof. At least everyone knows who we're talking about when we say Sarah (Valentine). The simple truth is, no one has found anything in the records which proves or even suggests that Sarah was born a Sampson.