Person talk:William Brocas (1)


Shirley Connection? [15 August 2009]

I have seen it said (without attribution) that William Brocas was the great grandson of Thomas Shirley the elder. It would be nice to document this lineage or even work out a hypothetical linkage.

To that end I did some searching and turned up on the Shirley Association Genealogical Research Website this information:

         
        5. Sir Thomas, the elder b_______d 1612 Buried in the chapel at Wiston. He changed from Catholic to Protestant.

        In 1578 he served as sheriff for Surrey and Sussex CO. He later became Treasurer of War in the Low Countries (Holland). Having fallen under the displeasure of Queen Elizabeth, he became indebted to the Crown, his estates and personal effects, with exception of the manor of Wiston, settled on his wife, were seized.

        King James 1st was indebted to Sir Thomas Sherley for the idea of the creation of the baronetage. This brought to the Majesties coffers--more than 100 thousand pounds. He was promised by the late Lord of Salisbury, Lord Treasurer, a good recompense, and this he never received.

        The following lands were sold by Sir Thomas Sherley the elder:
        SUSSEX CO: West Chiltington, Erringham and Slaughters in the Parish of Billinghurst.
        SUSSEX CO: Buncton with lands in Blackland and Frenchland in the Park of Findon, The manor of Barkfold with the ironworks in parish of Kirdford and the 1/4th part of the manor of Heyghley.
        SURREY CO: Burstow near Ryegate
        BERKSHIRE CO: East Ilsley
        LEICESTERSHIRE CO: Cottsback
        NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CO: Bugbrook.
        (The last two were given to Sir Thomas Sherley by Robert, 2nd Earl of Essex).
         
        m. Anne Kemp died 1622/23 daughter of Sir Thomas Kemp of Wye in Kent

 

          Will of Dame Anne Sherley widow of Sir Thomas Sherley late of Wiston Sussex decd. 19 Feb 1622. To be buried in church of Wiston, to poor of St Giles in Field Middlesex, poor of Wiston and steyning Sussex, to daughter Cicely Laware late wife of Thomas Lord laware, to grandschild son Laware rug at Parham, sheets at London, to grandchildren daughters of Laware viz Ann West, Elizabeth West, Cicely West, Jane West, Lucy West, Essex West, to daughter Ladye Crofte wife of Sir John Crofte, to daughters of Ladye Crofte, to Anne now wife of Lord Wentworth, to Frances Crompton now wife of Sir John Crompton, to Jane Mildmay now wife of Sir Humphrey Mildmay, to Dorothy Benett now wife of Sir John Benet the younger, to Mary Crofts, to Cicely Crofts, to Alice Crofts, to my daughter Lady Tracey now wife of Sir John Tracey the elder, to daughter of Lady Tracey viz Anne Tracey, to daughter Lady Onslow late wife of Sir Edward Onslow decd, to daughter Lady Brocas wife of Sir Pexall Brocas, to grandson Thomas Brocas, to son in law Sir John Shurley, to granddaughter Lady Covert, to daughter of Sir John Shurley viz Cicily Shurley, Elizabeth Shurley, Anne Shurley, Charity Shurley and Mara Shurley, to other grandchildren Frences Molle now wife of ___Molle esq, to Thomas Shirley my grandchild, to friend Lady Bishipp wife of Sir Thomas Bishopp of Parham in Sussex, to Lady Gresham wife of Sir John Gresham, to Frances Alford now wife of John Alford esq...to my sister in law Mrs Shirley the eldest of Preston, to Anne Harris once my woman, to servants Lawrence Baskerville, Francis Bromley, Mary Follyott, Susan Stoniard, to grandchild Henry Shirley wit" Lawrence Baskerville, R. Peito, Richard Cobby. Codicil to Lady Delves, to Doctor Lionell Sharpe doctor of divinity.
           
6. (vi) Margery m Sir Pexall Brocas

One would assume that the connection is through the daughter Margery who married a Brocas. This would mean our William is the grandson of Sir Pexall Brocas. Perhaps his son Thomas Brocas named above is William's father?

The Brocas family was next explored using The family of Brocas of Beaurepaire and Roche court found at Google Books.

Here we find that Sir Pexall Brocas had an only son and heir Thomas Brocas. Thomas had six sons named in Pexall's will: Eobert, Thomas, William, Oliver, Bernard, and Bichard with a seventh son, John, born later.

In conclusion, there is a William in the fourth generation who could potentially be the Virginia William Brocas. Eobert was noted as being 25 years old at the death of Pexall in 1630 so William could possibly be about 20 or a bit younger. The fate of the younger sons of Thomas seems to be a matter of legend tied to the Revolution and the death of William in England is not documented. Conceivably he could have made for Virginia. More research is needed. --Judy (jlanoux) 21:53, 13 August 2009 (EDT)


Comments received from Tom Hamm

I've leaned away from the Virginian William Brocas being of the Pexsall Brocas group, mainly because I can't find a daughter in that family is isn't accounted for, and none is married to a Jackson. But it may be that the accounts I've seen are incomplete. There is another William who is a candidate for Capt. William of Virginia. The registers of Wadham College, Oxford, show a William Brockis, aged 20 years, son of Abraham Brockis of Axminster in Devonshire, entered Oct. 21, 1631. He did not take a degree, and nothing else is known of him. That would be consistent with his leaving for Virginia. It is also consistent with Capt. William's inventory including books in several languages, including Latin, Italian, and Spanish.

This seems more plausible to me not only because of the books but because of references to William Brocas as "widely travelled" and also as an "excellent vintner". These imply a sophistication not demonstrated by the heirs of Pexall. Also to place William in Virginia at the right time was a bit of a squeeze for the Pexsall grandson. He would have been very young and this is not in keeping with the influence he held in Virginia.

I consider the Shirley connection as put to rest. --Judy (jlanoux) 16:14, 15 August 2009 (EDT)


Brocas - Jackson connection [15 August 2009]

Received the transcript from Lancaster Deeds and Wills book from Tom Hamm.[Thanks Tom] Added as a source to Person page and linked.--Judy (jlanoux) 16:17, 15 August 2009 (EDT)