Robert Bracewell was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses from Isle of Wight County, Virginia in 1653 and is a qualifying member of the Jamestowne Society.

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He was the first of his family in Virginia. He was an Oxford Scholar. He came to Isle of Wight County, Virginia about 1651. He served in the Virginia House of Burgesses briefly but was suspended because he was a Clerk of the Church of England.

He was one of the first Rectors of St. Luke' Church, Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

(Southside Virginia Families, Boddie, page 85.)

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Will of Robert Bracewell
W: 15 Feb 1667
P: 01 May 1668
Isle of Wight County, Virginia
Leg: daughter Jane Stokes and her children; dau Rebecca West; son Robert; son Richard; servant Elizabeth Hall; dau Ann Bagnall.
Mr. Richard Izard and George Guillen to be guardian of my children; dau Ann Bagnall.

Wit: George Guillen, Richard Izard

(Wills of of Isle of Wight by Chapman, page 6.)

He left over 1000 acres of land.

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The information below is taken from:

Mostly Southern
Contact: Mark Freeman
Home Page: Mark and Carolyn's Genealogy

Name: Robert Bracewell
Sex: M
Title: Rev.
Birth: OCT 1611 in St. Andrew Parish, Holborn, London, Engla
Death: BET 1 MAY AND 20 AUG 1668 in Isle of Wight Co

Note:
Thanks to Sam Braswell and others. A good deal of the information on
Jane, Rebecca and Ann BRACEWELL was provided by Hildon B. Braswell from
his book THE BRASWELL FAMILY HISTORY AND ALLIED FAMILIES (c. 1984)
http://www.videoranch.net/contents.htm

When Captain John Upton made his will in January 1651, he mentioned
three-hundred acres of land he had sold to Mr. Robert BRACEWELL (Will
and Adm. Bk. A, pp. 32-33).

As water was a most important means of transportation in colonial times,
most of the early settlers established themselves on some body of water
or stream. So, too, Robert BRACEWELL's plantation was located on the
Blackwater River, some miles south of the James River and the colonial
town of Jamestown, a few miles northwest of where the to
Smithfield, Virginia, now stands. Robert BRACEWELL's pastorate, known as
Lawn's Creek Parish, was changed to Southwark Parish in 1737.

In 1653 the Reverend Robert BRACEWELL was elected to the Virginia House
of Burgesses. At this time in history separation of church and state was
the subject of much agitation in both Europe and America. According to
the records of the 1653 session of the House of Burgesses, "
ordered that Mr. Robert BRACEWELL (cleric), be suspended since it is
un-presidential and may produce bad consequences." (Hemning I, pg. 376).
If clergymen were not allowed to hold political offices it would seem
odd that he was elected to hold the office to begin with.

The Will of the Reverend Robert BRACEWELL was made February 15, 1667. It
was one of the earlier wills made in this country and can be found in
Deed and Wills Book 1, pg. 9 of the Isle of Wight County records of
Virginia. Whether the Reverend Robert BRACEWELL was a wealthy man before
coming to Virginia, or whether he accumulated his wealth after coming to
the New World has not been established, but at the time of his death in
1668 (Will proved May 1, 1668, Book 2, Page 52), he was the possessor of
considerable property. He was referred to in the WILLIAM AND MA
QUARTERLY Vol. 7 as a "notable minister." (THE BRASWELL FAMIL
Elizabeth B. Pearsall).

Thanks to Debi Langston for the following: langston@sinosa.com
1613-1668

He enrolled as a student at Hart Hall 22 February 1627/28 at age 15 and
graduated 3 November 1631. He was a minister of the Church of England.
He came and brought his family to Isle of Wight County, Va in 1651 and
was elected to the House of Burgess in 1653 but soon had to step down
because of his being a minister. England was very clear about t
separation of Church and State.

He bought 300 acres from Capt. John Upton

His will was written 15 February 1667/68 and probated 1 March 1668. He
mentions daughters Jane Stokes, Ann Bagnall and Rebecca West and sons
Robert and Richard who were not of age at the time of their fathers
death as he left instructions as to their schooling. Richard Izard and
George Williams were their guardians. The daughters were left a cow and
calf but the 1000 acres were left to the two boys to be divided equally.
The Inventory of Estate list servants, silver, books, a sloop and a
building mill.

This information was taken from SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA FAMILIES VOL. I by
John Bennett Boddie published 1966 pages 85-95 for all the Braswell
family. There is more detailed info on the sons in law and lat
descendants. These help define the relationships given.

Carey Bracewell of the Braswell List says there may have been a London
connection between Richard Izzard and Rebecca Bagnall Izzard and Rev.
Robert Braswell, because of Robert appointing Richard guardian to his
minor sons and Rebecca looked after them after their father died even
though the Izards had only been in the Parson's neighborho
relatively short time before Robert died.

It is mentioned in the article that Richard and Robert, the grandsons ?
of this Robert went to NC. In the Dobbs Grantee Index listed Book 1 Nov.
1746- April 1750 Robert Bracewell to John Bracewell, in Book 2 John
Bracewell to Robert Bryant and from April 1758-1765 Richard Bracewell to
William Bracewell pg 534. Believe they were given as being from Bertie
but in the Herring info, a lot of Bertie Precinct came down to Dobbs.

(Isle of Wight Co., VA Will & Deed Book 1, Vol. 2, p. 81)
"In the name of God Amen, I ROBERT BRACEWELL beinge very weake & sicke
of Body but of perfectt memorie, doe make this my last Will & Testament,
Revockeinge all former Wills whatsoever., Imprimis I bequeath my Soule
into the hands of my Redeemer, who gave it to mee, And my body unto the
ground from whence it came to be decently buried, And for tho
Temporall goods God hath given mee I dispose of them in mann
followeth, I give unto my daughter JANE STOCKES her children, three
cowes, To REBECCA WEST my daughter one Cowe & Calfe And one Cowe & Calfe
to the next child she shall have, And the rest of all my Estate unto my
two sonns ROBERT and RICHARD whome I make my full & sole executors of
this my ill, and the Mill I desire shalbe finisht, with what speed may
bee And to be lett out, only reservinge corne for themselves, and the
p.(ro)duse of the Mill to be equally divided betweene them both, And
reserved to build a new mill hereafter And when built to be left wholly
to my sonne RICHARD Likewise I give Seaven hundred Acres of land where I
now live and sixe hundred Acrees att the Western Branch of Nancemond
County To be equally divided betweene my two sonnes ROBERT and RICHARD
Likewise it is my desire that noe part or parcell of the estate shalbe
disposed of, nor none of the land, untill they both are of full Age, nor
no wayes divided But if it shall please God that either of them shall
depart this life before he comes of Age, That then the Survivor shall
enjoye the whole Likewise I give unto my Servant ELIZABETH HALL when she
shalbe free one heifer of two yeares of Age And likewise it is my desire
That my loveinge friends Mr RICHARD IZARD and GEORGE GWILLIM to be
Guardians unto my CHildren in the time of theire Minoritie, And to see
this my Will performed Likewise I give unto them the said RICHARD IZARD
& GEORGE GWILLIM, ffortie shillings to each of them, to buy them each
one ringe, Likewise I give unto my Daughter ANN BAGNALL one Cowe & Calfe
And one Cowe & calfe to her first Child, And if it please God she have
any, And likewise it is my desire that my two sonnes, ROBERT & RICHARD
shalbe putt to schoole untill they cann both write & read And this
beinge my Will I testifie it with my hand this 15th of February 1667
In Witness of
ROB: BRACELL
GEORGE GWILLIM
RICHARD (X) IZARD
This will was proved in open Cort held for the Isle of Wight County this
first Day of May 1668 And then
Recorded
Teste JOHN JENNINGS Clr: Recordes:

Children
Jane Bracewell b: ABT 1645 in London, England
Rebecca Bracewell b: ABT 1647 in London, England
Ann Bracewell b: ABT 1649 in Isle of Wight Co., VA
Robert Bracewell , Jr. b: ABT 1650 in Isle of Wight Co., VA
Richard Bracewell b: ABT 1651 in Isle of Wight Co., VA

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Information below is taken from:

Basham Family Genealogy
Contact: Dwaine Basham

Name: Robert (Rev) Bracewell
Sex: M
Birth: ABT 1612 in England
Death: ABT 1668

Note:
Robert Braswell, son of Richard Braswell, Gentleman, was born in London
England, in 1612. On 22 February 1627-28 he entered Oxford University at
the age of fifteen. On 3 November 1631 he graduated with a BA degree. He
became an Anglican clergyman, immigrated to America, as early as 10
November 1635 and was living in the Isle of Wight, Virginia, where he
owned a plantation on the Blackwater River. He became the rector of the
Anglican Church which is now known as the Old Brick Church, Isle of
Wight, Virginia.

In 1653 Robert Braswell was elected to the House of Burgess
Virginia. At this period of time separation of church and state was the
subject of much agitation in both Europe and America. In 1653 he was
suspended from the House of Burgesses. As stated "At a Grand Assembly
July 5, 1653, it is ordered by the present Grand Assembly that Mr Robert
Bracewell, clerke, be suspended, and is not in a capacity of serving as
a Burgesses, since it is unpresidential, and may produce b
consequences." Here the name is spelled Bracewell, however in records
pertaining to Robert Braswell the name is sometimes spelled Braswell and
sometimes Bracewell.

• Married: ABT 1625 in England

1. **Jane (Braswell) Bracewell b: 1645 in London, Middlesex, England
2. Ann Bracewell b: 1649 in London, Middlesex, England
3. *Rebecca Bracewell b: ABT 1650
4. Robert Bracewell b: 1650 in London, Middlesex, England
5. Richard Bracewell b: 1651 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia

1. Title: Southside Virginia Families, Boddie, Vol. 1, page 85
   Repository:
   Media: Book
2. Title: Wills of Isle of Wight County, Va. by Chapman, page 6