Thomas Bradley (1632 - aft. 1712)

Born 25 Dec 1632 in Castleford, West Riding, Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Maskew) Bradley — married about 1671 (to about 1712) in New Kent, Virginia

Descendants

Died after 1712 after age 79 in St. Paul's Parish, Virginia Colony

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Biography

Thomas Bradley was born and baptized on December 25, 1632. He was the firstborn son to Thomas Bradley Dr. of Divinity and Mrs. Francis Savile ^[1]. His birthdate was confirmed in the preface to his fathers published Christmas Sermons, "Comfort from the Cradle" as well as "From The Cross of Christ", delivered at Winchester College in December 1650, where Thomas (1632) and his younger brother Saville were at school.^[2]

The parish birth records for Thomas (1632), and his siblings are recorded in the "Castleford Parish Birth, Marriage and Burial records, which are maintained at the Borthwick Institute, in York, England.

It should be noted here, that this Thomas Bradley (1632) is not the same individual as Thomas Johannes Bradley, born 1633 and Baptised on June 14, 1633 in Yorkshire, England. The individual named Thomas Johannes Bradley, was the son of Johannes or John Bradley, of Otley, West Riding, Yorkshire, England, not Thomas Bradley rector of Castleford, Parish All Saints Church.^[3].

Thomas Bradley (1632) arrived in the Virginia Colony sometime in the year 1655.^[4], but probably as early as 1653 to 1655. This would have been sometime after he completed his secondary education at Winchester College, and during the time of the "Commonwealth" in England, which had caused great difficulties for his family.

Thomas (1632) was mentioned in his father's will in 1672 as follows: "unto my eldest son, Thomas Bradley, fifty pounds thereof if he come or authorize any to receive it for him". This clearly indicates that Thomas (1632) was alive at the time the will was written, and that he was located some distance away from his father's place of residence, such as the Virginia colony. Sailing between England and the Virginia colony took an average of 7 weeks in the late 17th and early 18th century.

There were two Thomas Bradley's in colonial Virginia in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. One resided in the area of Northern Virginia, which is now known as Richmond County. Thomas Bradley of Richmond County was primarily a carpenter and a joiner or tradesman^[5]. He was not the Thomas Bradley (1632) who was the first born son of Thomas Bradley, Dr. of Divinity and Prebend of York Cathedral, and the Thomas Bradley from whom many of the male line Bradley's in the south, descend. This can safely be concluded from the fact that Thomas of Richmond County did leave a will that is on record with the Virginia State Library.

The will was dated 9 July, 1705, and was probated on 5 September 1705. This will leaves several clues which in and of themselves may not entirely eliminate him as the correct Thomas Bradley (1632), but in conjunction with his wife Elizabeth Bradley's will dated 23 September, 1723 most certainly does. Thomas Bradley of Richmond County, leaves everything to his wife, and mentions an Elizabeth Smith, which may have either been his wife's maiden name, or his daughter's married name. The point here is that there are no male heirs mentioned in this will. In reviewing his wife's later will, once again, there are only daughters mentioned, and no sons.^[6] This is substantial evidence that this line of Bradley's ended with the death of Thomas Bradley of Richmond County, Virginia.

On the other hand, there is significant evidence that Thomas Bradley of St. Paul’s Parish, New Kent County, Virginia is the son of Thomas Bradley, Dr. of Divinity and Prebend of York Cathedral. It is well established that this particular Thomas Bradley had significant land holdings in this area of colonial Virginia. It is stated in the Dugdale visitations that Thomas Bradley was a merchant in Virginia in 1665.^[7] This Thomas Bradley was likely a tobacco merchant and perhaps a land speculator. He was also associated with Edward Bradley of St. Paul’s Parish, New Kent County, Virginia. Thomas Bradley (1632) was living in St. Paul’s Parish, New Kent County Virginia as late as 1711 and possibly as late as 1715/16. This is proven by the mention of his presence for the processioning of his and his neighbors' lands into precincts. He died sometime after September 1711/12 and prior to September 1715/16, as evidenced by land processioning records.^[8]

Thomas Bradley (1632) was listed as having 255 acres of land in New Kent County on the 1704 Quit Rent Rolls. In addition, there are copies of several land patents to this Thomas Bradley from 1690 to 1706 on record with The Virginia State Library. The first direct verifiable evidence of Thomas Bradley (1632) that can be found in New Kent County, Virginia comes in the form of land patent deeds on record with the Library of Virginia in Richmond. The first of these is a patent for 655 acres of land in New Kent County, and dated October 26th 1699. The description of this property indicates that it sat on both sides of the great southwest branch of the Pamunkey River about 3 miles north of Manheim . This would indicate that the land was most likely in an area that became King and Queen County, and later King William County Virginia. ^[9][10]

A second patent was granted to Thomas Bradley (1632) on October 23rd 1703 for 1087 acres described as follows: “begg. &c. on the north side of Chickahominy Swamp a little below the Jzeinglass Run”. This patent was granted for the transportation of 22 persons but only 15 are named in this abstract. Those mentioned are: Robert Keeble, Roger Powell, Mary Bland, Benjamin Clark, Humphry Edwards, Richard Sunderland, Mary Swan, Gideon Macon, Henry Allenson, Stephen Martin, John Meekes, Philemon Adams, Joseph Lane, Robert Townes, and Mary Palmer.^[11]

There are other land patents on record for Thomas (1632), that had not been digitized by the Library of Virginia at the time this is being written. However, for information on those and the number of persons that were transported, we can go to the first three volumes of Marion Nell Nugent’s classic land record book entitled “Cavaliers and Pioneers”

A patent for 678 acres was granted to Thomas Bradley (1632) in St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent County on October 23rd, 1703. The patent was recorded on page 577 of the county patent book. This property is described as follows: “On Stoney Run, a branch of Chickahominy Swamp; beginning at land now or late of Meachen & Killham, at mouth of Macgrit’s Branch”. This patent was granted for the transportation of 14 persons: Joseph Crosly, John Corbin, Peter Huckping, Mark Curtis, Peter Williams, Robert Palmer, William Broomfield, Nicholas Haines, Andrew Laughinghouse, Benjamin Powell, William Harrold, Hugh Salmon, Joseph Deloney, and John Dalaye.^[12]

Land patents were also granted for the transportation of one’s family and one’s own self back to Virginia. An example of this is a patent granted to Thomas on November 2, 1705 for 165 acres. This property was located among the branches of Falling Creek; adjacent to Benjamin Buckley, and Andrew Spradling’s line for the transportion of 4 persons: Thomas Bradley and his wife, and William Neverson. ^[13]

Land Patent applications were not always approved. For example, an order of the colonial general court, dated April 26, 1706 denied a patent application by Thomas Bradley and Charles Fleming for 3000 acres. The reason stated for denial of the application was that the applicants only had 38 of the required 60 headrights required for the patent.^[14]

Every four years, the parish wardens would appoint certain persons to act as overseers for the processioning of lands into precincts. This was a process in which the land patent boundaries were re-confirmed to ensure that no one was encroaching on a neighbors property, and to also ensure that patentee was assessed the proper titheables or taxes. Typically, the overseers and the patentees would essentially walk the property boundaries along with the overseer's. Edward Bradley is mentioned on several instances along with William Harris as appointed as overseer for the processioning of lands.

The following is a passage from St. Paul’s Vestry Book for Hanover County Virginia and is dated September 24th, 1708 (At this time, this time, St. Paul’s parish was within the bounds of New Kent County). “The lands of Abraham Cook, James Knuckles, John Kimbrough, Thomas Bradley and Henry Bow, lying adjacent to each other, being made one precinct, of which the said James Knuckles and John Kimbrough were appointed overseers, without any question, a true procession to which they all subscribed their names.”

These passages from 1711 indicate that Thomas Bradley (1632) was still residing in New Kent County, and that he had more than one tract of land. “The lands of Samuel Overton, James Overton, Henry Mills, Matthew Toler, Thomas Bradley, Colonel Duke, and John Glenn being made one precinct, of which the said Samuel, and James Overton, were appointed overseers, made this return, viz September ye 26th and 27th this order fully executed, with John Higgason, Robert Bumpass, Thomas Bradley, John Glenn, Matthew Toler, Joseph Pears, Henry Mills, and Roger Smith, James Overton, Samuel Overton present.”

“The lands of Christopher Hudson, William Harris, Alexander Cock and Thomas Bradley, John Kimbrough Sr. John Joyner, Phillip Joyner, Samuel Chamberlayne and Colonel Jennings being made one precinct, of which Christopher Hudson and William Harris were appointed overseers made this return, the within order fully complied with by us the subscribers,

Christopher Hudson; William Harris”

The next two passages will establish that Thomas Bradley (1632) passed away sometime between 1712 and 1716. These two passages refer to the same tracts of land as above, however, take note of the fact that Thomas Bradley (1632) is replaced in the description by a reference to the Widow Bradley.

“The lands of Samuel Overton, James Overton, Henry Mills, Joseph Pears, Matthew Toler, Widow Bradley, Mr. Duke, John Hickason, and John Glenn being made one precinct, of which the said Samuel, and James Overton, were appointed overseers, made this return, viz this order executed Mr. Duke and John Hickason’s only excepted, which promised to come, but did not, in presence of us, Henry Mills, Robert Harris, John Glenn, Samuel Overton, James Overton present.”

“The lands of Christopher Hudson, William Harris, Alexander Cock and Widow Bradley, Widow Kimbrough, John Joiner, Phillip Joiner, Samuel Chamberlayne and Colonel Jennings being made one precinct, made this return viz, this order fulfilled only nobody appeared for Colonel Jennings, Samuel Chamberlayne having no land in these parts”

“Exactly copied by John Fitsgerrald, C V, April ye 10th 1716.

As you can see, these passages clearly establish that Thomas Bradley (1632) passed away sometime after September 1712, but before September 1716. Further information contained within these vestry passages are evidence of possible relationships between Thomas Bradley (1632)’s family, and his neighbors, which included William Harris, John Kimbrough Sr. and John Glenn among others. This adds evidence that Thomas Bradley (1632)’s daughter Elizabeth was more likely to have married John Kimbrough Jr., a neighbor than John Chisum, whom we can find no mention of in St. Paul’s Parish, New Kent County. Further, as you will find in a in a review of Edward Bradley (1680), the connection between Edward Bradley and William Harris, and William Harris and Thomas Bradley, which further substantiates the connection of Edward Bradley(1680) as a son of Thomas Bradley (1632).

This offers sufficient evidence that Thomas Bradley (1632) was living in the western areas of New Kent County which later became St. Paul’s parish, Hanover County Virginia during the latter part of the 17th century, and the earlier part of the 18th century.

We know of least one daughter, Elizabeth, and she has been reported to have married both a John Chisum, and a John Kimbrough Jr. The Kimbrough legend states that Elizabeth and John married on a ship while returning to Virginia from England. We do know that Thomas Bradley (1632) and John Kimbrough Sr. were neighbors in St. Paul’s parish. John Kimbrough Jr. and his wife Elizabeth had several children, and the naming patterns that they chose for their children is consistent with the Kimbrough family tradition, that Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas Bradley (1632). For example, they named their 2nd son Thomas Kimbrough, and another Bradley Kimbrough, thereby utilizing both her father’s first and last names for these sons. There are no noted similar naming patterns for the Elizabeth Bradley who married John Chisum. I suspect that she was the daughter of some other Bradley family in the area. Also, as will be detailed later in the document, Elizabeth’s husband appears to have acquired the lands on which Thomas and his widow were living until their deaths, and John Kimbrough Sr and his wife were neighbors of Thomas Bradley (1632). Finally, I have found no mention of John Chism in New Kent County, and I find this strange, because John Chism, was reportedly an attorney. He does have a later association with Lawrence Bradley in Caroline and Orange Counties in Virginia in the 1730’s and later in Orange County.

We now know that Thomas Bradley (1632) of St. Paul’s Parish, New Kent County, Virginia had at least one son Edward, born about 1680. The family relationship of the author of this document has been confirmed as descending from Edward (1680) through the process of triangulation of YDNA with several descendants of another son of Edward (1680). In addition, modern DNA testing confirms the author of this document as descending from William Bradley, born 1505 in Bingley, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. This was determined by triangulation of autosomal DNA between the author, a second cousin, S.M. Laws of Maryville, Tennessee, and a Mrs. C. S. Medich of New Jersey, and formerly of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, along with six other distant relatives who are also descendants of William Bradley 1505 of Bingley. William Bradley (1505) was the 3rd Great Grandfather of Thomas Bradley (1632), and therefore the 4th Great Grandfather of Edward Bradley (1680).

Sources

1. ↑ “Castleford All Saints Parish Church Bishop’s Transcripts 1601 -1640 & 1661 – 1666”, page 11, Transcribed and Indexed by Maureen Humbrecht. Published by Wakefield & District Family History Society, May 2000. ISBN – 1 902022 73 4. .
2. ↑ Comfort from the Cradle, as Well as from the Crosse of Christ Being Meditations Upon Isaiah 9.6. the Substance Whereof Was Delivered in Two Sermons: Preacht at Winchester Upon the Feast of the Nativitie Last Past / By Tho. Bradley ... (1650) by Thomas Bradley (Author)
3. ↑ England Baptisms and Births 1538 - 1975, Borthwick Institute
4. ↑ United States, Transatlantic Migration © Findmypast
5. ↑ Fothergill, Augusta B. “Underwood Family of Virginia (Continued).” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 39, no. 2, 1931, pp. 167–173. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/ stable/4244410.
6. ↑ Wills of Richmond County Virginia 1699 – 1800” by Robert K. Headley, Jr.
7. ↑ “The Visitation of the County of Yorke By William Dugdale, Esq. Norroy King of Arms, Began 1665 and Finished in 1666”, Edited by Mr. Davies For The Surtese Society”, Published For The Society By George, Andrew, Durham, Whitaker and Co. 13 Ave Maria Lane,; T & W Boone 29 New Bond Street, London; Blackwood and Sons, Edinburg.
8. ↑ “The Vestry Book Of St. Paul’s Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1706” – 1786” Transcribed and Edited by C.G. Chamberlayne Published Richmond, Va. 1940 Reprinted By: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., Baltimore, MD. 1989, 1996, 2000
9. ↑ “Cavaliers and Pioneers’ Vol. III 1695 – 1732 page 31. Marion Nell Nugent.
10. ↑ Land Office Patents No. 9, 1697-1706 (v.1 & 2 p.1-742), p. 223 (Reel 9).
11. ↑ Land Office Patents No. 9, 1697-1706 (v.1 & 2 p.1-742), p. 583 (Reel 9).
12. ↑ “Cavaliers and Pioneers’ Vol. III 1695 – 1732 page 79 & 80. Marion Nell Nugent.
13. ↑ “Cavaliers and Pioneers’ Vol. III 1695 – 1732 page 103. Marion Nell Nugent
14. ↑ Library of Virginia 36138, Miscellaneous Reel 610; Title: Order of the General Court, 1706 Apr. 26. Virginia (Colony) 1706