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The children of John and Olive Branscomb
John's will names four children: Thomas, Rebecah, Wesley and Isaac. The one census
available for John comes too late in his life to show the size of his
family. It would be unlikely for John and Olive to have only four
children spaced approximately over a quarter of a century, from the
birth of Thomas (ca. 1780-1784) to Isaac (1805), although it is possible
that there were miscarriages, stillbirths, and infant deaths. The official
records of Wayne County provide evidence for several Branscombs who
could easily have been their children and for whom evidence shows some
interaction either with John and Olive or with the four known children
who are named in John’s will. Further, these presumed children
do not appear to fit within the families of any other Branscombs. The
evidence to show the links among the children and presumed children
is presented in the accounts for those children. As stated in the preface
to this series of genealogical histories, the word “presumed”
is generally omitted for those persons for whom full proof is lacking
to show them as children of John, but readers should keep that word
in mind.
Following is the list of known and presumed children:
1. Thomas, b. ca. 1780-1784; md. Barbara ___
2. Rebekah (also spelled "Rebecah" and "Rebecca"), b. ca. 1783; md. ___ Burris (Rebekah could have been the
firstborn.)
3. Roland, b. ca. 1786; md. Nancy Barrow
4. Elizabeth, b. ca. 1790; md. Reuben Stone
5. Mary, b. 12 October 1794; md. William Dobbs Jr.
6. David, b. ca. 1795; md. Mary ___
7. Edmund, b. ca. 1797; md. Nancy Cristle
8. Wesley, b. May 1801; md. Jane Dobbs
9. Isaac, b. 1805; md. Ruth Gregory
10. Henry, b. ca. 1809; md. Elizabeth Burris
No satisfactory reason accounts for the absence of
bequests in John’s will to some of these children, assuming that
they were truly his children. By 1821 Roland and Edmund had already
left Wayne County, but the others remained. The will does give the appearance
of being drawn hastily. Despite his statement that he was “of
perfect mind and memory,” John may not have been in condition
at the time he made his will to weigh legal matters carefully. As stated
in the history of John Branscomb, he neglected to name an executor. After the witnesses had signed
his initial statement he was prompted to add an amendment in order to
dispose of the remainder of his estate. If he was failing rapidly it
would have been understandable that he neglected to mention his other
children. It is also possible that, for whatever reason, John chose
not to make bequests to the other children, all of whom but Henry were
married and established on their own property. For adolescent Henry,
no doubt he continued to live at home with his mother. (Isaac, age 16
at the time of his father’s death, was mentioned in the will.)
See also:
Olive E. Branscomb, wife of John Branscomb
John Branscomb, son of Richard and Sarah Branscomb
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Frederick B. Tubbs
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