Person:Richard Branch (3)

Nancy Newland is the researcher behind all of the early Branch research within this report. The following is the "surname summary" she wrote that details these early Branch ancestors of ours.

Elizabeth Beauforest of County Cornwall, England was the daughter of Thomas Beauforest,Jr. and Margaret Bassett. She was born before 1500. She married Richard Branch. Known children are John, who lived in Kent, England and is the ancestor of the Branches of Massachusetts; Amy and Margery, who died young; Thomas, who was a draper and had no children; William of our line. Richard Branch lived in Abington, Berks, England. Abington is ten miles due south of Oxford. He was a man of wealth and prominence, active in public affairs, a Master of the Fraternity of the Holy Cross for forty-four consecutive years. He was buried 16 Sep 1544 at St. Helens Church in Abington on the north or Jesus aisle. His wife survived him by twelve years.

William Branch married first Elizabeth Waltham, daughter of John Waltham on 2 Aug 1553. No issue. He married second before 1556, Katherine Jennings, daughter of Thomas Jennings and Alice Brighby. They had ten children. William was appointed Governor of the Fraternity of the Holy Cross which was later called Christ Hospital. He was also the Mayor of Abington. He lived all his life in Abington. Katherine was buried 25 Aug 1597 at St. Helens Church. William died in April of 1602.

Lionel Branch was born in Abington and lived most of his life in London. He married Valentia Sparks at St. Martins, Ludgate, London. about 1601. We know only of their child Christopher, who was the first to come to this country.

Christopher Branch married Mary Addie, daughter of Francis who lived in Darton, York County, England. She was born 1600 in Yorkshire. She married Christopher Branch 2 Sep 1619 in St. Peters Church, London. They came to Virginia in March 1620 on the ship "London Merchant" of 300 tons burden, dispatched from Trelburyhope by the Virginia Company with 200 colonists aboard. They settled first at Arrowhattocks on the north side of the James River in Henrico County, moving later to Kingsmead on the south side of the river in what is now known as Chesterfield County. He was a planter. His will was read 20 Feb 1681 in Henrico County, Virginia. Mary had died many years before, about 1630. They left three known children. A son Christopher of Charles City Co., VA died in 1665.

Thomas Branch, son of Christopher and Mary, married Elizabeth Gough, daughter of Captain Matthew Gough. More Gough research needed but there seems to be quite a bit of information available should anyone decide to look it up. He was a well-known person of his day. Thomas and Elizabeth lived long and peaceful lives in Henrico Co., VA. His will was read in April 1795.

James Branch, son of Thomas, lived in the section of Henrico County that became Chesterfield County about 1749. We know of five children, four girls and a boy named John. One of the daughters was named Phoebe and she married William Hill."

This report includes three generations. Later generations can be viewed in the Elam or Grigg reports and finally in the Diamond report.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Compiler: Nancy Newland, Michelle Metevier Stanga, et al. Compiled Branch Family Research. (1998-).
2. ↑ Will of Richard Branch
   27 August 1544
   In the name off god Amen the 27 daye of August yn the yere off our lorde god 1544 and in the yere of our soveren and most drade lorde Henry the viij by the grace of god of England fraunce & Irelande kinge of the faithe defensor and in the erthe next under god of the church of England & Ireland supreme hede the xxxvj
   y Richarde Branche of Abendon in the dyocese of Sarum wollen draper being hole of mynde and perfyt of memorye (thankes be unto Jhesu) never the lesse sycke in bodye do ordeyne and make this to be my last will and testament as hereafter foloweth that is to saye I bequethe my solle unto almighty god my only Saviour and redemer desirynge my soll to be assosiat and in cumpenye withe the virgyn marye and all thelect people of god and my bodye to be buryede in Saynct Elens churche of Abendon in Saynct Kateryns yle nyghe unto the bodyes of my late wyves Julyan and Margrett.
   Item y bequeth unto the highe awlter in Saynct Elens Churche ijs to be prayed for.
   Item y bequeth unto Thomas Branche my eldest sonne a federbed a bolster a coverynge with a myter upon it and a peyre off scheetes and xs [ten shillings] in moneye.
   Item y bequethe unto my sonne William Branche my gowne that hadde off Mastre Wodwarde and xs in moneye.
   Item y bequethe unto Thomas Branche my yongest sonne xxs in moneye.
   Item y bequethe unto my sunne John Branche a black gown lyned with saynct Thomas wolsted and xs in moneye.
   Item y bequethe unto Mergerye my dowghter a gyrdell with a dymycent of sylver and gyelt a sylverne spone withall her graunfathers bequest unto her a great brasse pott a platter a pottenger and a sawcer of the new fassyon a bell candlestycke & xxs in moneye.
   Item y bequethe unto Maryon my dowghter a great brasse potte a brasse pan a peyre of Jett bedis with sylver gandes a sylverne spone besydes the spone that Wodwarde gave unto her a platter a potenger a sawcer of the new facyon a bell candlestycke & xxs in moneye.
   And yff it shall cum to passe by godes provysyon that anye off my fore named chyldern shall departe this transitorye lyeff before they cum unto yeris of dyscretion then y will that his or their partes of the bequestes above mentioned so discessed shalbe indifferently distrybuted amongst my chyldern that then shalbe on lyve.
   Item the residew of all mye goodes unbequethed (my detes payed my funeralls dishcarged and my legaces fulfylled) I geve and bequethe unto Elysabeth Braunche my wyffe she to pay all the dettes that ye owe and to receve all such dettes as be owinge unto me whom also y make my full and sole executrice she to cause my soll to be prayed for as god shall put her in mynd.
   Item y do make Humffrey Bostocke and Thomas Erle the overseers of this my last will and testament to be performed in whome y putt my full trust above all other mortall men to se unto the gydynge of my wyffe and my childern untyll the tyme that god provyde for them unto whome also y do geve for the paynes takynge vjs viijd equallye betwyxt them to be devydyd.
   Witnesses hereunto Sir William Druet brotherhed preist Richard Mayot Humffreye Bostocke and Thomas Erle with other moe.