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Print PreviewJohn Brawley (1)
Born: Abt. 1720 in Cecil County,
Maryland
Died: Abt. 1798 in Wythe County, Virginia
Mother:
Father:
Married: Mary Guy 1764 in Cecil County, Maryland. She was born 1742 in Maryland, and died 1813 in Wythe County, Virginia.
Children:
- Barbara
b. 12 Mar 1760 - James
b. 1766, Cecil County, Maryland
d. 1854, Wythe County, Virginia - Martha
b. 24 Apr 1766, Maryland
d. 1844, Campbell County, Tennessee - John
b. 1772, Montgomery County, Virginia
d. 1837, Montgomery County, Virginia - Mary (Polly)
b. 1774, Montgomery County, Virginia
d. Abt. 1814, Claiborne County, Tennessee - Elizabeth
b. Abt. 1777
m. John Wooden, 2 Mar 1797 in Greenbrier County, Virginia
Sources and Additional Information:
Will of John Brally, 25 Sep 1795, named daughters Martha, Barbara, and Polly
Subject: Brawley
Date: 01/16/2000 2:25:32 AM GMT Standard Time
From: vipfit@3wave.com (vipfit)
To: jrogers722@aol.com
I descend of the Bralley/Brawley family, which emigrated from Ireland to the American colonies in 1761, eventually settling on Lead Mine Mill Creek in 1769-1770. My line of descent is as follows:
1. John Bralley (1740?-1798) &
Mary Guy
2. James Bralley (1765-1854) & Hannah Smyth
3. John S. Bralley (1797-1866) & Jane Ann Carter
4. Mitchell Carter Bralley (1826-1898) & Victoria Logan
5. John S. Bralley (1856-1937) & Louemma Williams
6. Edgar M. Bralley (1886-1928) & Mary Ellen Cox
7. Edgar A. Bralley (1929-1989) & Ruby L. Roberts
8. Edgar M. Bralley (1953-) *myself
Edgar Bralley
Bristol, VA
I am a lineal descendant of John Bralley, Sr. who settled in the Valley of Virginia in 1769. His wife was Mary Guy. Their children were (1) James Bralley (1765-1854) who married Hannah Smyth, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Smyth; (2) Martha Bralley (1766-1844) who married Benjamin Rodgers, Jr.; (3) Barbara Bralley, who married Joseph Hoge; (4) Mary Bralley , who married John Rodgers (brother of Benjamin Rodgers above) and (5) John Bralley, Jr., who married Martha Hoge (sister of Joseph Hoge above). This branch of the family stems from the ancient sept of O Brolaigh of Derry in northern Ireland. John Bralley, Sr. came to the colonies by way of Cork, according to family tradition. Records indicate he was in Philadelphia, PA by 1761 and eventually settled on 379 acres of land in what has become Wythe County, VA. Anyone may reach me by writing to
Russ Bralley
1608 Lee Highway
Bristol, VA 24201
e-mail at vipfit@3wave.com
Subject: Bralley/Brawley Updates
Date: 4/14/2001 4:18:12 AM GMT Daylight Time
From: vipfit@chartertn.net (vipfit)
To: JRogers722@aol.com
Datei: CecilCountyin1795.zip (4524129 Bytes) DL Zeit (32000 Bit/s): < 39
Minuten
Here is a copy of e-mail I just sent to Mary Kegley in Wythe County, VA. I think it is now safe to assume that Martha Bralley, daughter of John Bralley of Wythe County, VA was born at Octorara Hundred in Cecil County, Maryland in 1766. Tell me what you think.
Russ Bralley
13 April 2001
Greetings Mary:
I just returned from the Hall of Records in Annapolis where I undertook research to ascertain once and for all whether our old Wythe ancestor, John Bralley, Sr. came from Maryland (as has been suggested) or Pennsylvania (which is what I suspected.)
The reason I'm writing is twofold: (1) to share with you my excitement at actually discovering John Bralley in Cecil County, Maryland almost right on the PA/MD border; and (2) to send you several pages from the history of Cecil County, MD. If you glance at those pages you will notice many Wythe County names, such as Porter and Ewing, etc. in these various lists.
It appears that John Bralley apparently lived in Octorara Hundred right before he came to Wythe County, VA. Here's what I discovered:
1. When James Bralley told the census taker in 1850 that he was born in Maryland, he was telling the truth. James was 84 in 1850, placing his birthdate in 1766. (His sister Martha Bralley was also born in 1766.) In 1766, a "John Bralley, " living in Octorara Hundred, Cecil County, signed a petition "for a road from Fulton's Ferry (or Ball Fryar.) At that time the boundary was in dispute between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Neighbors signing the petition were James Porter, William Ewing, Sr., Samuel Ewing, Robert Porter, Robert Ewing, Patrick Ewing, Robert Porter, Robert Ewing, Thomas Love, Jno. Middlefield, Richard Gay, Wm. Ewing, Samuel Gillespie, Nat. Gillespie, Will Gillespie, John Ewing, Charles Regan, Jas. Graham, Jas. Buchanan, John McCay, Luck Packok, John Porter, Jno. Gillespie, Daniel McCay, John Bralley, Char. Simy, Ralph Sime, and Andrew Rogan. Many Wythe names here.... (see attachment.) On the attached old map you will see a settlement called "Porters" and "Ewings." Octorara Hundred is in the upper left hand side on the eastern shore of the Susquehana River at the Pennsylvania state line.
2. The name "John Braley" is also found on List of Taxables in Octorara Hundred Tax List in 1766. (see attachment.)
3. Right before he left for the western waters, he was apparently still living in the same location in Cecil County. He is mentioned under the name "John Brawley" in an Administration Account of the Prerogative Court of Maryland where he received money "in Pennsylvania currency" from the estate of William Husband. The date on document is 12 June 1769. He is found on Wythe tithable lists beginning in 1770. Also his land on Lead Mine Mill Creek was "settled in 1770." I believe he relocated to the frontier between 12 June 1769 and whenever the 1770 tithable list was taken by Herbert.
4. On a list called "Insolvents in St. Mary Ann's Parish in 1756" I notice the name Hugh Brawley in Octorara Hundred, Cecil County, Md. It is possible that this is some relation to John, perhaps even his father, uncle or brother.
5. On a list called "Taxable persons in Cecil County, 1752," I also notice the name Hugh BRayly.
I have copies of two legislative petitions from Montgomery County, VA (1780's) which clearly show two examples of John Bralley's signature and they are exact duplicates. He always signed in a strong hand "John Bralley." I now intend to obtain a copy of the 1766 Cecil County road petition to compare signatures. Part of my excitement stems from the fact that our family claims to come from Cork, Ireland and there was a will from 1732 in Cork for "Hugh Brawly of Cork." Now I find another Hugh Brawley in Maryland in the exact same location where John Bralley appears in the 1760's. Could it be.......
The History of Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens says:
"David A. Brawley, county judge and county commissioner of Kanawha County, who has also carried on a prosperous hardware business in Charleston for thirty years past, was born in Big Sandy district, this county, December 2, 1855, a son of Henry T. and Susan (Snyder) Brawley. His great-grandparents on the paternal side came from County Cork, Ireland, early in the 19th century, settling in the Kanawha Valley, West Virginia. The great-grandfather was accompanied by two brothers, one of whom located in the Virginia Valley and the other at Geneva, Pennsylvania. The Brawley's of this county are all descended from one or another of these three branches. [The great-grandfather of our subject, whose name is now forgotten, had received a good education in his native land and followed the occupation of a teacher, which he continued after coming to this country. He was of a good family, most of whose male members were noted for their size and physical strength. In religion, he was a Roman Catholic. He married an Irish girl, who died in this valley, as did he also at an advanced age."
[Ref: The History of Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens, pp. 496-497, supplied to the author in 1987 by Mr. Harry M. Brawley, 1534 Bedford Road, Charleston, West Virginia 25314.]
The name of Hugh is not carried in our line, but is popular in the Pennsylvania Brawley's. It is conceivable that the Cecil County Hugh Brawley is the progenitor of all these purported branches. Who knows? This never ends, does it?
Anyway, the real reason I'm writing is to forward the attachments. Thought you might see some sort of Wythe/Cecil connection or perhaps the various lists might include someone you are researching. All the best. Thanks for your wonderful research and books. Future generations of historians and researchers don't know how lucky they are to have access to your work.
Edgar M. "Russ" Bralley
Bristol, Virginia
This page was last updated on: May 18 2008
