Thomas L Branson Will

Hopewell Friends History 1734-1934; Frederick County, VA
HOPEWELL FRIENDS HISTORY 1734-1934 Frederick County, Virginia
CHAPTER II THE FATHERS OF THE COLONY
page 29

Thomas Branson, 850 acres in Frederick County "Beginning at Joist Hite's corner, at the head of a small stream or branch of the Opeckon River."
Thomas Branson was the son of Thomas Branson and Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John Day. Thomas Branson Sr. also had land in the Shenandoah Valley, and by his will, probated Nov. 21, 1744, in Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey, devised it to his sons Thomas and Jacob, and describes it as "my lands on Shannandow River in Virginia which I laid out for Thomas Alexander and one called 'Scotch Robin'."
This will was probated in Frederick County, Virginia, March 5, 1744, John and Thomas Branson qualifying [p.29] as executors with Thomas Hankins and Thomas Sharp sureties. This land was near White Post, but now in Warren County; and near it Thomas Branson Jr. secured a patent in his own name for 1370 acres on both sides of Crooked Run. Near it Jacob Branson, his brother, received by patent in his own name 1000 acres. The will of Thomas Branson Sr. mentions his wife Elizabeth, sons David, Joseph, Jonathan, Lionel, William, Thomas, and John; his daughters Sarah Owin, Mary wife of Zachariah Robins, Elizabeth wife of William Rogers; his granddaughter Abigail Rogers; his grandson Thomas, son of John. Thomas Branson Jr. married Rebecca, daughter of Benjamin Borden, and John married Martha, widow of John Osmond and daughter of Thomas Antrim. William Branson, son of Thomas Sr., removed for a while to Stafford County, Va., and from him are descended the well known Branson family living until recent years near Clearbrook in Frederick County, Va.
Lionel, son of Thomas Sr., settled on Lost River in what is now Hardy County, West Va., where some of his descendants reside at this time.

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Thomas Branson

From: http://www.patpnyc.com/tbranson.htm 8/99

Will probated NJ and VA New Jersey Colonial Documents, Calendar of Wills 1730-1750 p 58 lists children as now modified.

Thomas Branson, husbandman, to Thomas Ridgway, yeoman, both of Springfield township, Burlington Co, for 100 acres there.
Source: NJ Colonial Documents, West Jersey Records, Liber B, part 2 p732 Deed 13 Mar 1702/3.

Thos Branson with Michael Newbould, Thos Douglasse inventoried the estate of Wm Mills of Springfield, Burlington Co, yeoman, 16 Nov 1714. (personal estate = L39.2.4)
Source: NJ Archives:

10 May 1731, Thos Lewis of Hanover, Burlington Co, Schoolmaster. Died intestate. Inventory notes debts due from: THOS BRANSON, Wm Rogers Jr, Jos Rogers, Dr. Wright, Steven Wright, ten others. So he must have been sending some kid(s) to school; the timing would be right.
Source: NJ Wills.

15 Jan 1731/2 will, John Scholey of Springfield, Burlington, yeoman, mentions "meadow adj Thos Branson."
Source: NJ Wills.

12 Nov 1735: Thomas Branson 850 ac beginning at Jost Hite's; head of the south branch of the Opeckon.
Source: VA Patents 16 p385:

Lord Fairfax visited Thomas Sr's home in Warren Co VA in 1734 (p 1586, court records of the Lord Fairfax land suit). "John Dyer...deposeth and saith that many years ago when Lord Fairfax entered a Caveat in the Secretary's office against granting lands to the Westward of the Blue Ridge, his Lordship came over the ledge of mountains to visit the country on this side of the Blue Ridge to the house of one Thomas Branson. That some time after his Lordship came into the house, Branson made application to his Lordship to know in what manner people should act to secure their Rights, and that he made answer it would make no difference, that it would only be changing of landlords, paying the Quitrents to him instead of the King in case that he would succeed in his suit and that he wanted to have the Country settled and further that he would not hvae any poor man quit the place for want of land and upon being asked by Branson how Mr. Hite would come off, who had an order of Council for a very large tract of land, his Lordship made answer that he would be very well, for he was desirous of having the Land settled and further the Deponent saith not."
This statement was made in 1762.


http://stefanovich.com/Branson/Thomas_L_BRANSON.html