A BRASHEAR(S) FAMILY HISTORY, VOL. 1
The First 200 Years of BRASHEAR(S) in America
by Charles Brashear and Shirley Brasher McCoy

"A BRASHEAR(S) FAMILY HISTORY, VOL. 1   The First 200 Years of Brashear(s) in America", the first volume of A BRASHEAR(S) FAMILY HISTORY, is AVAILABLE..


WARNING!  Don't mistake this for something it isn't.  This is a book about descendants of Robert and Benois Brasseur, French Huguenot immigrants to Virginia, c1635, whose surname was Anglicized as Brashear.  Over the years, many branches of the family added an "s" to make is Brashears.  Benois Brasseur was naturalized in Calvert Co, MD, in 1662, and became known as Benjamin Brashear; he is the progenitor of virtually all Americans with surnames Brashear, Brashears, Brashares, Breshear(s), Breashear(s), Broshear(s), Beshear(s), Boshear(s), Beshires, often Brasher, Brashers, Brashier, Brashiers, sometimes Brazier, and about 35 other spellings.

Also, this only treats the first 200 years of the family, mainly in Virginia and Maryland, from about 1635 to about 1835, except that the Western Maryland chapter comes up to the last few years.  I'm working on other books that will bring many of the Brashear(s) lines down to more recent times.  Vol. 2, for example, will be ROBERT C. BRASHEAR OF NORTH CAROLINA AND SOME DESCENDANTS IN TN, KY, MO, TX, ETC.  I'm already nearly finished with that one, but don't know when I'll be able to afford to have it printed.

There are 60% of the order done in Hard-cover and 40% in Paper back; so you have a choice.  The book is 7" by 10", 336 pages long (16 pages of front matter, including contents and a review of the deBrassier Family of Carpentras, France; 300 pages of text (see contents below); and 20 pages of 4-column index--about 3500 entries).  The cost is only $35 for the hard-cover, and $25 for the paperback.  That includes the packaging and postage, but California residents (sigh) will have to add 7.75% sales tax.  Sorry, but the State of California requires this.

Send a note, saying which version you want and where you want it sent, along with the money, to

               Charles Brashear, Books Etc
               2380 NW Estaview Circle
               Corvallis, OR 97330-1066
               phone: 541/738-2685
               e-mail: brashear@mail.sdsu.edu   


Visit the Charles Brashear website: www.charlesbrashear.com

The books will be mailed out shortly after I get your request (and payment).

If any of you want to order a gift copy for your favorite library, I'll knock $12.50 off the price (that is, you pay $22.50 for the hardback), and I'll send it to the library in your name.  Just tell me which library, or let me pick one.

Well, inundate me with orders, please.  Pass the word on to all your friends and relatives!  Copy this and mail it to people like grandmothers, cousins. Here's a run-down of the contents:
 
CONTENTS
PREFACE 
viii
WARNING 
ix
The deBrassier Nonsense
 x
Some of Our Conventions: 
xiv
1. ROBERT BRASSEUR, THE HUGUENOT IMMIGRANT
1
TO ISLE OF THANET, THEN VIRGINIA
3
LAND RECORDS AND HEADRIGHTS
5
ROBERT BRASSEUR's FAMILY
8
ROBERT BRASSEUR's DAUGHTERS
11
PERSIDE BRASSEUR and JOHN COBREATH?
11
KATHERINE BRASSEUR and MARK CLARE? 
12
MARTHA BRASSEUR and WILLIAM MOSELEY
14
MARGARET BRASSEUR and THOMAS JORDAN 
15
MARY BRASSEUR and JAMES BIDDLECOMBE 
21
2.  BENJAMIN (BENOIS) BRASSIEUR, The American
23
UPPER BENNETT
25
BENJAMIN BRASHEAR, CITIZEN 
30
BENJAMIN'S ESTATE 33
MARY, WIDOW OF THE CLIFTS
33
MARY'S PRENUPTIAL ARRANGEMENTS
37
FAMILY OF BENJAMIN (BENOIS) and MARY BRASSIEUR
39
BENJAMIN BRASSEUR/BRASHEAR JR
39
JOHN BRASSEUR/BRASHEAR
40
ANNE BRASSEUR and WILLIAM DALRYMPLE
41
Jeannette (Dalrymple) Tucker/ Kent/ Williams
42
SUSANNAH BRASSEUR and MAREEN DUVALL
43
ELIZABETH BRASSEUR and JOHN SELLMAN
45
MARTHA BRASSEUR and HENRY KENT
46
MARY BRASSEUR and CHRISTOPHER ELLIS
49
3. JOHN BRASSEUR, of Nansemond Co, Virginia
50
JOHN'S MOIETY OF ROBERT'S ESTATE
52
Land Records in Surry Co, VA
53
Records in Nansemond Co, VA
54
JOHN BRASSEUR'S FAMILY
55
JOHN BRAZER Jr and ANN GRILL
56
JOHN BRASIER III and ELIZABETH HOLT
60
JOHN BRAZIER IV and ELIZABETH SIMMONS
62
4. THOMAS BRASHER, of Cecil Co, MD
65
LAND RECORDS IN MARYLAND
65
SPECULATIONS
69
5 ROBERT BRASHEUR, II, "Elder"
70
POSSIBLE FAMILY
70
THE SQUABBLE OVER ROBERT'S WILL
71
6. ROBERT BRASHIER, III, The Improvident
77
ROBERT'S POSSIBLE WIVES AND FAMILY
77
ROBERT'S WILL & ESTATE
80
ASSOCIATED FAMILIES; WARING
82
ASSOCIATED FAMILIES: BILLINGSLEY/ PAGET
84
ASSOCIATED FAMILIES: SPRIGG
88
7. THREE BROTHERS OF MARYLAND:
92
BENJAMIN BRASHEAR Sr and MARY JONES
92
THE JONES PUZZLE
93
BENJAMIN'S LAND RECORDS
94
Family of Benjamin Brashear Sr and Mary Jones
95
THOMAS BRASHEAR, Innholder
96
SAMUEL BRASHEAR Sr and ANN  JONES
98
SAMUEL'S LAND RECORDS
98
CARPENTRY AND CHURCH RECORDS
101
Family of Samuel Brashear Sr and Ann Jones
103
THE WILL OF SAMUEL BRASHEAR
104
ELIZABETH BRASHEAR and JOHN TURNER Jr 
107
ANN BRASHEAR and THOMAS BROWN Sr
109
ROBERT BRASHEAR IV
109
PROVING METES AND BOUNDS
110
Family of Robert Brashear IV and Mary _____,
114
THOMAS BRASHEAR and ANN HYATT
116
CHARLES BRASHEARS and Charles Brashears Jr
117
WAYMACK BRASHEARS and MARY MULLICAN
119
8. BENJAMIN BRASHEAR Jr and REBECCA WALKER
121
The Walker Connection
122
Family of Benjamin Brashear Jr and Rebecca Walker
123
JOHN WALKER BRASHEAR & MARY WELLS
124
Some of Richard Wells Brashears' land transactions:
126
Some other Land Transactions:
128
BENJAMIN BRASHEAR V
129
A SHOCKING DEATH, Miss Dorcas Brashears,
130
9. JOHN BRASHEAR "Junior" and MARY DOWELL
131
DOWELL-TYDINGS-SPARROW
131
JOHN BRASHEAR'S LAND RECORDS
133
NATHAN BRASHEARS Sr & ESTHER SAPPINGTON
141
BENJAMIN BRASHEAR VI and MARY _____
143
JONATHAN BRASHEAR Sr and ESTER _____
144
WILKERSON BRASHEAR SR and LURANA _____
145
WILKERSON BRASHEARS Jr, 
147
Judge James Russell Brashears
150
ZADOCK BRASHEAR and ELIZABETH SPARROW
151
THE DISPOSAL OF "BRASHEARS PURCHASE"
152
10. WILLIAM BRASHEAR "Senior" and SARAH WALLINGSFORD
156
WILLIAM, WILLIAM, WILLIAM--Some Revisions
156
The Wallingsford Connection
158
WILLIAM BRASHEAR, the Young Scapegrace
160
LIFE AT "MAJOR'S LOTT"
162
MOVE TO VIRGINIA?
166
11. Speculations About DOWELL BRASHEARS, His Family
169
THE "EXTRA" JONATHAN BRASHEARS,
171
WILKINSON/WILKERSON BRASHEARS,
172
JOSHUA "James" BRASHEAR and ANN CHEW
173
ZADOCK BRASHEARS and ELIZABETH DRANE
174
ZADOCK BRASHEARS Jr, of Cumberland, MD
175
12. SAMUEL BRASHEAR Jr and ELIZABETH BRASHEAR
177
SAMUEL BRASHEAR III and RACHEL BRASHEAR
180
JOHN BRASHEAR & SARAH TILGHMAN(?)
181
CASSANDRA "Cassie" BRASHEAR and CHARLES DUVALL
182
ELIZABETH BRASHEAR and BASIL LUCAS, 
183
BARTON BRASHEARS and JEMIMA _____
184
WILKINSON BRASHEAR and HANNAH BROWNE
186
MORRIS BRASHEAR Sr and MARY ELIZA HOLMES
187
MORRIS BRASHEAR Jr 
188
JEREMIAH BRASHEAR Sr and ESTHER BELT/ RACHEL GREEN
189
JEREMIAH BRASHEAR Jr & JEMIMA ?BOWLING
191
BELT BRASHEAR and AMELIA DUVALL
191
13. JOHN BRASHEAR "Senior" and RUTH WALKER
193
Isaac Brashear
201
John Brashears, Son of John
205
Basil Brashear
205
A Generation Later?
205
14. HARD TIMES IN MARYLAND: TWO BROTHERS GO BROKE
207
ROBERT C. BRASHEAR and CHARITY DOWELL
207
Mortgages
208
Arrested for Debt
209
Move to Fairfax Co, VA 
209
BASIL BRASHEAR and ANN BELT
210
Early Debts
212
Basil Jumps Bail
213
Migration to North Carolina
214
15. WILLIAM BRASHEAR "Junior" and PRISCILLA PRATHER
215
Prather Family
216
MOVE TO FREDERICK COUNTY, MD
219
CAPT. WILLIAM BRASHEAR Jr 
221
Dr. BELT BRASHEAR and ANN COOK 
223
CAPT. ELY BRASHEAR and JULIA MAGRUDER
225
Lt. REZIN BRASHEAR & his four wives
226
16. WILLIAM BRASHEARS, The Millwright, and MARGARET CARR
229
BENJAMIN BRASHEARS & SARAH MILLER
230
WILLIAM BRASHEARS IV & SARAH PURTLE
232
THOMAS BRASHEARS & REBECCA HOOD
234
ANDREW JACKSON BRASHEARS and CASSANDRA EWING
235
WILBUR BRASHEARS and SUSAN M. RUTH
236
Stray: WILLIAM C. BRASHEAR, Commander, Texas Navy
237
Vansville/Beltsville Strays
239
17. JOHN BRASHEARS, III, and MARY POTTINGER
241
The Pottinger Connection
242
Some Land Records
244
Move to Piscataway
245
JOHN POTTINGER BRASHEARS and ANN PUMPHREY
247
GASSAWAY BRASHEARS I
250
FRANCIS BRASHEARS I
251
BALTIMORE STRAYS
253
Frank Lee Brashears, unidentified stray
254
Benjamin W. Brashears, unidentified stray
256
Gassaway Brashears II & Amelia Laws
256
18. SOME BRASHEAR FAMILIES OF WESTERN MARYLAND
260
JOSHUA BRASHEARS JR
261
OTHO BRASHEARS and RACHEL HARDING
264
CHRISTIAN H. BRASHEAR and MARY DEMSEY/ ANNA D. CAIN
265
ZACHARIAH A. BRASHEARS and SARAH JANE CHANEY/ SARAH HARSHER
268
JAMES WILLIAM BRASHEARS and ANN ELIZABETH BRAWNER
269
ANDREW JACKSON BRASHEARS and SUSIE M. BOWERS
275
RUSSELL B. BRASHEARS, grandson of Zachariah
278
RICHARD BRASHEAR and ELLEN CLARY
278
SAMUEL ELIAS BRASHEAR and MATILDA FARVER
282
OSBORN S. BRASHEARS and RACHEL DORSEY
284
CORNELIUS BRASHEARS and CATHERINE BRASHEAR
286
FRANCIS E. "FRANK" BRASHEARS and EMMA CATHERINE LOWMAN
289
ERWIN W. BRASHEAR and BERTIE ALDRIDGE
290
GURNEY EUGENE BRASHEARS and MARY RIGLER/ ADA LENNORA MAIN
292
ALFRED C. BRASHEARS and GRACE V. LONG
296
CORNELIUS OSBORNE BRASHEARS and CHRISTINA ELIZABETH GOSNELL
296
RICHARD J. BRASHEARS and SARAH ANN CAIN 297
SOME FAMILY FRAGMENTS 299
THOMAS BRASHEAR and LOUISA ROHR 299
Hannah Brashear and Joshua Hood 299
Arnold L. Brashears and Anna G. Haney 299
STRAY DATA 300
INDEX 301


               Charles Brashear, Books Etc
               2380 NW Estaview Circle
               Corvallis, OR 97330-1066
               phone: 541/738-2685
               e-mail: brashear@mail.sdsu.edu   


Visit the Charles Brashear website: www.charlesbrashear.com

 





 



Since 2 September 1998
(last update Nov. 15, 2006)

DISCLAIMER: The author makes no guarantee as to the accuracy of any information provided in this document and is not responsible for any consequences of its use. Most of the material is based upon factual information, but some of the material related to individuals may be the author's opinions.