Sarah (Fenn) Bray (1660 - 1716)

Born 22 Mar 1660 in Middle Plantation, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Claiborne — married 1680 (to 7 Oct 1683) in King William County, Colony of Virginia

Wife of Thomas Bray — married 1684 (to 1716) in New Kent, Virginia

Descendants

Died 18 Oct 1716 at age 56 in New Kent County, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Sarah (Fenn) Bray was a Virginia colonist.

Sarah Fenn born in 1660 was the daughter of Samuel and Dorothy Fenn. Marston and Middletown Parishes formally merged into Bruton Parish on 18 April 1674. She was mentioned in her father's will.

She first married Thomas Claiborne, son of Secretary William Claiborne and Elizabeth Butler. They had one son Thomas Claiborne born 1680. Thomas Claiborne died of an Indian arrow wound in 1683. Her second husband was Colonel Thomas Bray, son of Colonel James Bray and his wife Angelica.

She passed away in 1716.

Marriages

(1) Lt. Col Thomas Claiborne.^[1]

The marriage is referenced in a deed, dated March 5, 1659, from Ralph Simkins and Susannah, his wife, to SAMUEL FENN (whose daughter SARAH married THOMAS CLAIBORNE, a son of the renowned WILLIAM CLAIBORNE), conveying 37 acres of woodland, "except two acres, part thereof, given formerly by the said Simkins to the use of parishioners of Middletown Parish, and on which a church is now building". In 1674 the parish of Marston was joined to that of Middletown, and the united parishes became known as "Bruton Parish".^[2]

(2) Capt. Thomas Bray

Burial

Saint Peters Episcopal Church Putneys Mill New Kent County Virginia, USA Originally buried at New Kent County. Later reinterred at Hollywood Cemetery with her husband.

Sources

Adventurers of Purse and Person": THOMAS CLAIBORNE, born 17 August 1647, died 7 October 1683, of "Romancoke," in that part of New Kent which became King William County, 1702, patented 2000 acres in New Kent, 1665 and 1677, and served as lieutenant colonel of militia. He is said to have received in a war with the Indians an arrow wound from which he subsequently died. He married, by 22 August 1681, SARAH FENN, daughter of Samuel and Dorothy Fenn, with whom he conveyed to Otho Thorpe the Fenn plantation at Middle Plantation, excepting two acres, "on which the parish church of Bruton lieth." She died 18 October 1716, aged 56 years, 6 mos and 27 days, having married 2) Captain Thomas Bray. She founded a scholarship at he College of William and Mary." Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Claiborne, of King William, was born August 17, 1647, died October 7, 1683. In 1665 he received a grant of 500 acres New Kent county, and in 1677, 1,500 acres on the "upper forks of York river." He also served against the Indians, and is said to have been 'kelled by an arrow' (Campbell's History of Virginia, p. 324.) He was buried at ROMANCOKE, King William, where his tomb remains bearing the arms: Arg Cheverons interlaced in base, a chief of the last; and the following inscription: "Here Lyeth Interred ye body of Lt. Col Thomas Claybourne Son of Col. Wm Claybourne He departed this life ye 7th day of October Anno Domi 1683 Aetatis Suae 36 1 Mo : & 21 D."

St. Peter's Parish Vestry Book of New Kent County, Virginia, pages 93, 111, 343, 351, 352, 422 http://wvancestry.com/ReferenceMaterial/Files/The_Vestry_Book_and_Register_of_St._Peter%27s_Parish_New_Kent_and_James_City_Counties_Va_1684-1786.pdf

• Virginia Settlers and English Adventurers
• Abstracts of Will, 1484-1798, and Legal Proceedings, 1560-1700, Relating to Early Virginia Families by Noel Currer-Briggs printed in Baltimore by the Genealogical Publishing Company 1970
• My Virginia and North Carolina Genealogical Exchange," by Forrest Davis King

Thomas Bray married Sarah Fenn, daughter of Samuel Fenn, of Middle Plantation, Williamsburg (who gave two acres for a church), and widow of Capt. Thomas Claiborne, of King William county ^[3]

Sarah Bray, founded a scholarship at William and Mary College. "Madam Sarah Bray departed this life October 18, 1716"^[4]

1. ↑ Bible Records, Mss1D2988aSect2, indexed in "Virginia, Historical Society Papers, 1607-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ7L-BN7 : accessed 13 March 2016), Thomas Claiborne, 07 Oct 1683; Death, citing Virginia, United States, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond. Digital Folder Number 004839656, Image Number 00502
2. ↑ William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 3. (Jan., 1895), pp. 169-180. Section on BRUTON CHURCH.
3. ↑ (Va. Mag., I., 317; Quarterly, III., 77).
4. ↑ (St. Peter's Register, New Kent county).

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53118147/sarah-claiborne