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Marable Family History -- Early Documents 1659-1796

Will of Henry Hartwell, Stepney, London, England, July 1699, August 1699

43 New England Historical and Genealogical Register ___; Genealogical Gleanings in England, pp.313-314; additional material appearing in brackets is from Survey Report 5019 [04788] of the Colonial Records Project of the Library of Virginia

Henry Hartwell late of Virginia, Esq., now of the parish of Stepney als Stebonheath, 3 July 1699, with codicil dated 4 July 1699, proven 2 August 1699.

To Nicholas Merryweather, nephew of my late wife [Jane Meriwether], two hundred pounds. To Francis Merryweather, another nephew, one hundred pounds. To Thomas Merryweather, another, one hundred pounds. To Jane Browne, wife of William Browne and niece to my late wife, one hundred pounds. To Elizabeth Browne, daughter to Coll. William Browne and niece of my late wife, one hundred pounds. To my kinsman John Spratly one hundred pounds. To my kinswoman Mary Sanders one hundred pounds (and other personal property [two paire of sheets, a dozen napkins, his blue bed and a featherbed and all furniture belonging to it]). To Elianor Say daughter of Capt. Edward Say one hundred pounds, to be put in the Bank of England until she arrive at the age of eighteen or day of marriage; but in case the Bank shall be redeemed before such time that then it shall be put out at the discretion of my executors till the time aforesaid [also his gold watch, japan cabinet, glass table and stands, and £10 for mourning]. In the case of the death of the said Elianor Say, before she arrive at the age of eighteen or day of marriage then to Ann Say daughter to the above Capt. Edward Say. To Mrs. Susan Say his wife twenty pounds. To the poor of Maidenhead in the County of Berks. twenty pounds [to be spent by the magistrate].

I give and bequeath unto the College of William and Mary in Virginia the sum of fifty pounds. To my niece Mary Hartwell daughter of my late brother William Hartwell three hundred pounds at age of eighteen or day of marriage. To my nephew William Hartwell eldest son of my late brother William four hundred pounds at age of twenty one. To John Hartwell youngest son four hundred pounds at age of twenty one. If the said Mary, William or John or either of them die before they arrive at their respective ages &c. the portion of such shall be equally divided in the survivors of them and their brother Henry Hartwell. To my coachman William Anderson five pounds. To my maid servant Isabella Leigh ten pounds. To my nephew Henry Hartwell, the second son of my late brother William Hartwell, all my land in Surry County, over against James City in Virginia, and to his heirs forever. To Thomas Lane and Mary his wife, each five pounds to buy them rings. [To Mrs. Sarah Perry ,[sic] wife of Mr. Richard Perry, £5 for a ring.] To Micajah Perry and Richard Perry in consideration of their trouble in the management of the Trusts fifty pounds each. And it is my express will that my executors do send for my nephew Henry Hartwell out of Virginia to England and that they give him the best education they can till he shall so ararive[sic] at the age of one and twenty years. If my said nephew Henry Hartwell shall not live to attain the age of one and twenty years my will then is that my land in Surrey[sic] County &c. shall be to my nephew William Hartwell and his heirs forever. And all my other personal estate, in case of my nephew Henry Hartwell's death if he die before he attain the age of one and twenty years, I give as follows. I then give unto the College of William and Mary in Virginia, more, one hundred pounds for and towards the founding Scholarships in the said College to see it faithfully laid out to that end.

The residue of the personal esstate[sic], in case of the death of my nephew Henry Hartwell, I give to my nephews William and John Hartwell and my niece Mary Hartwell and to Nicholas, Francis and Thomas Merryweather and James[sic] the wife of William Browne, and John Spratly and Mary Sanders and Elianor Say, equally to be divided among them.

I appoint my trusty and well beloved friends Micajah Perry and Richard Perry of London, merchants, executors &c.

Wit: Prescilla Jones, Anna Haddock, Elizaabeth[sic] Crawley

In a codicil a bequest of twenty pounds is made to Robert Wise, servant of Micajah Perry, for several services done.

Wit: Thomas Land, Isabella Lee

Proved 2 August 1699 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (Pett, 134).

The Will of Col. Henry Hartwell, Esq., establishes the names of the children of his brother, Capt. William Hartwell. It also implies that Mary Hartwell was not yet of age and not yet married (to Maj. George Marable) as of 1699. James Branch Cabell seems to have treated it as proof, asserting that Mary Hartwell was born in or about 1682 and married George Marable in or about 1699. However, Henry Hartwell had left Virginia in the early 1690's to report to the Board of Trade and Plantations in London, and the language regarding his niece, Mary, is what lawyers call "boilerplate". It is at least not strong evidence against the possibility of an earlier birth and marriage for Mary Hartwell.

SPRATLEY Family

1. JOHN SPRATLEY. JOHN died After 28 Apr 1728.

See Text for son-in-law Robert Saunders for additional details. In particular, his will is dated 28 Apr 1728.

JOHN SPRATLEY had the following child:

2 i. SPRATLEY. She married ?ROBERT SAUNDERS. ?ROBERT was born ca 1690. Birthplace: "in: York Co., VA?" ?ROBERT was the son of ?JOHN SAUNDERS and SARAH HARGRAVE.

?ROBERT died aft 25 Jun 1766 in Virginia, USA, at approximately 75 years of age. Family Group Sheet: "in: York Co., VA or Halifax Co. VA"

(See ?ROBERT SAUNDERS for the continuation of this line.)

She became the mother of John Saunders ca 1715. She became the mother of JAMES SAUNDERS Sr in Virginia, USA, 17 Jul 1716. Tentative. See Text for husband John for additional evidence.

John Lucas of Eastern North Carolina Descendants and Kinfolks

• ID: I30760
• Name: Elizabeth Spratley
• Sex: F

Father: Spratley
Mother: Mary Cocke

Marriage 1 Benjamin Simmons, Sr. b: BEF 1707 in Surry County, Virginia

• Married: 23 MAY 1738 in Surry County, Virginia

Children

1. Lucy Simmons
2. Martha Simmons
3. John Simmons, Sr. b: 23 FEB 1739/40 in Southampton County, Virginia
4. Benjamin Simmons b: 25 APR 1742 in Southampton County, Virginia
5. Mary Simmons b:24 JUN 1744 in Southampton County, Virginia
6. Elizabeth Simmons b: 12 AUG 1746
7. Sarah Simmons b: 19 FEB 1750/51
8. Keziah Simmons b: 27 MAR 1754
9. Spratley Simmons b: 23 JUL 1759
10. Henry Simmons b: 18 APR 1763

• ID: I30762
• Name: Mary Cocke
• Sex: F

Father: William Cocke

Marriage 1 Spratley

Children

1. Elizabeth Spratley
2. John Spratley

Murphys

p.34
Cocke, William: Leg. - To son, Nicholas Cocke, all land that I hold on southwest side of Birchen Swamp and that purchased of Richard Hide, Sr., also land purchased of Mr. John Brashare and all bookbinding tools. To son, Richard Cocke, land bought of William Halso and also from Richard Hide over the county road, 150 acres reserving one-half acre for my son William Cocke's warehouse and one-half acre to Thoams Cocke to build a warehouse. To son, Thomas Cocke, land on Nottoway River-- 400 acres where Lemon [probably Simon] MURFREY now dwelleth. To son, William Cocke, the plantation where I now live on and the land bought of Richard Wiggins and John Wiggins after the decease of my wife, Mary Cocke, and to son, Nicholas Cocke, to be free and have land bought from Wiggins. To daughter, Mary Spratley, 30 lbs., to son, Thomas, a quarter part of my sloop and cargo discounting his wages for the last voyage and the present voyage. To granddaughter, Frances Cocker, 5 lbs. To granddaughter, Eliza. Spratley, 5 lbs. All other estate to my wife. 29 Apr 1720. Prob.:19 Oct., 1720. Wit: Walter Cocke, John Dawson, Mary Dawson. Book 7, p.282.

Isaac Faulcon of Surry County, Virginia

b) JACOB FAULCON was born in 1742 at Surry, Virginia. He married ANN SPRATLEY, daughter of JOHN SPRATLEY III and MARY (--?--), on 17 Jun 1773 at Surry, Virginia.

1782 Surry County, Virginia Census

Heads of Families listed in the 1784 Surry County, Virginia Census

1787 Surry County, Virginia Tax List A

Lydia (Dodson?) Spratlen

Lydia (Dodson) Spratlen

George Spratlen married Lydia 'Somebody' around 1785-1790. I suspect Lydia was Lydia Dodson for a number of reasons.

I know that Martha Spratlen's mother's name was Lydia first from family information. Gertrude Wood spent many hours interviewing an elderly relative during the 1950's who recalled many details about the early days of the family in Nebraska. That relative recalled Martha's maiden name as Lydia and her father's name as George. She also recalled that Martha's parents both came west with Martha and Richard Pell.

This family story is confirmed by the 1850 Buchanan Co. Missouri federal census for Center Township. There I found a Lydia Spratlen, age 83 living in the same household with Martha (Spratlen) and Richard Pell and family. This may be viewed on the transcribed census on line.

Book Source: The Dodson Family of North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia by Williams and Lucas.

• Name: Lydia DODSON
• Sex: F
• Birth: UNKNOWN
• Death: UNKNOWN

• Father: Fortunatus DODSON b: 31 MAR 1740 in Richmond County, Virginia
• Mother: Margaret {Peggy} DODSON b: UNKNOWN

• Marriage 1 George PRATELY b: UNKNOWN
• Married: 7 JAN 1787 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia 1

From LDS search where I entered the serach term Prately

• Name: Lydia "Leedy" DODSON
• Sex: F

• Father: Fortunatus "Fortune" DODSON b: 31 MAR 1740
• Mother: Margaret "Peggy" DODSON b: ABT 1752 in Richmond Co., VA
• Marriage 1 George PRATLEY
• Married: 07 JAN 1787 in Pittsylvania Co., VA 1
• Sources:
• 1.Marriage Bonds & Ministers Returns of Pittsylvania Co, VA 1767-1805 by Knorr Page: 68

I have spent many hours on line looking for any evidence of a Pratley family in Virginia or North Carolina. Now, I know that just because I found none doesn't mean there were no Pratleys. However, it is entirely possible that the marriage record was made by a county clerk who did not hear the name "Spratlen" correctly and put down the wrong spelling. In fact, Lora Tindall who has a copy of that record says that it looks as though all entries and signatures are written by the same hand. This is fairly strong evidence that neither George nor Lydia knew how to read and write, so that a clerk was required to record the oral statements of both.

I do know that George Spratlen was in Pittsylvania County, Virginia because he signed a land deed 13 Sept. 1797 to George S. Fitzgerald, his future son-in-law as near as can be determined.

NEEDED- a will or land deal that shows Lydia as wife of George Spratlen, and a will that names the children of George and Lydia. George probably died in Missouri before 1850. I would think a will might be found there.