RETURN TO DEEPROOTS & TANGLED BRANCHES
Georgene Humphries was the first contributor to the Ancestral File for this lineage. This places her name on top of the list of contributors. However ...Georgene submitted WILLIAM BASHAW (Theory)as father of Henry Alexander Breshears, with no additional generations.
Due to other researchers matching and merging the lineage it has been corrupted.
and so this page is an effort to help people understand the error and not replicate it.
Please correct your lineage charts to reflect the correction of this error in the ANCESTRAL FILE. It gives a totally wrong connection for Henry Alexander Breshears Sr's father and grandfather.
Charles Breshears sent the information below to help with the correction to the ANCESTRAL FILE. The corrections to the Ancestral File have been submitted to GS in SLC. However, it takes time to get corrected. I understand for as long as two (2) years
I corrected it by using the FAMILY SEARCH guidelines and deleted Joseph Brashears as a forefather. Georgene deleted Judith Scruggs as Joseph's wife. Judith was wife of William BRADSHAW (Bratcher) of Burke Co., NC. I also deleted William and Sarah (COX) as parents of HENRY ALEXANDER BRESHEARS
John BRESHEARS b 1699, son of William and Elizabeth CLAYTON Breshears, is also uncle of Aquilla Brashears
Georgene's theory of Henry Alexander Breshears being descended from
616 East Ave C
Jerome, ID 83338
John BRESHEARS B 1699,
Why all these people are named is still a mystery, but it goes on to close the book on Joseph: "that the sd Joesph Brashiers, brother of sd Jeremiah Brashiers, intermarried with Patsey Beaden, by whom they had an only child called Elizabeth."
And since we can trace Joseph through land and county records in PGCo, which he never left, we can quit thinking of him as a Breshears ancestor. My current notion is that he m.1. Patsey Beaden and had one child; Patsy (Elizabeth) probably died relatively young, and Joseph m.2. Mary Cross (who may have been a widow).
Joseph's estate was administered in 1785 at first by Mary Brashears, who may have been his late-in-life second wife, or may have been his sister, who was unmarried and got special legacies in both Samuel's and Elizabeth's wills. In either case, Mary soon died (apparently) and the estate was taken over by Alexander Duvall, a Baltimore Lawyer (and probably a relative) who completed the estate in 1795.
Correction of Errors?? There is a pedigree chart in the Ancestral Files in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, which contains some serious errors. And these errors keep perpetuating themselves, because someone copies the pedigree and distributes them, thinking they've nailed down the family history. Is there a way anyone can destroy that erroneous pedigree? The one I'm thinking of is at http://www.familysearch.org/Search/af/pedigree_chart.asp?recid=19531875.
This chart erroneously gives William Brashear (m. Sarah Cox) as parents of Henry Brashears/Breshears, b. c1769, prob SC, d. 1828 Lawrence Co, TN (m. Eleanor ?Hardin). First there are a number of confusions of Williams. The William Brasher/Brazier who m. Sarah Cox was born in Orange Co, NC, lived most of his life on Baker's Fork of Reedy River in Greenville Co, SC, next door to his UNCLE, AQUILLA Brasher/Brazier (See A BRAZIER/BRASHER SAGA for documentation). But the William Brashear who is meant in the pedigree chart lived in Jefferson/Bullitt Co, KY, was killed by Indians in 1781, and was married to Anne Ray.
This William is definitely NOT the father of Henry Breshears/Brashears. William left a will dated 1779 (though Anne concealed it until just before her death in 1805) which named his children at the time, and there is a law suit "Thomas Brown et al vs. Peter Cummins et al," Bullitt Co, KY, 1806, which also names them. There is NO Henry among the children: FAMILY OF WILLIAM BRASHEAR AND ANNE RAY
William and Anne (Ray) Brashear had eight children, the first four probably born in Maryland, the next three in Fayette Co, PA, and the last after they reached Brashear's Station in Jefferson County, KY (then Virginia). Children of William and Anne (Ray) Brashear: (re: Will of William Brashear, 18 May 1779; "Thomas Brown et al vs. Peter Cummins et al," Bullitt Co, KY, 1806)
2. 7-1. *Sarah "Sally" Brashear, b. c1761, d. 1849; m. Elijah Whitaker, b. 1766, d. 1840. Elijah was a Lieutenant of Militia and s/o John Whitaker, the Baptist Minister who performed so very many marriages in frontier Kentucky.
3. 7-2. *Nicholas Ray Brashear, b. ca. Oct 1762, murdered 1803 on the Natchez Trace, near Duck River, TN; m. 9 Aug 1787, Martha Simmons,
4. 7-3. Anne Brashear, b. ?1764; d. between 1779 and 1782
5. 7-4. Nancy Brashear, b. c1766/7 (17 or 18 years old in 1784, per Benjamin Ray's testimony); m.1. 26 Aug 1787, Housan Clifton, (Jefferson Co Marr. Reg. Book 1, p.6, "dau of Wm. Brashear, by John Whitaker, Minister"). Housan Clifton was killed by Indians, in 1793, and Nancy m.2. 7 Aug 1795, Robert Scott, (see also Peter Cummins's testimony)
6. 7-5. *William Brashear Jr, b. c1768, (William Samuel Brashear is named as a white taxable over 21 in household of Nicholas Brashear, Jefferson Co Tax list, 1789, and he is on the lists as a head of household for 1792, 1794, 1795. He was in Bullitt County in 1806 when the Sheriff served a summons on him. This and his age make it impossible for him to be the William Brashear in Spartanburg, SC, from 1785 to 1829.)
7. 7-6. *Joseph Brashear, b. 26 Sep 1770, Brownsville, PA, d. 26 Jul 1856, Louisville, KY; m.1. 12 Apr 1796, Elizabeth Cummins, (Washington Co, KY Marr. Rec), d/o Peter Cummins; m.2. Charlotte Wheeler, (See separate chapter.)
8. 7-7. Elizabeth "Betsy" Brashear, m. 8 Sep 1792, (Nelson Co, KY Marr Bonds, p.92), Reason Howard, d. bef 11 Jul 1831
9. 7-8. Jemima Brashear, b. 1779 (age 3, in 1782, when Peter Cummins m. Anne
(With the exception of Anne, who d. young, these children correspond to a list of Settlers at Brashear's Station in Filson Club Qty, v.30, #3, Jul 1956.) Daughters Anne and Nancy are both named in William's Will; so they are not the same person. There were six heirs in 1806, Nicholas and Anne having died.
Further, the same pedigree chart erroneously claims that William (m. Anne Ray) was a s/o Joseph Brashears, b. 1722, Prince George's Co, MD, who was s/o Samuel Brashear Jr and Elizabeth Brashear. Again, there is a confusion of people; there were two Josephs, and they weren't even in the same places at anywhere near the same times, as these records would indicate:
Joseph Brashear, b. 15 Jan 1722, s/o Sam Jr and Eliza, apparently lived his whole life in PGCo. He's obviously not the Joseph Brashears who speculated in land in the 1770s in KY, and who died in Fayette Co, PA, in 1778:
1772, 15 Jan: Joseph inherited "Brashears Industry" from father. (PGCo Wills, Book 39, p.604)
1774, 27 May: Joseph inherited 1 negro and stock from mother; extr of mother's will (PGCo Wills, Book 40, p.329) not in special 1776 Census of PGCo.
1777, 30 Jul: deed Jeremiah Brashears to Joseph Brashears, [PGCo Land Records, Book CC#2, p.372-3; MSA C1237 MDHR 5725, 1/20/6/26; FHL film 0014254]
1777, Joseph Brashears apptd Overseer of PGCo Highways. 1780, 21 Feb: deed, Jeremiah Belt to Joseph Brashears, for ú1330, two tracts of 62.5 acres, called "Good Luck" and "Addition to Good Luck," on Beaver Dam branch of Western Branch of Patuxent River. [PGCo Land Records, Book FF#1, p.5-6; MSA C1237 MDHR 5726, 1/20/6/27; FHL film 0014255]
1783, 25 Mar: Joseph Brashears apptd to PGCo Grand Jury.
1785, 7 May: Inventory of estate filed, PGCo, MD, by admrx, Mary Brashear [?his sister or wife?] (Book ST#2, p.219). Mary apparently died before the estate was closed.
1789, 25 May: Accounts in estate filed by Alexander Duvall, admr, (Book ST#2, p.25); further accounts filed by Alex Duvall, 13 Mar 1795 (Book ST#3, p.90). Alexander Duvall was a Baltimore Lawyer.
Joseph Brashear, brother of William, seems to have been a professional land speculator. From various depositions concerning land boundaries in Kentucky, it would appear that he headed a party of locators, sometimes called Joseph Brashears & Company. These locators would find a good tract of land, "improve" it by marking a few trees (cutting a ring through the bark near the base to deaden the tree) and starting a cabin, usually left at three or four logs high. This was sufficient to claim the land under the Virginia land laws of the time.
He made at least five such claims in Bullitt County alone: One on Salt River at the buffalo crossing (I think this is the site of Brashear's Station); one on Cedar Creek, a branch of Floyd's Fork, where he built a cabin which he sold to a man named Kelly, i.e. "Kelly's Cabin" (caution: there are two Cedar Creeks, one south of Salt River, one on Floyd's Fork, north of Salt River); another claim was on the buffalo trace between Blue Lick and the buffalo ford of Floyd's Fork (about five miles west of Brashear's Station; this was "Joseph Brashear's burned cabin"); one opposite Fort Nonsense on Salt River; one at the Sinking Spring on the road from Bullitt's Lick to Louisville.
In addition, he seems to have planted such a claim on Brashear's Creek in present day Spencer/Shelby County, and one on Simpson's Creek in present-day Nelson County, a claim where the William Brashear who died in 1789 seems to have lived.
To me, it is quite clear that land-speculator Joseph Brashears and Joseph Brashears, b. 1722, PGCo, MD, are two quite different Joseph Brashears. A case heard before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1795 proves that the William Brashear who m. Anne Ray was brother to the Joseph Brashear who located land in Kentucky.
Lessee of Thomas Smith, esq vs. Bazil Brown Ejectment for one messuage [sic] and 280 acres of land in Menallen township. On motion of Mr. J. Woods for the plaintiff, the names of Francis Pursley and Benjamin Brashiers were struck out of the declaration of the ejectment, after the jurors were sworn, and the name of Bazil Brown inserted, in lieu thereof, to make the record conformable to the entry in the Supreme Court Docket. ...
It appears on the evidence, that William Brashiers settled with his family on the lands in question in 1769, and lived there several years. His brother, Joseph Brashiers, who was unmarried, continued with him two or three years, and assisted him to work the lands. A cabin was built and about ten acres cleared. Previous thereto, a cabin of four logs was begun in 1767, by Zachariah Brashiers, and it was then called his improvement, but neither he nor Joseph Brashiers ever claimed the lands. Two judgements were obtained in Bedford County against William Brashiers in April term 1773, and in consequence of writs of fieri facias issued thereon, the premises were levied on, condemned by inquisition taken at the dwelling house of Thomas Brown, the brother of the defendant, near the land, and afterwards sold to the lessor of the plaintiff, at public vendue for 40 pounds, 6 shilling. The sheriff's deed to him was dated 15 April 1775. On 4 Aug 1784, Mr. Smith took out a warrant for 280 acres, including William Brashiers' improvement, interest to commence from 1 Mar 1769, and on 21 Mar 1785, obtained a survey, but the same was returned in dispute. William Brashiers also claimed a survey without authority, in 1770, but it did not appear precisely in what year he quitted the lands.
The defendant [Basil Brown] claimed under a certificate of three commissioners, appointed under a law of Virginia, passed 3 May 1779, to adjust the claims of the settlers, which declared him entitled, as assignee of William Brashiers, to 400 acres in Yohiogeney county, to include his settlement in 1770, which was regularly entered in the office of the county surveyor on 22 Dec 1779. But the transfer from William Brashiers to him was not produced, nor any account given of it. A survey was afterwards made for the defendant, on 21 Mar 1785, and returned in dispute. The survey was returned on another certificate by mistake, but of this no advantage was taken. The defendant and his tenants worked the lands since William Brashiers quitted the possession thereof.
It was contended on the part of the defendant [Bazil Brown], that there was no evidence of Zachariah Brashiers, the first improver, abandoning his claim; that the improvement of William Brashiers was a mere chattel interest, not bound by the judgement, and that he probably left the land and sold his claim before the same was levied on. ...
[Smith was ask to prove that he possessed the lands at the time of the judgment. Bazil was asked to produce an assignment from William Brashiers to himself, or call witnesses if the transaction were merely oral, but Bazil was unable to do so. The Chief Justice saw this as "strong evidence that the defendant does not wish to play a fair game." Zachariah's laying four logs on the ground was not considered a legitimate claim to the land, though William's building a cabin, clearing ten acres, and living there a number of years was acknowledged as fulfilling the Virginia law regarding settlement: that one gained a right by "the making of a crop of corn, or residence on the lands for one year before 1 Jan 1778."
The Court decided that William had abandoned the land, that Bazil Brown had not come forth with any objection at the time the land was seized and sold at Sheriff's sale, although it was all done at his brother's house, and that the circumstances of the case appeared that Smith had a legitimate claim. Verdict was for the plaintiff, Thomas Smith.] (from Cases Heard by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania: At Nisi Prius, at Uniontown, May Assizes, 1795, before McKean, Chief Justice, and Yeates. Text of the case reprinted in Arzella Brashear Spear's Newsletter, Br(e)ashe(a)r(s) Family Branches [BFB], #54, p.7). The plat map of the grant to Thomas Smith is extant; the land adjoined Basil Brown, Otho Brashears, Hugh Laughlin, and John Jones, that is, it is the land where William Brashear and Anne Ray lived in 1769. It was a mile or so northwest of another grant made to Zachariah Brashear.
Circumstances (but no firm documents) strongly suggest to me that William Brashears (m. Anne Ray), his brother Joseph, and the Zachariah associated with them (as well as others), were sons of William Brashears and Sarah Wallingsford, of PGCo, MD. This William Brashears of PGCo was s/o Benjamin Brashears Sr and Mary Jones, as is proven by various depositions concerning land boundaries in PGCo. (For the documents, see Chap 10 in "The First 200 Years of Brashear(s) in America.")
William Brashear(s) and Sarah Wallingsford lived on a 44-acre plot of land in PGCo called "Major's Lott," until 1762, when they lost the land to debt, mortgaged it, then sold out and disappeared from Maryland records.
William Brashears (m. Sarah Wallingsford) is on land adjoining the land of William Brashears (m. Anne Ray) in Fayette Co, PA, in 1769; then on land originally staked out by Joseph and Zachariah Brashears on Sugartree Run, a branch of Chartiers Creek in Washington Co, PA. William's neighbors there married some of his daughters, and they later appear in Jefferson, Bullitt, and Nelson Co, KY. It seems (no proof) that this is the William Brashears Sr who made his will and died in 1789 in Jefferson Co, KY, naming "the rest of my children," Samuel Mason Brashears (extr), and two minor daughters, MaryAnn and Elizabeth. He mentions land purchased from Nicholas Ray Brashears, s/o William Brashears and Anne Ray. This land is apparently the land where Brashear's Station stood.
I have about 40-50 pages of documents supporting these assertions; these documents and discussion of them are scheduled to appear in vol 4 of A BRASHEAR(S) FAMILY HISTORY, "Brashears Families of the Ohio Valley." In the meantime, can't we please zapp those errors, to keep them from proliferating? Cheers,
