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3,879. Henry Brookes (Married 1st: Joane Saxton (from England and believed to have been born about 1615; Shortly after her death, Henry remarried). Married 2nd: Jane Rokeby (#3,880) (Widow of David Wickliffe, Sr. who died in late 1642. Henry and Jane married in late 1644 or early 1645) (Source of information in blue on this page is The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, pages 11, 18, 19).

 

Born: Circa 1610 of Unknown Father (#7,757) and Unknown Mother (#7,758)

Died: 1663

 

[His siblings, if any, are unknown:]

 

Miscellaneous Information:

Henry was born in England about 1610. He "came to America, reaching St. Mary's County, Maryland by 1642; possibly as early as 1638." His will (dated June 21, 1662) stated that he was a "shipwright' by occupation."

Between 1634 and 1654, residents of St. Mary's County, Maryland included Richard Browne (#3,877), David Wickliffe and his wife, Jane (#3,880) (who would later marry Henry), Henry Brookes and his wife Joane, and others. "There is little doubt that all these individuals were acquainted and quite possibly may have been close friends..." [Note: Henry's daughter Jane #1,940) would later marry Richard Browne's son, Originall Browne #1,939).

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.

"The initial move to Virginia was to Northumberland County and, on October 14, 1657, Henry Brookes patented land on Pope's Creek in Westmoreland County." Henry's family along with others arrived in Virginia to start a new life away from religious intolerance they had experienced in Maryland.

"The availability of land did not extend to men only. A patent for 450 acres of land was granted to Mrs. Jane Brookes for having transported eight others to live in Virginia. Together, Henry and Jane built a substantial landed estate in a very desirable part of the Pope's Creek area with prestigious neighbors on all sides; neighbors who would leave their marks on the history of our country."

"Henry Brookes lived in the Pope's Creek area until his death in 1663, at which time he left a will in which he bequeathed property to his wife, Jane, and to other members of his family."

Pages 465 - 473 of The Wroe and Chancellor Families Compiled by William Clarke Wroe, 1992, include maps published in 1942 by David W. Eaton in The Historical Atlas of Westmoreland County, Virginia. To see maps of Henry Brookes property, click here.

Henry and his first wife had two daughters: Lydia, born about 1640 in St. Mary's County, Maryland, and Dorothy, born about 1642 in St. Mary's County. "By some accounts, Henry and Joane may have also had a son, Emanuel." That could not be confirmed by William Clark Wroe who compiled The Wroe and Chancellor Families in 1992.

Henry and his second wife, Jane, had one daughter, Jane #1,940), who was born prior to 1650 and possibly as early as 1645.

Quoted from RootsWeb's World Connection Project:ID 17665:Contact: Tom Hamm, Jr. 3 Feb 1662/63: Brooks, Henry, shipwright. Will, Westmoreland Co., VA, 21 June 1662, 3 Feb 1662, My wife Joane to be extx; my daughter Dorothy Brooks; my grandchild Lidia Abbington daughter of Lawrence Abbington; to Henry Saxton my godson and his father Nicholas Saxton; my daughter Jane Higden (#1,940); my daughter Lidia Abbington; Richard Cole to be overseer. From Virginia County Records, Westmoreland Co, edited by Crozier, Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, 1971, page 3.

 

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