JAMES IS THE SON OF RICHARD BRASWELL III & ELIZABETH BRYANT
"In the name of God Amen".. "being weak in body but of perfect mind and memory"... Item- to my loving wife, UNITY BRASWELL 15 shillings specie to be paid out of my estate; Item- son NATHAN BRASWELL one tract of land which I purchased of Isham Humphrey containing 100 acres also one Negro boy named (Lewis), one feather bed and furniture; Item- to my son JAMES BRASWELL one tract of land containing 132 acres lying between the lands of SOLOMON BRASWELL & Robert Fort, also my late entry of 300 acres of land adjoining the land of Jacob Fort, Wm. Sugg, Anthony Bacon, also one Negro boy named (?oll), one feather bed and furniture and one horse; Item- to my son ABNEY BRASWELL, one tract of land containing 132 acres adjoining the lands of SOLOMON BRASWELL, my own line, (Cowh??) Green's line and John Sutherlins, also one tract of land containing 69 acres which I purchased of Joseph Howell, bounded by the lands of John (Stutherlon), Robert Bignall and Henry Owen, also one Negro boy named George, one feather bed and furniture, and one (Hose); Item- to my son, BURWELL BRASWELL, the land & plantation where I now live together with the tract purchased of Thomas Grice also my late entry between said (Grice's) line and the land of Robert Bignell and one feather bed and furniture also one horse and one Negro boy named Auson; Item- to my daughter FEREBY one Negro girl named Judy; Item- to my daughter CHARITY one Negro wench named Bech, one feather bed and furniture and one horse; Item- to my daughter RACHELL one Negro boy named ( ), one feather bed and furniture, one horse, but if she should died without issue lawfully begotten or her body the same to be equally divided among all my other children; Item- to my daughter ELIZABETH one Negro boy named Ned, one feather bed and furniture, one horse; Item- daughter SARAH one Negro boy named Joseph, one feather bed and furniture, one horse; Item- all the rest of my estate to be divided among eight of my children; NATHAN BRASWELL, JAMES, ABNER, BURWELL, my daughter CHARITY, RACHELL, ELIZABETH, SARAH; Item- I appoint my son NATHAN, John Sherrod and Robert Diggs executors, signed JAMES BRASWELL, wit. Noah Sugg (proved), John Sutherland, Joseph Borden. 2 Oct 1783, date recorded Nov. Ct. 1783.
Edgecombe Wills, 1758-1830, Vol. 02 image 129 of 265
James Braswell did not indicate that any of his daughters were married in his Will. Four of the children were appointed guardians in 1784, and two of the daughters attended the estate sale using their maiden names. Burrell, Nathan and Rachel died unmarried. By the time the estate was divided three of the daughters had married.
John Sherrod was appointed an executor of James' Will and was the son of Unity and William Sherrod. This is proved by a deed wherein Unity Braswell (James Braswell's widow) and John Sherrod (Fereby Braswell's husband) sold the land they were bequeathed in the Will of Wm Sherrod in 1799.
December 6, 1783 James Braswell Estate Sale: Buyers: Charity Braswell, (unmarried) Elizabeth Braswell ( unmarried), Burrell Braswell, James Braswell Jr, Nathan Braswell, John Sherrod, Uriah Williams, Unity Braswell, among others.
February 1784 - EDGECOMBE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
John Sherrod is appointed guardian of Abner Braswell and Sarah Braswell, orphans of James Braswell deceased.
James Williams is appointed guardian of James Braswell Jr and Burrel Braswell, orphans of James Braswell deceased.
NOTE: Orphans are under the age of 21 so that means these four orphans of James Braswell deceased were born AFTER 1763.
February 7, 1785 JOHN SHERROD appointed Administrator of NATHAN BRASWELL's estate, William Bracewell and Uriah Williams security.
April 29, 1785 - JAMES BRASWELL'S ESTATE DIVIDED including the part he gave to Rachel Braswell, had she lived, among Nathan Braswell, James Braswell, Burrel Braswell, Abner Braswell, Charity Williams, Elizabeth Sutlive, Sarah Braswell, Pherabah Sherrod.
February Court 1790 - BURWELL BRASWELL ESTATE DIVIDED between his brothers and sisters, James Braswell, Abner Braswell, Fereby Sherrod wife of John Sherrod Elizabeth Sutlive wife of Joseph Sutlive and Sarah Braswell. (228 pounds and 17 shillings gives the sum of 45 pounds fifteen shillings & half penny) Probate Records NOTE that there are only five surviving children of James Braswell. Apparently Charity, the wife of Uriah Williams has died without children, as well as Rachel and Nathan.
North Carolina}
Edgecombe County} Feby Term 1785
To the worshipful Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Edgecombe
Now Setting
The petition of Unity Braswell widow of James Braswell late of the said County deceased humbly Shewith
That the said James Braswell some time in the year (blank) was lawfully married to your petitioner according to the rites and ceremonies here and in this territory that the said James Braswell was then and afterwards during his intermarriage with your petitioner seized of an Estate of Inheritance in fee simple of the Several Tracts of Land herein after enumerated and specified that is to say of one Tract containing one hundred acres lying and being on Hendricks Creek in the County afsd on the South side of Tar river which the Said James Braswell purchased of a certain Isham Humphrey of one Tract containing three hundred acres lying on the South side of Tar river in the County aforesaid being a new entry adjoining the Lands of Jacob Fort William Sugg and Anthony Bacon, of one Tract containing one hundred and thirty two acres on the South side of Tar river in the County aforesaid near Hendricks Creek adjoining the Lands of Joseph Fort and Solomon Braswell between Tar river and the head Branches of Hendricks Creek of one Tract containing one hundred and thirty two acres in the County afsd on the South side of Tar river on Hendricks Creek adjoining Grices lines Solomon Braswells and John Southerlands lines, of one Tract containing Sixty nine acres purchased by the said James Braswell deceased of a certain Joseph Howell lying on the South side of Tar River in the County afsd bounded by the lines of Robert Bignall John Southerland Henry Irwin of one Tract whereon is the manor plantation lying on the South side of Tar river in the County aforesaid containing two hundred and thirty two acres of one other Tract adjoining the said manor plantation being the Land the said James Braswell deceased purchased of a certain Thomas Grice containing One hundred and seventy five acres in the County aforesaid and of one other Tract lying in the County afsd on the South side of Tar river between the river and Hendricks Creek adjoining the Lands of Robert Bignall and John Southerland and that the said James Braswell deceased having been so siezed of the said Lands as aforesaid departed this life on or about the (blank) day of (blank) in the year (blank) whereby your petioner became completely entitled and is yet entitled to the one third part of all and every parcel of the said Lands for and during the term of her natural life as her dower in the same. Notwithstanding which the said one third part has never--- been assigned or alloted to your petitioner ---- she is and ever hath been since the death of the said James Braswell departed thereof may it therefore please your worships to cause the heirs of the said James Braswell who are of full age and the Guardians of those who are not of full age To wit and the executor of the said James Braswell to wit to be summoned to appear at the next Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions to be held for the said County on the first monday in may next to show cause if any they have wherefore your petitioners Third part as afsd should not be set out and alloted her and then your worships will cause her third part as afsd the said Lands to be set out alloted and assigned to her in such manner as is prescribed and directed by the act of ------- on that case lately made and provided. - Haywood? for p--
Probate Estate Case Files 1748–1917
NOTE: Unity is the widow of William Sherrod who died in 1778. She remarried to James Braswell before he died in 1783. Notice that Unity does not state when she married James, or the day month or year he died, but she knows ALL about the land he owned!
Unity Sherrod had a dower from her husband William Sherrod, and she sold this dower land with her son John Sherrod as Unity Braswell. Alex Bannerman, genealogist, has examined the records and he agrees with me that Mrs Unity Sherrod is the 2nd wife of James Bracewell.
It is important to note that John was underage when his father William Sherrod wrote his Will May 1, 1778, therefore John was born after 1757.
FROM WM SHERROD'S 1778 WILL:
... Item, I lend to my loving wife Unity Sherrod the use of the plantation I now live on during her natural life, Beginning at the mouth of the Sue branch then down hatchers Swamp to the mouth of the ruty branch then up the ruty branch opisat to the corner of my plantation on the north side of said branch then a south course while it strikes the path that goes from my house to Tyancoca then along sd path while it strikes my back line then along the back line while it comes right against the head of the Sue branch then to & along the Sue branch to the Beginning ...
... Item I give & bequeath unto my son John Sherrod a tract of land lying on the south side of the ruty branch beginning where the line of the land I lent the use of to my wife leaves the ruty branch then up the branch to my head line & along the head line to the corner then along the other line while it strikes Tyancoca path then along my path to where the south line of the land I gave to my son William Sherrod strikes it then along the line to the beginning ...
MARCH 9, 1799 JOHN SHERROD AND UNITY BRASWELL SELL LAND: (This is NOT JAMES BRASWELL's Land)
lying and being on the south side Tarr River on Hatchers Swamp butted and bounded as followeth (viz) Beginning at the mouth of the Rooty branch, then up the said branch to Joseph Alexanders line then along his line to -------- branch then continuing his line to and Oak the corner in Sherwoods old line then along Sherwoods line to the head of the Shue branch then down the water courses of said branch to Hatchers Swamp then down the various courses of Hatchers Swamp to the beginning Containing by estimation three hundred and eighty eight acres ...
1778 - May 1, William Sherrod's Will: Wife Unity, Sons John (underage) Wm, Jolly, Robert. Dtrs Catherine Sumner, Rhoda Coleman, Unity, Rachel. Cousin John Sherrod. Extr Robt Coleman, Jno Sumner, Jas Wilson, wit George & Olive Lynch, Wm Haywood Edgecombe. Wills 1663–1978
Robert Sherrod, son of William Sherrod and his wife Unity, moved to Logan County Kentucky, which is proved by his Rev War Pension Statement. Robert also left a Will which identifies his wife and children's names, one of whom is a daughter, Unity.
William Bracewell (whose first wife was Mary DeLoach), son of Solomon Bracewell also moved there and his family members and Robert Sherrod are in records together. William Bracewell later moved to Alabama.
An interesting fact is that Robert Sherrod did not have a son named John, but there is a John Sherrod with him in Logan County, Kentucky. It very well could be his brother who is presumed to be the husband of Fereby Braswell.
1799 - March 7, John Sherrod and Unity Braswell Sell land inherited from William Sherrod. (Edgecombe. Deeds 1798–1801 Pg 306)
1799 - April 17, John Sherrod and William Braswell are chain carriers on Robert Sherrod's land grant in Logan County, Kentucky.
1799 - June 28, John Sherrod and Thomas DeLoach chain carriers on a land grant for Thomas W Murray which mention's Braswell's line in Logan County, Kentucky.
1799 - August 13, William Bracewell of Logan County, Kentucky, POA to Jesse DeLoach to correct deeds made to Samuel DeLoach in Johnston County, witnessed by John Sherrod and Jesse DeLoach. Proved in Johnston County, North Carolina by Jesse DeLoach. (Johnston. Deeds 1798–1802 pg 37)
If you have a legitimate paper trail to James Bracewell, please contact me. Thanks! annbraswell3@gmail.com
›
Wills, 1758-1830, Vol. 02