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ROBERT FLAKE, SR. OF ISLE OF WIGHT AND SURRY COUNTIES, VIRGINIA
ROBERT FLAKE, SENR. was born around 1621, and
died at an advanced age, sometime after 2 April 1697. On this date
in Isle of Wight County, he deeded a mill and land to a THOMAS SMITH
of Surry County, and this is the last that is found of his name
on any record. (Deed Book I, Page 227) From various records the following has been established.
On 18 October 1669, ROBERT FLAKE and KATHERINE his wife, deeded
land to GEORGE MOORE in Isle of Wight County. (Deeds and Wills 1662-1715
- Volume I, Page 20) KATHERINE FLAKE had been previously married
(the name of her husband has not been ascertained) and had three
daughters at the time she married ROBERT FLAKE, SENR. The children
by KATHERINE FLAKE'S first marriage were: I. JOYCE ______?
She was first married to FRANCIS ENGLAND, and after his death, she
then married GEORGE CRIPPS. She never had children, and in her will
as JOYCE CRIPPS, she mentions "SISTER SKINNER", SUSAN BRACEWELL, "my sister's daughter", and my "mother
FLAKE", etc. (William and Mary Quarterly - Volume 7, Pages
240-241) ROBERT FLAKE is mentioned in the marriage bond of JOYCE
ENGLAND and GEORGE CRIPPS. (Deeds and Wills 16621715 - Volume I,
Page 372) II. SUSANNAH ? She married THOMAS ATKINSON. On
10 September 1669, ROBERT FLAKE made a deed of gift to "my
daughter-in-law" (Step-Daughter), SUSANNAH ATKINSON, wife of
THOMAS ATKINSON. (Deeds and Wills 1662-1715 - Volume I, Page 202) III. MARY
? She was first married to JOHN BURGESS, after his death,
she married RICHARD SKINNER, and after he died, she married for
the third time to JOHN COLLINS, SENR. She was born in 1632. She
first lived in Surry County. On 20 April 1669, MARY SKINNER, wife
of RICHARD SKINNER, acknowledged receipt of all the estate that
her husband JOHN BURGESS gave to her daughter SUSANNAH BURGESS.
(Surry County - Book I, Page 332) This would appear to be the "SUSAN BRACEWELL, my sister's daughter" mentioned in the will of JOYCE
CRIPPS, as we know from record ROBERT BRACEWELL (BRASWELL) married
a SUSANNAH. On 15 May 1672, RICHARD SKINNER, aged 46, and
MARY SKINNER, aged 40, gave their testimony in Surry County Court,
the orphan of JOHN BURGESS being mentioned. (Surry County - Book
2, Page 14) RICHARD SKINNER died in Isle of Wight County in 1677,
as administration was granted his relict MARY SKINNER on 9 April
1677, and MR. ROBERT FLAKE, MR. GEORGE MOORE, being her securities.
(Chapman's Wills and Administrations - Volume I, Page 104) MARY
SKINNER was married to JOHN COLLINS, SENR. by 9 September 1680,
for on that date, GEORGE CRIPPS, widower of JOYCE CRIPPS, her sister,
made an agreement with MARY SKINNER, widow, now wife of JOHN COLLINS,
regarding MARY'S inheritance in 1300 acres of land from her sister
JOYCE CRIPPS. (Deeds and Wills 1662-1715 - Volume I, Pages 439-444) In
the Court Orders of Isle of Wight County, Virginia - Court of 9
October 1694, Page 51 - is found: "Order is granted SUSANNAH
BRASWELL, against JOHN COLLINS, SENR., for 400 pounds of tobacco
for looking after said Collins' wife in her late extremity when
she was beaten by said Collins. It appearing to this Court that
JOHN COLLINS, SENR., hath lately, most desperately bruised, beaten,
and wounded Mary his wife, insomuch, that it was expected that she
would have lost her life thereby (as also between former strife
and contention hath been) for prevention whereof for the future.
Ordered that the said Collins pay and allow his said wife, 500 pounds
of tobacco forthwith and 1,000 pounds of tobacco in October yearly
for the time to come for the said Mary, her maintenance (if she
find cause) to be separate and apart from her husband." This
indicates that this is the same MARY COLLINS who was the daughter
of KATHERINE FLAKE, and also the mother of SUSANNAH BRASWELL, who
is mentioned in the will of her aunt, JOYCE CRIPPS, all aforementioned.
The question still remains as to the maiden name and married name
of KATHERINE prior to her marriage to ROBERT FLAKE, SENR. Deeds,
wills, etc. of the aforementioned families, indicates they were
of some means. Considering all available documents that Mrs. Katherine
E. Edwards, Deputy Clerk, Clerk's Office, Circuit Court of Isle
of Wight County, Virginia - has copied and generously given to us
for the further research on the BRASWELL FAMILIES, leaves little
doubt, that SUSANNAH BURGESS did indeed marry ROBERT BRASWELL, son
of the REVEREND ROBERT BRASWELL (BRACEWELL). Considering the will
of the REVEREND ROBERT BRACEWELL, where he states his sons were
not of age at the time he made out his will, and judging the approximate
date of birth for SUSANNAH BURGESS, which can be deducted from a
statement in Court her mother made, she and ROBERT BRASWELL were
contemporaries. We also know from the records, that SUSANNAH inherited
from her father JOHN BURGESS, her aunt JOYCE CRIPPS, and no doubt
from her mother, MARY COLLINS. It
has been stated in numerous articles, that ROBERT BRASWELL and his
wife SUSANNAH had several children, and also have shown a will of
one RICHARD TOWLE as naming the same children of SUSANNAH BRASWELL,
overlooking the quoted sentence which is very plainly written, "my
three youngest children of Susannah Braswell". He must have
been an overseer on the Braswell Plantation, as from the appraisal
of his estate he left to the children was valued at 13 pounds. I
can see little doubt that the children named in the will of RICHARD TOWLE, were his children and not the children of ROBERT BRASWELL.
Another point to consider, is the fact, nowhere on the records does
`SUSANNAH BRASWELL'S name appear on any deed with her husband. The
available records clearly show that ROBERT BRASWELL sold all his
inherited land and must have been aware of the infidelity of his
wife. It would seem had these been his children, he would have made
some arrangements for them, which is not the case. The will of RICHARD TOWLE was probated on 9 February 1693, and we know
ROBERT BRASWELL
was alive at that time, for a Power of Attorney was made out to
his wife a few years later. The will of SUSANNAH BRASWELL names
the same children as mentioned in the RICHARD TOWLE will, along
with a grandson named JOHN RIGGS, and there was a JOHN RIGGS who
was the administrator of the Towle will, who obviously married a
daughter of said Susannah Braswell. It has been stated, Richard Towle could have married Susannah Braswell, which is true, however,
he did not! If she had married Richard Towle, why did she make her
will out as SUSANNAH BRASWELL? Considering
all available records, these children are not BRASWELL and certainly
cannot be legitimate children. From other wills, where similar circumstances occured, the children would bear the name BURGESS ALIAS TOWLE, or
TOWLE ALIAS BURGESS. The records indicate that these children did
not leave the area of Isle of Wight County, which has been assumed
by many and moved down into North Carolina, etc. From all indications,
the descendants of RICHARD BRASWELL, the son of the REVEREND ROBERT BRASWELL, were the actual families
to migrate from Virginia to North Carolina, etc. The many available
deeds, Court Minutes, Tax Lists, Colonial and State Papers of North
Carolina, plus many available records at the State Department of
Archives in Raleigh, North Carolina, appear to substantiate this
theory. However, I must clearly state, this has not been finished
and is still being researched by several of the Braswell descendants.
Recent discovery of overlooked deeds has enabled the proper placing
of several families in the Edgecombe County, North Carolina area,
and we know from deeds, that RICHARD BRASWELL and his wife
ELEANOR
appear on the early Bertie County, North Carolina records, and
that he is a descendant of RICHARD BRASWELL and his wife
SARAH,
of Isle of Wight County, Virginia. At this writing, it does look encouraging for
the first time, that we may have many lines connected to the right
ancestor, that heretofore was erroneously assumed and incorrect. To continue with the FLAKE FAMILY: ROBERT I FLAKE, SENR. and his wife KATHERINE
had issue: 4 1. MARY 2 FLAKE, married JOHN CLARK On 25 October 1670, ROBERT FLAKE made a deed
of gift of a mare foal to his daughter MARY CLARK, wife of JOHN
CLARK in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. (Deeds and Wills 1661-1719,
Volume 2, Page 89) JOHN CLARK, husband of MARY FLAKE, was either
the son of HUMPHREY CLARK of Isle of Wight County or JOHN CLARK
of Surry County, who died in 1717, leaving a wife MARY and BARHAM,
heirs. 2. KATHERINE2 FLAKE - she first married
WILLIAM EVANS - she married secondly to THOMAS PIERCE (Chapman's Marriage Records - Page 19; Will and
Deed Book No. 2, Page 294; Deed Book I, Page 38; Deeds and Wills No. I,
Page 18) 3. ELIZABETH2 FLAKE, married THOMAS
HAYES (Chapman's Marriage Records, Page 26; Deed Book
5, Page 140; Great Book, Page 511) 4. ROBERT2 FLAKE, JR. - married MARGARET
MARRIOTT, daughter of THOMAS MARRIOTT and his wife ALICE (WARREN)
MARRIOTT, who was the daughter of THOMAS WARREN (Virginia Magazine
of History - Volume 47, Page 369-370) On 13 March 1695/96 - ROBERT FLAKE, SENR. of
Isle of Wight County deeded to his son ROBERT FLAKE, JR. of Surry
County and MARGARET his wife, 200 acres in Surry County. (Deeds
and Wills 1693-1709, Page 103) On 1 July 1696, he made a deed of
gift in Surry County of 450 acres to WILLIAM and JOHN GWALTNEY,
who were sons of WILLIAM and ALICE GWALTNEY, and if they should
die, the land to go to KATHERINE, daughter of WILLIAM and ALICE
GWALTNEY. ROBERT FLAKE, SENR. last appears in the records of Isle
of Wight County on 2 April 1697, where he deeds a mill and land
to THOMAS SMITH of Surry County. (Deed Book-l, Page 227) Issue of Robert Jr. and Margaret: 1. ELIZABETH FLAKE3 2. ALICE3 FLAKE - married WILLIAM
GWALTNEY Issue: 1. WILLIAM 4
GWALTNEY 2. JOHN 4
GWALTNEY 3. KATHERINE4
GWALTNEY – 3. KATHERINE3 FLAKE - married WILLIAM
BRADDY 4. THOMAS3 FLAKE 5. WILLIAM3 FLAKE ROBERT2 FLAKE, JR. made his will 18
August 1722, which was probated on 15 April 1724, in Surry County.
He mentions his daughter ELIZABETH FLAKE, son-in-law WILLIAM GWALTNEY,
and "the rest of my children". (Surry Co. Deeds and Wills
1715-1730, Page 528) The statement is made that WILLIAM GWALTNEY,
the executor, refused to act, and the administration was then granted
to WILLIAM BRADDY and KATHERINE his wife as the next of kin on 15
April 1724. KATHERINE was a daughter of ROBERT. (Chapman's Marriage
Records, Page 59, Isle of Wight Great Book, Page 191; Deed Book
6, Page 240) Others mentioned in the will of ROBERT JR. were ALICE
GWALTNEY, KATHERINE BRADDY, ELIZABETH FLAKE. He also had a son named
THOMAS as he is mentioned in the will of his grandfather MATTHIAS
MARRIOTT. There was a WILLIAM FLAKE, of which there is an account
of his estate in 1731 in Surry County, which is probably another
son of ROBERT, JR. (Deeds and Wills 1730-1738, Page 122) There may have been a son ROBERT FLAKE III, as
WILLIAM FLAKE deeded land in Isle of Wight County on 30 December
1748, which he inherited from his uncle ROBERT FLAKE. (Deed Book
8, Page 170, Page 289) JAMES SAMPSON CLARK and JAMES CLARK were
witnesses to the deeds of WILLIAM FLAKE in Isle of Wight County,
and there was a SAMPSON FLAKE who witnessed a deed in Isle of Wight
County on 13 April 1748. (Deed Book 8, Page 234) WILLIAM and SAMPSON FLAKE may have been sons
of WILLIAM FLAKE, died in 1731, and from the above it appears likely
the wife of WILLIAM was a daughter of SAMPSON CLARK and a sister
of JAMES SAMPSON CLARK of Surry County There is a THOMAS WILLIAMS, who called himself
of "Southwarke Parish in the County of Surry", made his
will in Beaufort County, North Carolina on 13 December 1748, and
it was probated in the December Court 1753 in the County of Beaufort.
His will mentions his wife and executrix, ELIZABETH, and his wife's
children, MARY WILLIAMS and WILLIAM, ARTHUR, ELIZABETH and ROBERT
FLAKE. Witnessed: Charles Binns, William Clark, James
Clark, John Williams, Robert Flake Could. these have been children of WILLIAM FLAKE,
died in 1731? Sources: Others not shown
17th Century Isle of Wight – Boddie Southside
Virginia Families - Boddie
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