Henry Bray (abt. 1704 - bef. 1794)

Born about 1704 in Maryland [uncertain]

Husband of Mary Ann (Wilson) Bray — married about 1730 in Maryland

Descendants

Died before Feb 1794 before about age 90 in Chatham, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Henry Bray was part of a Southern Pioneer Family.

Henry Bray was born about 1704, in Colonial Maryland. ^[1][2][3] His will was dated 17 June 1790 in Chatham Co., North Carolina. He passed away between 17 June 1790 and February 1794, ^[4] On the copy of the original will is written Henry Bray Will feby T 1794 in the corner. See Research Notes about year of birth and death.^{[5] [6]}

Henry Bray is listed in Monocosle (Monocacy) Hundred, Maryland in 1733, List of Taxables. In August 1734, his listed on "Those that had no tobacco burnt in Monoccosea Hundred." The March Court of 1736 awarded him 40 shillings because he had a "loss by fire." Henry in 1752, sold his farm animals (a bay mare, a black mare, a gray mare, a red cow & calf) to Jacob Barr, he signed by his unique mark of "HB".^[1][7][8]

He was referred to as Gentleman Henry Bray by Dr. George Washington Paschal, whether this was his actual nickname is unknown.^[9][3]

1754--According to Chatham County, NC History Book, "Gentleman Henry Bray' came to Chatham County, NC, about 1754 and built his first residence in Matthews Township about 150 yards slightly northwest of the house where Richard Bray and Matilda Schmidt Paschal live. G.W. Paschal said, "I can first remember the lot was enclosed and had a fine lawn of short English lawn grass near the house site, and around for some distances were walnut trees, apple trees, some of them said to have been brought from England, as were all the old perennial garden vegetables which were transferred to Mother's vegetable garden when Gentleman Henry moved, such things as horseradish, cornfrey, rhubarb and garlic.' About 1783 he left his first home and moved to a new place a mile or two south of Brush Creek Church. This would place our Henry in Orange County later to be Chatham in 1754.^[9][3]

30 June 1762, Henry Bray, planter, ten shillings, on South Fork of Rocky R., begin at a white oak,-------300 acres, twelve shillings rent per year, surveyed 28 November 1761, Edward Bray and Henry Bray Junr., CC. ^[10]

Marriage

Henry Bray married Mary about 1730, based on children's ages. Mary's maiden name has been assumed to be Wilson, although the only documentation is from a letter Mahala Bray Brown, wrote on 20 Aug 1891. ^[3][11]

Children

1. Edward Bray, about 1731, no baptismal record has been found, he wasn't a Quaker, so the 1720 Quaker record belonged to a different Edward Bray.^[4][12]
2. Sarah Bray, born 31 March 1732; baptized 5 June 1737.^[13][4]
3. Anna Maria "Mary" Bray born 15 April 1733, baptized 16 May 1736. Sponsors: Anna Maria Bronnerin and Maria Barbara Bronner.^[13][4]
4. Susanna Bray born 10 March 1735/6; baptized 16 May 1736. Sponsors: Dietrich Lehnich and Susanna Tauth.^[13] Not mentioned in father's will.
5. Catarina "Catherine" Bray born 26 April 1737, baptized 5 June 1737.^[13][4]
6. Elizabetha Bray born 3 November 1739, baptized 21 September 1740. Sponsors: George Schweinhardt and wife Maria Elizabetha.^[13][4]
7. Henry Bray, born 1742, died 7 January 1812, he received his father's land and two thirds of his estate.^[4][3][6]

Will

17 June, 1790
Will of Henry Bray, dated 17 June, 1790 - probate date written on corner of original will. ^[4]

In the Name of God amen. I Henry Bray of the County Chatham and State North Carolina being weak and infirm of Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be God Calling to mind the mortallity of my Body and knowing that it is appointed once for all men to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say, principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the earth to be burried in a decent Christian Burial at the discression of my Executor and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased god to bless me in this life.
I give and dispose in the following manner...
Item: I give and bequeath to Mary Bray my dearly beloved wife one Bed and furniture and her Saddle as her own property and the third part of all the rest of my household goods Chattles and moveable Estate as her own property and the use of my home Plantation so long as she continues to be my widow or as long as she pleases to live thereon except she marries...
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Edward Bray the sum of Twenty Shillings to him and his Heirs forever...
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Henry Bray my Land and all the remaining two thirds of my Estate with his paying out of my Estate the sum of five pounds to each of my Daughters, Viz. Sarah Ramsour, Mary Johnson, Catharine Jones & Elizabeth Poe, to him & his heirs forever...
I hereby constitute make and ordain my Son Henry Bray Sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannull all and every other former Testaments, Wills, Legaces, Bequests and Executors by me in any wise before named willed and Bequeathed ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Seventeenth day June One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety.
Signed Seal'd and pronounced in presence of
Thos Ragland Henry Bray Signed Henry (his "H" mark) Bray {Seal} ^[4][14]

In corner of Original Will: Henry Bray Will Feby T 1794.^[6]

Children mentioned in Henry's Will: Edward Bray, Henry Bray, Sarah Bray Ramsour, Mary Bray Johnson, Catharine Bray Jones, Elizabeth Bray Poe^[4]

DNA

Group A
Haplogroup I-M253

300662 Henry Bray d. 1794 there isn't any documentation for this death date on DNA site.^[15][16]

Research Notes

Conflations and misinformation

Some sites have combined him with another Henry Bray giving his birth year as 1681, death 1794 and that he lived 113 years.^[3] Other sites have a birth year of 1712 or 1715, but that is probably too late given the estimated birthdates of his children. Find A Grave has he was born in 1693 and died in 1794, without documentation.^[14]

Birth Date

Henry Bray's date of birth is unknown, mostly due to how many Henry Brays were alive at the same time. His year of birth is almost certainly by 1712, since he appears in the 1733 Taxables and he had to be at least 21 to be taxed.^[1][2] The estimate 1705 assumes he married around 25 years old and that the birth years of children given above are complete and accurate.

His place of birth is often stated to be in Maryland, but no documentation has been found to support this, other then the fact that he was in Maryland from at least 1733.^[3][4][17]

Parents and Siblings

He is believed to have had a younger brother named Edward Bray, who may have been born in 1720.^[12]

It is believed that there could have been two more generations of Henrys before the Henry who died in 1790-1794, those lines are still unproven. ^[2] Henry Bray signed his name in a unique way, he used the vertical line of the "B" as the right vertical line of the "H". Some sites have written that Henry placed three lines above his initials, giving rise to the belief he was the third Henry Bray, but on his will above his mark is written "his" and underneath is written "mark," there doesn't appear to be any additional lines. Unless, the extra height on the lines of the "H" and the little tail on top of the "B" are the marks?^[3]

A more credible reason to believe his father was named Henry Bray is a collection of Maryland legal and legislative records concerning the estate of |Nicholas Painter. These include the following:

• Nicholas seems to have had two wills, one made and proved in the Province Maryland, and the other made and proved in England (abstracts are on the profile for Nicholas linked in the previous sentence). The will made in Maryland on 17 April 1684 announces Nicholas's attention to leave for England and appoints Col. William Burges executor. The will made in England on 8 September 1684 states that Nicholas was of Anne Arundel County in the Province of Maryland but lately of London, and it appoints his "loving cozen" Henry Bray of London, glazier to be executor and residual heir (along with explicitly devising Henry 4000 acres in Dorchester County, Maryland).
• A 1685 petition made on behalf of Henry Bray of London ("a neere relative"), by Provincial Court Attorney George Parker (Gentleman) states that Nicholas Painter made a trip to London in April of 1684. At his departure he entrusted his estate (a plantation, Negroes, goods and commodities) to his attorney Coll. William Burgess. While in London, Nicholas made his last will and testament, dated 8 September 1684, making the petitioner [Henry Bray] his sole executor, then departed for a Maryland a few days later and died immediately upon arriving. While in London, Nicholas "became indebted to your Petitioner a considerable summe of money upon Bond" and "Coll. Burges (without any lawful authority)" detains Painter's goods and estate, including 15 able servants, and a considerable quantity of goods and merchandise which Painter transported back. The petition states that Nicholas had constituted Col. William Burgess his attorney before leaving for London, and that Mr. Burgess was detaining the estate of Nicholas Painter and also had decided to appraise it himself and undervalued it.^[18]
• On 17 February 1724, the council of the city of Annapolis heard testimony from Thomas Bordley that the clerk of Cecil County had shown Thomas earlier that month a deed bearing the date January 1723 in which grantors were

Henry Bray son and heir of Henry Bray late of London, glazier &c. Roger Painter son and heir of Roger Painter late of Handover in Hampshire, brother to Nicholas Painter &c. Katherine Painter sister to Nicholas Painter Katherine Truder &c and some others and grantee was William Vanhaesduck Riddlesden abs. William Cornwallis, with signatures by all the grantors except for Henry Bray. Earlier records show that Mr. Cornwallis had been accused of forging deeds, and this deed was being examined. Several attestations state that Katherine Painter in the deed had married one Salmon [Peter Salmon] above thirty years and that she died above seven years before the date on the deed, by which the council determined that it was a forgery.^[19]

Presumably, the rarity of the name "Henry Bray" in early Maryland has induced people to identify the Henry Bray son and heir of Henry Bray in the 1724 record with Henry Bray who appears in Maryland records beginning with the 1733 tithables list. But this is not sufficient reason in itself to make this identification.

Significant to this theory is the will of Henry Bray of Abchurch Lane, citizen and glazier in London, dated 11 October 1742, in which he devises all of his property to his son Richard Bray and to [Dr.?] Thomas Douse the Elder of Cornhill, London and to Dr. Francis Douse of [?]bury Street, his servant maid Sarah Smith, with Richard Bray the residual heir and Thomas and Francis Douse appointed executors.^[20] The occupation glazier makes it reasonable to infer that this Henry was kin to the Henry who was a cousin to Nicholas Painter. The administrator of Nicholas Painter's estate had a son Henry, and it would be unusual if the Henry making the 1742 will excluded him or his heirs, unless he had died without heir. But in that case, that son Henry could not have been the Henry of this profile, who lived far longer. While it is possible that the Henry leaving the above will was a nephew or cousin of the Henry who was executor of Nicholas Painter's estate, it does cast some doubt on the premise that executor was the father of the present man.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Lists of Inhabitants, 1733-1734, p. 368, Maryland State Papers No. 1, The Black Books, State of Maryland, Publications of The Hall of Records Commission No. 1, para. 272 in the Calendar and Prince George's County Court Records, V:98, xeroxed by Jacquie K. Hoggard in 1995
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Shulers and Others, Shulers & Others Rootsweb with sources
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} Kellam, Ida Brooks, Brooks and Kindred Families, 1950, Will & quotes from book Brooks & Kindred Families
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10} Chatham County, NC, Record of Estates, p. 4b, 5 NC State Archives film #C.002.500
5. ↑ 1790 Will of Henry Bray[1] JerryBryan.com
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} copy of originial will, in possession of P. Kreutzer, xeroxed from the North Carolina State Archives 1 May 1986 by Jacquie Hoggard, stamped on the back by NC State Archives to prove it was xeroxed from original, no tampering.
7. ↑ Tracey, Grace L., and Dern, John P., Pioneers of Old Monocacy, The Early Settlement of Frederick County, Maryland 1721-1743, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1987, p.217, 273, 274
8. ↑ Anderson, Patricia Abelard, Montgomery Village, MD, Jan 1995, Frederick County Maryland Land Records, Land Records from: Microfilm CR 37,500, Maryland State Archives, B:585
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Chatham County, North Carolina History Book, Paschal, Dr. George Washington; George Washington Paschal's papers consist of biographical information and genealogical materials on the Paschal famiiy; http://wakespace.lib.wfu.edu/handle/10339/27766
10. ↑ North Carolina Land Grants. Microfilm publication, 770 rolls. North Carolina State \ Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina.Henry Bray Issue Date: 30 Jun 1762 Residence Place: Orange, North Carolina, USA Certificate Number Range: 4-908 Description: Orange 4-908
11. ↑ Bray Nostalgia" June 1986 Vol.2, No. 1, page 4, letter of Mahala Bray Brown
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Hoggard, Jacquie, Re: Chatham & Surry Brays, January 13, 2007, https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/bray/4484/
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4} Stoever, Rev, John Casper, Early Lutheran Baptisms and Marriages in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1896, p.11
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69136222 : accessed 20 June 2019), memorial page for Henry Bray (1693–1794), Find A Grave Memorial no. 69136222, citing Bray Cemetery, Bear Creek, Chatham County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave (contributor 8) .Note: FAG doesn't have documentation concerning birth year
15. ↑ [2] Bray Surname DNA Project
16. ↑ Family Tree DNA, BRAY interpretation of DNA results https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/bray/about/results
17. ↑ First Census of the United States, 1790 (NARA microfilm publication M637, 12 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C., Year: 1790; Census Place: Chatham, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; Page: 220; Image: 135; Family History Library Film: 0568147, Henry Bray Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Chatham, North Carolina Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1 Free White Persons - Females: 2 Number of Household Members: 3
18. ↑ Archives of Maryland Vol. 5 page 465
19. ↑ Archives of Maryland Vol. 25 page 439
20. ↑ Will of Henry Bray, glazier of Saint Mary Abchurch, City of London, The National Archives, Kew ref. PROB 11/722/209, image online

Also See:

• Archives of Maryland, Volume 37, year 1730, Heir of Henry Bray, p.45, 50, 54, 102, 106, 109, 110, 112, 117, 576, 577, 592. Henry Bray Question: Was Gentleman Henry Bray the Heir of Henry Bray of 1730 in Maryland?
• FamilySearch Digital Library. Chatham County, North Carolina, Inventory and will of Henry Bray,Sr., Dec'd, 17 June 1790, "Deeds, bills of sale, inventories of estates and settlements, and wills 1779-1840." North Carolina. Probate Court,Chatham County, FHL Film #18450, FHL Digitized Film #7513247, pp. 5-6, Images 296-298 of 562. Retrieved 19 Feb 2020.

Southern Pioneer Trail Profile

This profile has been project reviewed and approved by Douglass-990 23:05, 12 July 2019 (UTC) for meeting the Southern Pioneer's Project standards for quality and accuracy.

1. The parent-child relationships have been determined to be not applicable. Parents are unknown. N/A for Pioneer Ancestor.
2. The biography is well-written, concise and meets the project's standards for quality and style and,
3. The facts presented are believed to be accurate, consistent and free of unaddressed conflicting information

This profile has been officially designated as a "Pioneer Trail Profile" (07/12/2019)