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1,939. Originall Browne (Married 1st possibly to Mary Butler (a cousin of John Butler, a military leader for William Claiborne on Kent Island, Maryland); Married 2nd to Jane Brookes (#1,940) Jane Brookes (#1,940). She was the widow of Richard Hiddon who died about 1667.(Source: The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, 23, 25).

 

Born: 1648 of Richard Browne (#3,877) and Eader ___ #3,878)

Died: 1698

 

[His siblings included:

David Browne: (Married 1st: Mary (--) Blagg (--) Courts, widow of William Courts in 1682, Married 2nd: Elizabeth Webb, daugher of Elias Webb in 1690, Married 3rd: Mary Walker, widow of John Walker who died earlier that same year...1699) Born: about 1660; Died: 1730. Miscellaneous: "David died, leaving a will dated July 8, 1727 and proved August 26, 1730, in which he named four children. To his son, Original, he left 100 acres of land; to his grandson, Original Browne, he left 150 acres of land; to his grandaughter Mary Bowling, 500 pounds of tobacco; to his sons John and William, he left the land on which he then lived.)

Robert Browne: Born: prior to 1641; Died: ? Miscellaneous: "Robert Browne is mentioned in record first when he received a gift of land from his father, and second, in 1655 when he registered his cattle mark. Cattle could be registred by a young man at age 14, so it is likely that robert was born prior to 1641.")]

 

Miscellaneous Information:

"Original Browne had a considerable amount of land in Westmoreland County. On September 28, 1671, his father gave him 200 acres, representing half of the plantation on which he then lived. This was about the same time as Original's second marriage, to Jane Brookes."

"The land holdings of Original Browne continued to grow. On April 4, 1678, he received a patent for 200 acres, 'Beginning at land of John Willis; along [the property of] Mr. Foxhall; to Ned the Indians path, and along [the property of] Lt. Col. John Washington...' for having transported four persons. " [Note: It was the policy of Virgina to award gifts of 50 acres to each new settler as well as a similar gift for the person who brought him. The title to public land granted to a person by the government is called a patent.]

Two references to Original Brown are made in The Virginia County Record Publications New Series Volume 1 Westmoreland County, Edited By The Late William Armstrong Crozier, (Editor of the Virginia County Records etc. etc.) and published posthumously by Mrs. Wm. Armstrong Crozier, Published in 1913,

(1) page 95:

"Westland County Land Grants, a reference is made to Book 6
p. 631 Originall Browne Date: 1678 200 Acres"

(2) page 10:

"BROWN, ORIGINAL, 5 Feb. 1697-8; 27 April 1698
Daughter Jane Pope; daughter Judith Roe; dau. Mary Brown at age of 16; son William; Law. Abbington; wife Jane extx."

"Original Browne was a person of some distinction in his community. He was not only a large landowner but was also an officer in the militia of Westmoreland County, in charge of a troop of 52 men. He was known as Captain Original Browne until his death in 1698."

Original and Jane had four children: Jane, Mary, Judith #970, and William. (Source of information about their children is The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, chart p. 16 ).

"The will of Original Browne contains some very unusual conditions. The third from last item of this will seems to imply that Original believed his wife (then Jane nee Brookes) might attempt to defraud his children of their inheritance. Although most genealogists having knowledge of the family state that Jane was the mother of all his children, a few have interpreted this to suggest that perhaps Jane was not their natural mother; that they may have been born during his first marriage, to Mary Butler. This controversy has been compounded by the fact that Mary's date of death is unknown; the date of marriage to Jane is unknown; and the exact dates of birth of the childrn are unknown. There is one document, however, which appears to resolve the matter, at least insofar as William Browne is concerned. It is a deposition made in the Westmoreland County Court by William Browne in which he refers to Jane Brookes as his mother. This does not preclude the possibility that the younger children may have had a different mother. It is my position that Jane was the mother of all the children; however, some future research may prove otherwise). (Source of this quote is The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, p. 24 ).

"After Captain Original Browne died, Jane, his widow, married a third time to James Cambell."

 

[Note: The source of the will below is Appendix 16 of The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, pages 489 & 490.]

"Will of Original Browne
(Grandson of the first Original Browne)

Written - February 5, 1697/8, Proved - April 27, 1698

In the name of God Amen This 5th day of February in the year of our Lord God 1697/8 I Original Browne of Washington Parish in the county of Westmoreland being Sick of Body, but of Perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God Therefore, calling to mind the mortality of any body and Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die doe make and ordain this my last will and Testament in manner and form following, first & principally I give my Soul into the hands of God who gave it me and for my body I commend it to the Earth to be buried in Christian and decent manner as to my Executrex hereafter named shall be thought most and Convenient, nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again, by might Power of God and as touching such worldly estate, wherewith it hath Pleased God to bless me within this life I give and devise, bequeth, and dispose the same in manner & form following First I give unto my daughter Jane Pope one Chest of Drawers: Item I give unto my daughter Judith Roe ten Shillings of good and Lawful Money of England. Item I give unto my daughter Mary Browne, at the full age of 16 or the day of Marriage One Negro Girl commonly called Jenny to her and the Lawful heirs of her body, but if my Daughter Mary should Die before the expressed time or without an heir Lawfully begotten of her body as aforesaid that then the said Negro Girl with all her increase shall return to the next heir at Law., Item I give unto my Daughter Mary Browne One Feather bed and furniture after the manner of the aforesaid Legacy, Item I give unto my Daughter Mary Browne two cows and calves after the manner of the aforesaid Legacy, Item I give unto my Son William Browne One riding horse two Saddles, bridle halter, one case of Pistols and a pair of Holsters and one Bayonett, Item I give unto my Son William Browne, one mair of three years old with her increase, Item I give unto my Son William Browne all my guns in General. Item I will that after my legal debts are paid that my son William Browne have the equal half of all my Cattle that shall remain, both Male and Female with their increase, Item I will that my said Son William Browne have likewise half my Stock of Hoggs and half my beding Brass Pewter and Iron Potts;Item I will that my Said Son William Browne have One of my best ---Tables with half my table linen, half my chairs & two of my best Chests,Item I will that said Son William Browne have my Bible and all the rest of my books. Item I give unto my Son Wm Browne two Negroes named Coffey and Diana, to be delivered to him at full age of Twenty & One with all their Increase from this time to that and their increase afterwards, to him and his heirs, but if my said Son should die before he comes to the age of One and Twenty or after should die without any heir of his body, that then the Said Negroes with aforesaid Increase, and every particular legacy, which I have unto my aforesaid Son William Browne to return to the next heir at Law. Item I give unto my beloved wife Jane all the residue of my Estate both of Cattle horses hoggs corn Tobacco, household Goods and all manner of my Estate whatsoever excepting what I here next give: Item I give Lawrence Abbington all of my wearing Cloaths in general, Item it is my will and pleasure that my Executrex shall first Pay my debts and then my legacies, Item it is my will and pleasure that my beloved Wife Jane be full and Sole Executrex of this my last Will and Testement, But if my said Wife should in any case Imbezzell make away or Strive to defraud my said Children of any part or Parcell of any of the mentioned legacies which I have given them, then it is my desire that my esteemed friends, Captain Lawrence Washington and W. Caleb Butler whome I empower & Intrust as overseerers over my Children and their estates, to take my said Children & their Estates into their Custody, and I desire my said two overseers carefully to look after my said Children and their estates during their Minority, untill they come to the specified time which I have left them of age, Item It is my will and Pleasure that if Mark Cullum should have opportunity of getting the Place of a Ship Master that my Son William Browne be bound to him during the time that I have left him to be of age provided he followeth the Seas as Master; but if the said Mark Cullum should not attaine the office aforesaid, that then my Son William Browne the last four years expiring of his age be bound apprentice to a Carpenter Millwright or Joyner. Item I doe hereby utterly disallow, revoke and annull all and every other former Testaments will Legacies, Executors or extrixes, by me in any wise before this time named willed and bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming This and none other to be my last Will and Testament, In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale above the other side of this above whole upper Sheet of Paper mentioned.

	******
Original Browne	*seal*
	******

Signed Sealed Published pronounced and Declared by the said Original Browne as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us. Lawrence Abbington, Edward Lambey, John Higdon

Westmoreland County At a court held for the said County the 27th day of April 1698.

This Will was proved by the Oaths of Lawrence Abbington and John Higdon and a Probate granted to Jane Browne Exec. therein named and the Will ordered to be Recorded.

Teste

James Westcomb."

[ Note: Lawrence Abbington, to whom Original willed all his "wearing Cloaths in general" was likely his brother-in-law. Lawrence Abbington was the husband of Lydia Brookes, Original's wife's half sister. Lawrence Washington, named above as one of the men Original wanted to oversee his children and their estates, was George Washington's paternal grandfather and a neighbor of Original.]

 

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