Descendants of "John Bourchier" The Earl Of Bath

Back To Humphries's Surnames

Surprise me with an Email: humphri@northrim.net

The tradition of the great FEUDAL ANCESTRAL HOUSE OF BOURCHIER, as reflected by the Early Virginia records is an intriguing account in our "Family History". The story is told that "Two brothers, John and Henry BOURCHIER" were on their way to the colonies when their ship went down. Each thought the other drowned. The family in England thought they both had drowned. The tradition is reflected in the early Virginia records (see Swem Index). We find a John Bourchier, coming to the colonies as "Lord Commissioner" for the Royal Land Company, around 1623. He disappeared. Then Henry Bourchier is found on the lists of the land companies, taking John's place". After the supposed "Ship Wreck", when the two brothers disappeared, we find Sir William Bourchiers (Boursher) stepping into the shoes of the family in the colonies. He appears to be William Burcher of Hogg Island near the mouth of the James River. This William Burcher is documented as removing to Northhampton Co. in the book "The Planters of Colonial Virginia", pg 79 "Several of these men who came as servants to the Eastern Shore are found in succeeding years among the yeomanry of Accomac and Northampton. Henry Arnetrade; Armstrong Foster; WILLIAM BURCHER and Sampson Robins were signers of the Northampton submission to the Commonwealth in 1652 (pg 79).

He is then found on the list of those who signed viz: "(The Engagm't tendered to ye Inhabitants of Northampton County, 11th MArch 1651. (O.S.) "We whose names are subscrobed; doe hereby Engage and promise to be true and faithful to the COMMONWEALTH of England as it is nowe Established without KINGe or HOUSE of LORDS., name "Boucher" he signed with a long list of others. (pg 134-136 "Eastern Shore of Virginia History").

We begin to trace him using the name BRADSHAWE in subsequent documents. This is the William who's descendants also left records spelled BEZER (PA); BRAZIER (VA); BRUSHER (MD); BRADSHAWE (Accomac VA & MD): BREAZIER (NC); BREASHEAR (MD & KY) and BRESHEARS (SC, TN, MO, ID)

The tradition continues; "John Bourchier, was rescued and went to the Carolinas. Henry was rescued and taken to New York (New Amsterdam). Each founded a dynasty unknown to the other". William continued the tradition in Virginia taking land on the Eastern Shore in Accomack County. This area later became Maryland. Some of his descendants moved on into the the Northern Neck, along the Potomac River, in Loudoun and Fauquier Co., Virginia, with the Thomas Lee Colony about 1725. The land was the "Lord Fairfax Grants".

About 100 years later descendants of John and Henry BOURCHIER discovered that the two brothers had indeed survived the ship wreck and had left large progeny as proof.

The name of BOURCHIERS had been transmuted to many variations, viz: As early as 1612, at James City we find descendants with the spelling of Brucher (Bufur-Cavaliers & Pioneers); which transmuted to Basha; (Bashaw & Basham); Bezer(Brazier & Breashear); Brushur (Brushire & Burcher); Brazier (Brasher); Brosher; Brassieur (Brashear); Breashear (Breshear); Bradshaw (Bratcher=Brucher=Breshear) and many more.

The "Dynasty" that had originated with John and Ciciley (Daubney) BOURCHIER, Earl of Bath - 1540, was fractured into many branches. As the family was caught up in the "Civil War",of the British Isles, they followed another family member "Oliver Cromwell". Oliver Cromwell, a Bourchier son-in-law became the foremost "Puritan Leader", of all time. When Oliver Cromwell died, and the Crown once again gained control. Heads rolled. The families who were Cromwell's followers lost estates estates and fell out of favor with the King. Families fled for their very lives and others were exciled. It appears Edward Beker (Breashear), of Wiltshire Co., England, may have taken to the high seas and may have been the "Pirate" who was executed about 1642 on the eastern shore of Maryland.

Another son-i-law "John Bradshaw", actually gave the verdict to decapitate "King Charles 1". He and Sir John Bourchier fled to the Barbadoe Islands The family's stepping stone to the colonies was in the Barbadoe Islands. The BOURCHIERS) family had reason to do a "disappearing act", and did so.

The Quaker branch is found as BEZER (Breazier), in Wiltshire, Devonshire Co., England and Chester Co., Pennsylvania. The Quaker branch in Virginia went by Brasher and Bressie. The Angelican branch of Virginia and Maryland went by the Anglecized name of Brashear. In New England the branch that had arrived first in James City as Burcher, became Brazier; Bunker and Brecker (also Breckett?).

The lists below will give documentation of the various branches that evolved as descendants of John Bourchier "Earl of Bath", and his son Lord Berners, (see SWEM INDEX) made their fortune in the New World.

last updated 8 Aug 2000 by Humphri@northrim.net