John Brantley, Sr.

Family

From “The Brantley Family: Preachers, Planters and Pioneers of the South.” < PDF > Chart 3

Edward > Phillip > Edward (& unknown 1st wife)

Married Hannah

Children:

• Joseph - died NC 1807
• Benjamin - went to GA 1784
• Mary - m Sugan Jones
• Phillip - went to GA 1784
• William - died NC, but some children went to GA
• John, Jr. - died NC, but some children went to GA
• Priscilla - m Daniel Higdon

The Life Summary of John

https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/MYZB-M3S/john-brantley-1700-1782

When John Brantley was born in 1700, in Isle of Wight, Virginia, British Colonial America, his father, Edward Brantley, was 25 and his mother, Elizabeth, was 25. He married Hannah on 10 January 1730, in Isle of Wight, Virginia, British Colonial America. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 2 daughters. He died in February 1782, in Chatham, North Carolina, United States, at the age of 82.

John and Hannah

https://www.brantleyassociation.com/pages/key_progenitors.htm

Among the many Brantley kinsmen living in their time, there were none more prolific than John and Hannah Brantley of Chatham County, N.C. They are the ancestors of perhaps 20% of all American Brantleys living today. Perhaps all of the Washington County, Georgia Brantleys are descendants of John and Hannah. Washington County, itself was the most populated county in America for Brantley households from about 1825 through 1930. John was born ca 1710 in Isle of Wight County, Va. He married Hannah __?_ about 1730 in Isle of Wight County. By 1750, he and his brothers Lewis and Joseph had located in Granville County, N.C. John became a judge. He would spend the reminder of his life near the Rocky River in an area, which became Chatham County, N.C. Two of John and Hannah's children and many grandchildren went from Chatham County into Georgia soon after the Revolutionary War. Others went into Tennessee. Five sons were mentioned in the will of John Brantley in 1777/1782. They were Joseph, Benjamin, John, William and Phillip Brantley. Benjamin and Phillip went to the area of Wilkes/Warren County, Georgia about 1784. Descendants of John Jr and William would soon follow. There were no daughters mentioned in the will, but a deed clearly identified a daughter as Priscilla Brantley. She married Daniel Hidgon. Another daughter was found to be Mary, who married Sugan Jones. Other daughters are suspected.

In one DAR application, we noted in 1987 that the name Harper had been written in as the maiden name of Hannah. It was obviously an added entry. I talked with the lady who applied to the DAR with the application and she stated that she did not make the Harper entry. We speculated never the less that Hannah could be Harper. Others have declared her as a Harper based only on this unknown addition. Since the finding, we reviewed our entire records of Va and NC. There is NOT ONE record with a Harper and Brantley mentioned together. We cannot find enough evidence to support the entry made by this unknown person.

Among the many descendants of John and Hannah, are Dr Wm Theophilus Brantley (noted clergyman), Lt Col Hattie Lamar Brantley (decorated WWII prisoner of war) Newby Odell Brantly (inventor), Jeff Brantley (leading National League relief pitcher) and Adam Medows (Offensive Tackle- Indiana Colts). I am a descendant of this couple as well as foremost researchers, William Kizziah, William Timothy Brantley, and the late Gene Doyle Brantley.

See the study of John & Hannah in our 15th Report. See also Report #2, Report #5, Report #8, and the Video Documentary.

Will

WILL OF JOHN BRANTLEY 1777

• In the name of God Amen: I John Brantley of the county of Chatham and providence of North Carolina; being weak in body, but in perfect mind and memory; but calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and the mortality of the body, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament. First I recommend my body to the dust to be buried in a Christain like mannor and my soul into the hands of God that gave it, in hopes of it's resurrection to eternal life and tuching such worldly estate and pleased God to bless me with, I desire to give and dispose in manner and form following;
• Item; I leave the use of my plantation, two cows and a grey mare, three cows and pigs and ten barrells of corn, (and two negroes Pat and Job) to my loving wife and during her lifetime and at her decease for the plantation to go to my son Benjamin and the Negroes and other estate to be equally divided between my children.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Rana Higdon, five pounds to be paid out of my estate and no more to her and her heirs forever.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my grandson, Philip Higdon five pounds to be paid out of my estate to him and his heirs forever.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my grandson Charles Higdon five pounds to be paid out of my estate and no more to him and his heirs forever.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my grandson Edmond Jones twenty shillings, and no more, to be paid out of my estate to him and his heirs forever.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my loving son Joseph Brantley, three negroes a wench named Nan and a negro girl named June and a negro girl named Tuck, to him and his heirs forever.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my loving son John Brantley two Negroes named Bridget and Jacob to him and his heirs forever.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my loving son William Brantley two negroes named Jack and Patience to him and his heirs forever.
• I give and bequeath to mu loving son Benjamin Brantley two negores named Dick and Nance to him and his heirs forever.
• Item; I give and bequeath to my loving son Phillip two negroes named Pat and Sam to him and his heirs forever.
• And I do hearby appoint my two sons Joseph and John, executors of this my last will and testament, this annulling all other form of wills before by me made as witness my hand and seal this 12th day of August 1777.
• Signed Sealed and Delivered in presents of Jno Brantley Sr Seal
• Enterline before assign David D. Mactock Feb Court 1782 Abraham Womack

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References

WikiTree contributors, "John Brantley Sr. (abt.1700-abt.1782)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brantley-140 : accessed 12 November 2024).

1. https://www.brantleyassociation.com/pages/key_progenitors.htm