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Butler (Brayne) Thompson (1704 - 1758)

Butler Thompson formerly Brayne aka Spotswood
Born in St Margaret, Westminster, Middlesex, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Wife of — married 11 Mar 1725 in St. Mary le Bone, Middlesex, Englandmap
Wife of — married 9 Nov 1742 in Culpeper County, Virginiamap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 54 in Culpeper, Virginiamap
Problems/Questions Profile managers: Honi Kleine private message [send private message] and Wanda Richards private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 11 Jun 2010
This page has been accessed 2,956 times.

Biography

Butler Brayne was a daughter of Richard Brayne, Esq., of Westminster and his wife Anne Bignold. Her baptism, with her first name given as Butler, was recorded in the parish record of St. Margaret's in Westminster 9 October 1704.[1]

Butler was first married 11 Mar 1724 (Julian) to Alexander Spotswood, past Lt. Governor of Virginia. The couple settled in Germanna on the Rapidan River in Spotsylvania County. Butler became the mother of four children by their marriage. Alexander Spotswood named his beloved wife Butler as an executor and guardian of their minor children in his will dated 19 April 1740.[2][3][4][5]

Children:
  1. John Spotswood
  2. Dorothea Spotswood
  3. Robert Spotswood
  4. Anne Catherine Spotswood

Butler's mother was an heir of James Bignold of Shere, Surrey, England. Butler and her three sisters were thereby heirs to a landed estate in England which was deeded in 1691, conditioned by a mortgage for the lifetime of a still living Mrs. Anne Bignold, to Richard Brayne and his wife. Per transcribed deeds and power of attorney these parcels of land were largely contained in the villages of Shere and Gomshall in the County of Surrey, and perhaps the Manor of High Cheer in the County of Berkshire.[6][7][8][9]

The following is an excerpt from a letter penned by her dear friend Reverend John Thompson. It was first published by Dr. Philip Slaughter in his History of St. George's Parish and again in his his Genealogical and Historical Notes on Culpeper County, Virginia. This letter was clearly written to Lady Spotswood, perhaps in response to her household's adverse opinion of a pending engagement to her apparent wooer.

“Now, if I can make it appear that the ministerial office is an employment, in its nature most honorable and in its effects most beneficial to mankind, I hope your objections will immediately vanish and that you will keep me no longer in suspense and misery, but consummate my happiness.

I make no doubt, Madam, but that you will readily grant that no man can be employed in any work more honorable than immediately relates to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to the salvation of souls, immortal in their nature and redeemed by the blood of the Son of God. And therefore if a gentleman of this sacred and honorable character should be married to a Lady, though of the greatest extraction and most excellent personal qualities, (which I’m sensible you’re endowed with) it can be no disgrace to her nor her family…

And therefore, Madam, your argument being refuted, you can no longer consistently refuse to consummate my happiness."[10]

Butler, as the widow of Alexander Spotswood, remarried in 1742 to the Rev. John Thompson who, as we have seen, became Minister of St. Mark’s Parish (1740). By this second marriage she became mother to two additional children. [11][12]

Children:
  1. Ann Thompson b. at Germanna 1744 d. 1815 m. Francis Thornton of the Falls. Their only son, Francis Thornton m. Sally, daughter of Col. Innes
  2. William Thompson

Butler Brayne Thompson died in 1758 and the Rev. John Thompson remarried in 1760 to Elizabeth Rootes, a daughter of Major Philip Rootes.[13]

Sadly it appears Butler Brayne's own life was over-shadowed by the importance of the men she married. The date of her birth has not been found. She was still living when her son John Spotswood made his will, dated 6th May 1756, and he referred to the lands she and her 3 sisters inherited in England (see transcribed will). Whether her name was "Anne" Butler Brayne or simply Butler is also questioned by some. The will of Alexander Spotswood and deed records prove her name was indeed Butler and she had an elder sister named Anne who did not marry and remained in England. A letter penned the 8th September of 1762 by Judge Edmund Pendleton for her nephew John Benger, who was the son of her sister Dorothea (Brayne) Benger, named her "Butler" and made mention of her being dead. Deeds made by her grandson, Alexander Spotswood, in 1776 and 1778, certainly indicate his grandmother was Butler Brayne.

Will of John Spotswood, [her son] transcribed from Will Book B page 389

Spotswood, John, Spotsylvania Co., dated May 6 1756. proved Dec 5 1758. Wit. Jane Somerville; Dorothea Benger; Lucy Dixon; John Taylor, Junr.; Jno Carter; Joseph Stewart; James Taylor. Ex. wife Mary Spotswood, John Robinson, Esqr., Col. Bernard Moore; Col. John Champe; Mr. Edmund Pendleton; Mr. Roger Dixon; Mr. Nicholas Seward. Legacies, wife Mary, use of mansion house, and my coach and six, with coachman and postilion and household goods etc.; to my daughter Ann £1000 sterling; to my daughter Mary £1000 sterling, in compliance with the authority given me in the will of my deceased father, Alexander Spotswood, Esqr. Whereas my father, by his last will, did give to his son Robert Spotswood £3000 sterling, ~to his daughter Anna Catherina £2000 sterling, and to his daughter Dorothea £2000 sterling, to be raised by the sale or mortgage of his lands, and I finding it necessary, in order to raise the said fortunes, to sell divers parcels of land, among the rest I sold or conveyed to Col. John Thornton, 7 tracts containing in the whole 9,048 acres of land, and afterwards I purchased the said 7 tracts of land of the said Col. John Thornton, I give the said 9,048 acres of land to my son John Spotswood, also to him that tract of land which I bought of Ambrose Grayson, also all my part of the Estate in England, which will descend to me and my cousin, John Benger after the death of my mother and three sisters. To my son, Alexander Spotswood to inherit the land left to Mary Spotswood at her death, or second marriage. Codicil to the afore going, dated May 6, 1756 with the same witnesses as to the will, directs that all his children be maintained and educated out of the growing rents and profits of his estate, until they arrive at the age of twenty-one years, or day of marriage. To his goddaughter, Mildred Dixon, daughter of Roger Dixon, £100 sterling.[14]

Letter of John Benger, son of Butler's sister Dorothea

"Capt. William Fox:

Sir,- Herewith you'l receive a letter of Attorney to Capt. William Johnston and yourself jointly & severely, by which you are empowered and hereby empowered to make enquiry in the first place in the following lands & estate lying in Sheire in the County of Sussex [actually in Surrey]- viz- A meadow containing 7 acres lying between Gumshall Marsh on the North & the highway leading from Hoe to Gumshall Hill on the East, and the way leading from Tower Hill to Shiere on the South [many small parcels of land contained in letter]... You will please to observe, these several lands & c., were settles by Deed bearing date, 29th April, 1691 by Anne Bignold, Rich'd Brayne and Anne, his wife (subject to a mortgage of £300) upon Anne Bignold for life- remainder to Brayne, and his wife, and heirs of body. The mortgage is, I suppose, long since paid off. Mrs. Bignold, Brayne, and his wife, are all dead, and Mrs. Brayne's issue was four daughters, Anne, Diane, Dorothy, and Butler. Dorothy intermarried with Elliott Benger, gentleman, and with her husband, is since dead, and I am her son and heir. Butler intermarried with Major-General Spotswood, and afterwards married John Thompson (Clerk). She is dead and Alexander Spotswood, infant, is her grandson and heir, and is now in England. Anne and Diane remained in England and never married. They received the rents of this Estate, and regularly remitted to their sisters in Virginia, their parts of it, until 4 or 5 years ago, since which I have not heard from them... "[11] [15][16]

Alexander Spotswood, Power of Attorney, transcribed from Spotsylvania County Records Deed Book J

May 16 1778. "Alexander Spotswood of 'New Post,' Spotsylvania Co. Province of Va, Esqr., grandson and heir at law of Butler Spotswood, dec'd, late wife of Alexander Spotswood, late of Va., aforesaid Esqr, dec'd, and which said Butler was one of the four daughters and co-heiresses of Richard Brayne. late of St. Margaret's Parish, City of Westminster, Gent., and Anne his wife, before her marriage called Anne Begnold, Spinster, sometime before and on the 14th Feby, 1775, entitled to lands in the Manors of Greenshall, Tower hill, and Grunshall Netty in Co. Surry, England, and in Manor of High Cheer in Co. Berks in Eng., willing to sell the same, for that purpose made Chas. Mortimer of Fredricksburg, Spts, Va., Doctor of Physic, Jno. Hopkins of Paternoster Row, London, Druggist, and Christopher Taddy of same place, Druggist, my true and lawful attorneys," etc., etc. Mentions certain deeds of lease and release made by him the said Spotswood and Elizabeth his wife, to the said Attorneys, for the better perfecting of the sale of sd. lands, "and whereas, advise of the sd. Attorneys, the sd. Spotswood, did further appt. Thos. Frost, the younger, Yoeman, and James Estone, Cordwainer, both of Shierre in Co. Surry, Eng., his attorneys, and also appt. Wm. Bray of Gt. Russell Street in St George's Par., Bloomsbury, Middlesex, Esqr., and Rich'd Bullock of Cross Street in Westminster, Gent., etc., etc. and whereas, the troubles then existing between Gt. Britain and America interrupted all intercourse, etc., by these powers of attorney, might be affected, etc., during the suspension of Government, etc. Robert Jardine, now of Fredericksburg, Va., Mercht., formerly of New Bond Street in London, etc., agreed to purchase all the lands aforesaid of the sd. Spotswood for the consideration of £1989 curr. of Va. The sd. Spotswood hereby conveys the sd. lands to the sd. Jardine, etc., etc. No witnesses. May 21, 1778."[17]

The following quit claim deed was made by William Thompson, heir of Butler Brayne by her second marriage to Rev. Thompson, to George French and his wife, Ann Brayne Benger, jointly with her sister Dorothea Brayne Benger, these being his second-cousins, Dorothea Brayne's grand daughters by her son John Benger, and grand nieces of Ann Brayne, and Butler (Brayne) Spotswood-Thompson.

Quit Claim Deed of William Thompson, transcribed from Spotsylvania County Records Deed Book J

June 14 1780. "Wm. Thompson of Spotsylvania Co., Gent., to Dr. George French of Fredericksburg and Ann Brayne, his wife. Whereas the sd. Ann Brayne jointly with her sister, Dorothea Brayne Benger, as dau. of John Benger, late of Virginia, are intitled to and seized of a moiety or 1/2 of an Estate in lands in the Co. of Surrey England, which came to them on the death of Ann Brayne, late of the City of London, England, sometime dec'd.; the other 1/2 of which Estate came or descended to Alexander Spotswood, Esqr.; and whereas, the sd. land is suppose to be liable to an encumbrance of £200 ster., etc., by virtue of a deed of Mortgage, 1/2 of which the sd. heirs are bound to pay in order to exonerate the land, etc., and whereas the sd. Ann Brayne, dec'd., was in her lifetime intitled to the sd. mortgage money, etc., and made her last will and testament with a codicil thereto by which, after bequeathing some special legacies, she gave the residuum of her Estate to be equally divided between the sd. Wm. Thompson and 4 other legatees, etc., and whereas it is the opinion of the Council, that the sd. £200 ster. is to be looked upon as part of the sd. residuum of the sd. Ann's estate and as such be divided among the residuary legatees aforesaid of whom sd. Thompson is one and intitled to 1/5 part, etc. Witnesseth the sd. Thompson in consideration of £40 ster., relinquishes any claim, right or title he may have to the sd. mortgage money, to the sd. George French and Ann Brayne, his wife, etc. Witnesses, Andrew Buchanan, George Buckner, James Somerville. June 15, 1780."[18]

Research Notes

Note: Discrepancy regarding name, date of marriage, parents.

Anne Butler Brayne aka Jane Butler, Butler Bryan (Brayne)

From: Genealogy of the Spotswood Family in Scotland and Virginia During the year 1724, Governor Spotswood married Ann Butler, daughter of Richard Bryan, Esq., of Westminster. She derived her middle name from James Butler, duke of Ormond, her godfather. (Note: Alexander Spotswood was replaced as Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1722).

According to another source below their marriage took place in 1624.(Greene). This seems improbable since her husband Alexander Spotswood was born in 1676.

From Wikipedia: Returning to London, Spotswood married Anne Butler Brayne in March 1724/1725, but was back at the 'Enchanted Castle', Germanna, by 1729. He served as Deputy Postmaster General from 1730 to 1739, and died on 7 June 1740 at Annapolis, Maryland.[19]

There is some verbal discrepancy between the authorities about the name of the lady whom Governor Spotswood married. Bishop Meade, upon the authority of a daughter of General Alexander Spotswood, says the her name was Jane Butler, sister of the Duke of Ormond. Charles Campbell, says that her name was Butler Bryan (pronounced Brain), daughter of Richard Bryan of Westminster, and her Christian name was after Jas. Butler, Duke of Ormond, her godfather. On the other hand, several of her descendants have said that Mrs. Spotswood was a daughter of Richard Brayne. The name of Butler Brayne has been perpetuated in this branch of the family to the present day.

During the year 1624, Governor Spotswood married Ann Butler, daughter of Richard Bryan, Esp of Westminster. She derived her middle name from James Butler, duke of Ormond, her godfather. The governor now resided at Germanna.[20]

Sources

  1. St Margaret’s Church, Westminster, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1934, Ancestry.co.uk, Ancestry sharing image of parish register
  2. [1] Will of Alexander Spotswood. Orange Co. Will Book 1, p. 131. FHL Film # 007645702, image 85/474.
  3. Americans of Royal Descent https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101072361700&view=1up&seq=95
  4. Genealogy of the Spotswood https://archive.org/details/genealogyofspots00camp/page/14
  5. Sons of the Revolution in State of Virginia Quarterly https://books.google.com/books?id=-OcQAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA48&lpg=RA6-PA48&dq=alexander+spotswood
  6. https://archive.org/details/jstor-4241835/page/n1
  7. The Buckners of Virginia and the Allied Families https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=h0obAAAAYAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA150
  8. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9PC-Q3P2?i=443&cat=108280
  9. https://archive.org/details/somewestsurreyvi00judguoft/page/n21
  10. History of St. Mark's Parish https://archive.org/stream/genealogicalhist00gree#page/n37
  11. 11.0 11.1 Green, Raleigh Travers, 1872- [from old catalog],Slaughter, Philip, 1808-1890. History of St. Mark's Parish, Culpeper County, Virginia. [from old catalog].Sponsor: Sloan Foundation. Contributor: The Library of Congress on Archive.org Genealogical and historical notes on Culpeper County, Virginia: John Thompson
  12. Encyclopedia of Virginia biography https://archive.org/stream/encyclopediavir02unkngoog#page/n174
  13. A history of St. Mark's Parish, Culpeper County, Virginia, with notes of old churches and old families https://archive.org/stream/cu31924010323511#page/n191
  14. https://archive.org/details/virginiacountyre01croz/page/16
  15. https://archive.org/details/jstor-4241835/page/n1
  16. https://archive.org/details/cu31924010323511/page/n19
  17. Spotsylvania County Records. Deed Book J https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9PC-Q3P2?i=443&cat=108280
  18. Spotsylvania County Records. Deed Book J https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9PC-Q3KG?i=454&cat=108280
  19. Alexander Spotswood
  20. Genealogy of the Spotswood Family in Scotland and Virginia; Author: Campbell, Charles, 1807-1876; Subject: Spotswood family; Spotswood, Alexander, 1676-1740; Spotswood family (Alexander Spotswood, 1676-1740); Publisher: Albany : J. Munsell; Call number: 31735061323055; Digitizing sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation; Book contributor: University of Pittsburgh Library System; Collection: university_pittsburgh; americana

1743 NC Orange County, Spotswood to Thompson https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BK-B9FK-2?i=412

  • [2] Crozier, William Armstrong, Ed. Spotsylvania County Records. Deed Book J (1774-1782). Genealogical Publishing Company. Baltimore, 1965. Pgs. 333 and 353 particularly.
  • [3]The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Notes and Queries, 1895-01-01. Page 339.
  • [4] Virginia county records by Crozier, William Armstrong, 1905.
  • [5] Sons of the Revolution in State of Virginia Quarterly Magazine, Volumes 1-2. page 48.
  • [6] The Buckners of Virginia and the Allied Families of Strother and Ashby by Howard Randolph Bayne. Page 150.
  • [7]Slaughter, Philip, 1808-1890. A history of St. Mark's Parish, Culpeper County, Virginia, with notes of old churches and old families, and illustrations of the manners and customs of the olden time. Sponsor: MSN. Contributor: Cornell University Library on Archive.org. Accessed by H. Kleine 27 June 2018.
  • [8] Browning, Charles H: Americans of Royal Descent, 1st edn. (1883), p. 93, XXI, Anne Butler Bryan.
  • History of St. Mark's Parish Green, Raleigh Travers, Slaughter, Philip, 1808-1890. History of St. Mark's Parish, Culpeper County, Virginia. [from old catalog]. Genealogical and historical notes on Culpeper County, Virginia.
  • [9]Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, 1853-1935, [from old catalog] ed. Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Volumes 1-5, published online by Google Books, 2006; original publisher: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915. Sponsor: Google: Contributor Harvard University on Archive.org. Accessed by H.Kleine 27 June 2018.
  • [10] Genealogy of the Spotswood family in Scotland and Virginia by Campbell, Charles. Albany : J. Munsell, 1868. page 15.
  • [11] George Walter Frye. Colonel Joshua Fry of Virginia and Some of His Descendants and Allied Families. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1966. Page 67.




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Comments: 15

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Butler Brayne-1 and Brayne-1 appear to represent the same person because: same spouse--one is missing first name
posted by Judith Fry
Brayne-1 and Brayne-79 appear to represent the same person because: These profiles represent the same Butler Brayne who first married Alexander Spotswood, secondly married Rev. John Thompson.
posted on Brayne-79 (merged) by Honi Kleine
Brayne-79 and Brayne-1 do not represent the same person because: not the same person
posted by Jewell Meadows
Jewell, please read the other profile; it clearly states she was married first to Gov. Spotswood, then to John Thompson. She also has the same father. How are these not the same person?
posted by Jillaine Smith
edited by Jillaine Smith
Brayne-79 and Brayne-1 appear to represent the same person because: These represent the same woman, married twice.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Brayne-79 and Brayne-1 do not represent the same person because: not the same person. Not the same spouses
posted by Jewell Meadows
Jewell, they ARE the same woman. She married first the one, then the other. I will repurpose the merge. Please approve it.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Brayne-79 and Brayne-1 appear to represent the same person because: These profiles clearly represent the same Butler Brayne and should be merged. The estimated birth of Brayne-1 would indicate the Governor was married to a spinster which seems unlikely considering his status. Documentation also indicates she had additional children by Reverend Thompson, not possible if born so early.
posted by Honi Kleine
All children baptismal dates from St Margarets.

Butler Braynes, Bapt. 09 Oct 1704, St Margaret, Westminster, Middlesex, England, daughter of Richard & Ann Brayne of Cateret Street St Margaret's Westminster...found no other name for Butler, supposed to have died 23 Sep 1758 Culpepper County, Virginia

Married 11 Mar 1724, St Marylebone ( London St Mary Le Bow, London, England) to Alexander Spotswood Married 9 Nov 1742, Culpepper County, Virginia to Rev. John Thompson

Sisters, Diane 19 Aug 1692 - 1771, Ann 30 Aug 1694 - 24 Jan 1775, Dorothea 19 Oct 1699...possible brothers Robert 3 Oct 1689-11 Oct 1689...Richard 12 July 1698 & William 7 Oct 1701, found no further records on them by last name Brayne

Both Diane & Ann (Ann heir to Diana's estate & L100 to go to Ann Catherina Moore her neice) left a will in which there was an income that started in 1758 being deposit in the Bank of England,

posted on Brayne-79 (merged) by Charlotte Parnell
It appears there is sufficient evidence by deed record that she was truly Butler Brayne with sisters named; Dorothy [or Dorothea], Ann and Diane.
posted on Brayne-79 (merged) by Honi Kleine
Her alleged ancestry is supplied here:

Browning, Charles H: Americans of Royal Descent, 1st edn. (1883), p. 93, XXI, #13.

posted by [Living Horace]
Sons of the Revolution in State of Virginia Quarterly Magazine, Volumes 1-2 Pg. 48

He married in 1724, Ann Butler, daughter of Richard Brayne, of Westminster, and had issue: I. Ann Catherine Spotswood (1725-1802), married Bernard Moore, of "Chelsea," King William County.

posted by Andrea (Stawski) Pack
Brayne-79 and Brayne-1 are not ready to be merged because: These appear to be the same lady but the birth date needs to be resolved.
Brayne-79 and Brayne-1 appear to represent the same person because: These profiles represent the same Lady Spotswood.
posted by Honi Kleine
Butler Brayne married Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood in 1725. The Reverend Thompson remarried to Elizabeth Rootes in 1760 so Butler Brayne passed prior to this date. Recommending, since there does not appear to be a "found" birth year, is to go with b. 1700 d. 1760 so we can get these profiles merged. I've contacted the manager of Ann Brayne about a more realistic D.O.B for her to have still been within childbearing years in 1744.
posted on Brayne-79 (merged) by Honi Kleine
edited by Honi Kleine

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