Andersons of Colonial N. Carolina

I’ve been gathering my thoughts about this guy… I’ve found it helps a great deal to do this graphically.

See what you think… there is a lot going on here…

update…

I have been corresponding with a commenter concerning who the William Brown was that had property adjoining Anthony Lewis in isle of Wight. I submit that this removes any doubt… not only is this the adjoining property… it is property that Anthony Lewis “acquired”! Here is the page isolated.

I did not show on this map the larger chunk of property because it is well… “missing” as per my notes.

Here is my data sheet of the patent that is extant at the Library of Virginia (a search must be made using the term “browns” otherwise it will not show up):

I’ve ranted and raved about the Rogers family which migrated from Surry County, VA to Nansemond around 1700 more or less. A commenter and I went round n round for a while and produced some interesting stuff.. enough so that I think that there was some sort of a relationship… perhaps an intermarriage between the Rogers and Brownes?

I offer this tidbit to other researchers to help the speculation…

Most of my Rogers data can be found here…

https://andersonnc.com/john-rogers-notes/

TTT John Browne of Kingsale, 1639-1713, Indian Trader

The “William” mentioned above is apparently a son of Thomas Brown,,,here is his will…

Will of Thomas Brown 1718

April 1718… Albermar County… sick & weak

… to Christian… my wife… plantation whereon I now live beginning at the corner tree above the inden parth so running down the Line to potocati Creeke and so including six hunderd ackers of Land and Like wise six hunderd ackers of Litwood Land for the use of the sd plantation and for the maintanance of his children beginning? at Thomas Conners corner tree and Line and so running to bells branch and so up ye sd…

—-fold—- illegible

… wife c all my moveabel estate within and withoute untell hirr children come of age or marries then if can be spend_______? to have to cowes and calfs a peace Except my son Thomas brown when he is of age or maners? marries? the to him three cowes and calfs if they can be spard

and my dafter Sarah mackdaniel I give unto her twenty shilings

and every one of my children _______? or ______? as they come of age if (any?)(they?) can be spend

… unto son Thomas… to hunderd eakers and twenty eakers of land being and lying upon potacati Creeke

… son William the half of the upper sirveys beginning at the ____? tree swamp

… son Thomas… other half of ye sd sirveye

… son John and Edward Brown my Land that Lies on ye South side of meharin Creeke and (land that is left of the Land that I sould to George Stevins)

… son Howell and James… the sd plantation and all the land belonging after my wifes deses…

Thomas (X) Brown

Judeth (X) Perry

Thomas (X) Perry

abstract by Marc Anderson 2013

update… After reviewing this post and realizing it was “Looney Tunes” and made no sense… I now submit that it is in regard to one Morgan Lewis of Isle of Wight. My theory is that he is the father of Bridgett Lewis (she having several illegitimate sons… one of which is Anthony Lewis). I further speculate that Morgan Lewis had a brother Thomas Lewis (if not brothers then surely cousins)… I have no idea who their father may have been. In addition, the 2 brothers married 2 sisters. I think this wanton hussy (just kidding, calm down) eventually married John Browne the Indian Trader of Kingsale, Isle of Wight. So there… now I have explained myself and hopefully this Post will make sense.

Oddly enough, and much to my intrigue, this tale now involves my line (Andersons)… since I am a Bastard Brantley. Directly implicated is a relationship to Philip Brantley who married Joyce Lewis. I have not made any of this up… I am simply relating historical facts as I see them.

Perhaps Joyce Lewis and Anthony Lewis were cousins? Or brother/sister? Gasp! My Gawd… another bastard!

I’m not sure where to focus this research… perhaps a list…

Philip Brantley married Joyce Lewis

Anthony Lewis of Isle of Wight

Bridgett Lewis wife of John Browne the Indian Trader

Susanna Braswell

Both daughters of John George married a Lewis

I don’t know where to start…

The map below shows where I think Joyce Lewis originated from. She married Philip Brantley, the son of Edward Brantley. The Brantley property was situated a bit south and west of where John George lived, which could explain how Philip and Joyce Lewis became involved.

Here is the tedious trail for John George… (the creature was a lackey for Berkley during Bacon’s Rebellion. I think the Brantleys were allied with Bacon.)

I think George originally settled north of Isle of Wight near Baileys Creek (easterly of modern Petersburg), which is shown on modern maps. In his later years he relocated to “near” Lawnes Creek in IOW.

Where Bridgett Lewis wound up … near the Chown River in North Carolina… near a place called Petty Shore. Use my search button for some tidbits… search term “petty shore”.

I’ve moved him again to down near the mouth of the Nottoway River. I kept trying to plant him near a Cypress Creek in Southampton. Wrong creek. A factoid I have learned while mapping is that it is almost essential to have an “anchor” patent close by to keep you out of trouble, By that I mean a patent that you will bet money on the acuracy of its location. I finally found one in this case with the patent of Thomas Woodley located at the “mouth” of the Nottoway River in Nansemond. Once you build out from that patent… Philip Brantley just fell into place.

Brantley is top center… below Rich Williams…

The adjoining patent describes him as “Junior”… my hunch is he is a grandson of the immigrant. I think this guy married Hester Browne, the daughter of John Browne of Kingsale. Note how this area places them easily within kissing distance. John Browne’s property in the early 1700s was within a few miles northeast of here near Kingsale Swamp in Nansemond.

David Boyett stopped by and dropped off this handy dandy link…

http://www.virtualjamestown.org/indentures/search_indentures.html

I typed in Thomas Mandew and lo’ and behold… up pops some info…

Nice site… thanks David

‘course in the Isle of Wight patent of Thomas Mandue he lists a headright named Thomas Anderson and I ain’t found Nuthin’ for that guy… drat

Ca…late 1600s / early 1700s. Ken Brantley rattled my cage about this guy.

I’m pretty neutral at this moment… meaning I have not formed any opinions about this guy. So my initial comments right now are strictly about his land… and nothing about “him”, if that makes sense? I have no dog in this fight.

None of his patents have a “t” at the end of his name.

I hazard a guess that the 1689 patent “on the Blackwater River” was deserted by said James Bryan. My reason is obvious… note that William West got the land in 1705. Also because Bridgman Joyner and Henry Applewaite also deserted the land. correction… commenters have stated Bryan held on to the 1689 land and later sold it off (I stand corrected and have revised my map)

Note Philip Brantley in the upper Left Corner. (my reason for this particular map)

I’ll also include this patent because it references the name James “Brian” and is adjacent in 1692. It seems to me this gives a clue to how his name was pronounced in 1700s… for what its worth. This particular patent is perplexing because I do not see any way for me to draw in the missing parts to include going from “Beaver Dam” to “Kingsale” to the beginning? … a head scratcher… welcome to my world. (smiling)

marc

Note for the 1702 patent. I was mistaken that the 1702 patent which was adjoined by Richard Williams was for a “Samuel” Bryant… I now am convinced it was this JAMES Bryant.

---

David Boyett has chimed in with the theory that the early Bryans(t)s may have been imported as indentured servants via Britton England… he has some links to his site in the comments…

The 1652 patent to John Bryan (possibly the “Agent” who did the importing) is referenced by this map which shows my attempt to find “Indian Creek” which was a branch of the Nansemond River.

I will attach the John Bryan 1652 patent which references William Storey and John garrett.

James Bryan in North Carolina. The 2 Chowan patents.

from this source:

https://www.nclandgrants.com/q/?sbj=Bryan%2C%20James&cyid=24&xs=1

I think I picked that up as a kid in West Texas… it has stuck with me faithfully through the years.. much like a bad smell.

So… most of you know I spend time tracking down Indian Traders… its what I do (TTT).

I’ve crossed paths with one William Gray and son in early Isle of Wight (which became Southampton in 1743). And I suspect these guys were all over the place… including Oconeechee Neck, Bath County… and they hob-nobed with Thomas Whitmel, Arthur Kavenaugh, Robert Hix and numerous other suspects… including the Tuscarora and now Nottoway and Meherrin Indians. They got around. Little did I realize how astute this commenter was… perhaps he will stop by again with some other tantalizing dirt… er, facts.

John Gray… mystery merchant…

Frances Morgan (my esteemed commenter) … take a bow… (clapping wildly with much whistling and excitement)

he notes:

“From the same Mary Best Bell book of Bertie deeds, you will find records to prove that John Gray and brother William Gray were from Surry Co, VA. Henry Jones (Sr) and (son) Frances (Francis) Jones witnessed two of his earliest deeds in 1723. Some of John Gray’s land adjoined the land of Henry Jones Sr and wife Catherine Judkins in the Oconeechee Neck on the N side of the Roanoke. Henry was an Indian trader who was first granted land in the neck in 1711/12 but didn’t move his family from Surry Co until 1725. Catherine’s father was Samuel Judkins Jr, son of Samuel Judkins Sr and Lydia Gray, daughter of Thomas Gray Sr the immigrant to Jamestown. You will not find this in published sources, but it has been proven and is on file with the Jamestown Society. When Henry Jones Sr and Catherine Judkins left Surry Co in 1725, they sold her inherited share of the 800 acre Thomas Gray grant to William Gray Jr. Her nephew, William Dennis, and cousin James Judkins also sold their inherited shares to William Gray Jr at the same time. Purse and Person misquoted the will of John Gray concerning this land which created a lot of confusion. Boddie confused a later Lydia Gray with the earlier Lydia Judkins which created even more confusion. No one ever checked the actual records and discovered these mistakes. William Gray Jr did leave a will. He did not name a son John but did have a son John who predeceased him and left a will of his own. So this John Gray that you found and his brother William Gray could not be the children of William Gray Jr. Perhaps they’re from the next younger generation. Robert Hicks was an Indian trader, and Henry Jones Sr was also an Indian trader, so I’m guessing this John Gray was probably involved in the Indian trade business at some point too.”

I’ve chronicled John Browne the Indian Trader… (see Pages)

I’ve been thoroughly confused by what is apparently one of his daughters… namely Hester Browne. Or… (always leave an escape route when pontificating)… this Hester could be his grand daughter.

Since I am a Bastard Brantley and must dutifully report on their shenanigans… I am reporting now that I think this Hester Browne married Philip Brantley … my brand new ancestor as it were.

Well… Philip Brantley “Junior” to be precise. (My guess is this is a grandson of the immigrant from IOW… not sure yet?)

How can this be you ask incredulously? The bedraggled old Indian Trader was living a life of luxury in North Carolina while the Brantley’s were eeking out a meager existence near the Meherrin River in Southampton VA. How did it transpire that this witchingly scandalous daughter of the dastardly Indian Trader seduced the hapless farmer?

Those Indian Traders got around… gnome sane? Course, I suppose I should tread lightly with my innuendoes… some first cousin liaisons seem to be dangerously close. It seems John Browne Sr married secondly or thirdly (who the hell knows) to one Bridgett Lewis. Bridgett hailed from Isle of Wight as best I can tell, and may have been acquainted with the family of the original immigrant from IOW… one Edward Brantley, et al. Interestingly all these “players” seem to coalesce around a swamp in Southampton at about the same time that the floodgates of immigrants from Virginia poured across the Blackwater River just after 1700 when the taboos were lifted. Its hard to keep the boys on the farm once they’ve seen the big city lights.

Anthony’s Delight was the name of the swamp. I’ll show a close up after this…

So my theory goes..

note… my commenter “Bill” has agonized over the birthdates of Anthony Lewis and Bridgett Lewis. (he is a LEWIS guy so he has skin in the game)… Bill thinks these two were brother/sister. I am ensconced firmly on the fence and refuse to relinquish my position! Gadzooks! (that was for my buddy David… he likes the word)

an update… to explain the very perplexing William Browns of this era… both were Indian Traders, but they can be separated…

The Surry County guy usually sported a militia rank… such as Maj. (just think chicken… Col Sanders)… crap, now I’m guilty of just totally slandering this guy’s reputation.

The North Carolina William Brown was the one who died about 1718 near Oconeechee Neck.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/salena-zito/2021/07/20/how-bourbon-rose-from-a-humble-grain-to-embody-american-exceptionalism-n1463115

Ken Brantley emailed (he heads The Brantley Association)… mentioned he may re-visit some old Brantley stomping grounds. As I was not thrilled with my first attempt at that area it was enough to get me off my hind end to re-map the place… which I have done. My methods have improved with my pickling… er… advanced aging… so this is PDQ (Pretty Damn Close). There are two references to John Brantley having land near the Mill Pond which I cannot find a deed for? I am now assuming it was a cash purchase and not a grant… so if anyone can direct me that would be nice. Any suggestions or edits are welcome…

The focus of interest is the Flatt Swamp area. This is a 1920 USGS Topo Map showing the Pearsons MillPond. It is but a husk of what it once was (even compared to 1920) as it is almost dried up now. But the place rocked in the 1700s as you can see. Lots of barefooted and pregnant gals. (yes, I am a chauvinist pig)

Curious folks may wonder at my interest in the area… Well, it seems a romantically inclined Brantley ventured down said Flatt Swamp to Carolus Anderson’s joint near the Carolina border. Whereupon he seduced my defenseless Great Great Great Great Great, etc, Granny Elizabeth. (sister of Carolus Anderson). Then he absconded like a low down dirty rotten scoundrel… or so I have formed a rather intractable opinion. You may form your own opinion as you now know my opinion of opinions. Elizabeth eventually recovered from the encounter and married a Pitman gentleman named James… although not before birthing an illegitimate male child whom she named William Anderson… and hence my tale. Or so my theory goes. Egad! I love that word… I don’t get to use it very often.