Thomas BROWNE, II

Bef 1648 - Bef 1715  (< 67 years)

• Name	Thomas BROWNE
  Suffix	II
  Birth	Bef 1648
  Gender	Male
  Will	22 Mar 1715	Anne Arundel County, MD
  Death	Bef 4 Jun 1715	Anne Arundel County, MD
  Death	Bef 4 Jun 1715	Anne Arundel County, MD
  Probate	4 Jun 1715	Anne Arundel County, MD
  Notes	(1) Richardson, Hester Dorsey, Side-Lights on Maryland History, Vol. 2, Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins Company, 1913, pp. 287-292: The records are as silent regarding the death of Thomas Browne [the first] as they are barren of information that would lend interest to his life, and it is to a deed from his son and heir that we have proof of the line of succession. According to this it is shown that he left to succeed him and to perpetuate his name, Thomas Browne, the second, who made the following acknowledgment on March 9, 1674: Anne Arundel County Deeds, Liber I H, No. 1, folio 216: "Know all men by these presents that I, Thomas Browne, of the River and the County of Anne Arundell, Inhabitant, son and heir unto Thomas Browne, of the river and county aforesaid, deceased, have remised, released and forever quit-claimed by these presents, etc., for me, my heirs, etc., unto my father-in-law, William Hopkins, his heirs and assigns all manner of Lienes, Demands or claims from or to my part or parcell of my father's estate, both real and personal and Doe acknowledge myself to be fully satisfied with a valuable consideration in the same. Doe acquit and discharge the said Hopkins, his heirs," etc. (Signed) "THOMAS BROWNE." From this deed we learn not only that Thomas Browne the second was the son of the Virginia settler of the same name, but the fact that William Hopkins married the widow of Thomas Browne the first, and thus became the "father-in-law" in the seventeenth century term, but really the step-father of Thomas Browne the second, as the will of William Hopkins proves (see Colonial Wills, Liber 11, folio 212, 1702, in which William Hopkins of Anne Arundel County calls "my wife's oldest son Thomas Browne," etc.). John Browne, the brother of Thomas Browne, first, one of the prominent figures in the battle of the Severn, made his nephew Thomas Browne heir to his lands. Annapolis Wills, Land Office, Liber 1, folio 320: John Browne, of Anne Arundel County, will dated March 30, 1668, no date of probate; testator devised: "To my wife Mary Browne my plantation and all my cattle and all that is called mine within doors and without doors, for long as she remains a widow. Should my wife marry, then the estate shall be delivered into the hands of William Hopkins, the said Hopkins to look after the same for the use of my daughter's son, Wm. Greene, only my wife to have her thirds and the remainder to be delivered to William Greene when he becomes to the age of twenty-one years. Reversion to my brother's children female of all personalty, and the land to my cousin (nephew), Thomas Browne." It is interesting to read between the lines of the ancient land records the story of friendship and affection existing between William Hopkins and his wife's son, Thomas Browne. The significant name which reflected his character was given to the first patent of land granted to Thomas Browne, second. This was Browne's Peace, surveyed for him on June 22, 1676, and recorded in Lord Baltimore's Rent Rolls for Anne Arundel County, No. 1, folio 111. Friendship, a tract of 100 acres, was surveyed for Thomas Browne and William Hopkins, jointly, on May 24, 1681 (Anne Arundel County Rent Rolls, Liber No. 1, folio 111). Other grants patented to Thomas Browne were: Increase, 100 acres, surveyed for Matthew Howard in the year 1669, possessed by Thomas Browne (Anne Arundel County Rent Rolls, folio 56). Browne's Folly, 270 acres, surveyed July 9, 1679, for Thomas Browne (Ibid., folio 82). Browne's Chance, 98 acres, surveyed on March 29, 1687, for Thomas Browne, on the south side of the Severn River (Ibid., folio 64). Addition, 400 acres, surveyed September 16, 1707, for Thomas Browne, "at head branches of the Patuxent west side of ye north branch of said river" (Baltimore County Rent Rolls, folio 250). Browne's Adventure, 1000 acres, surveyed October 10, 1694, for Thomas Browne on the north side of the Patapsco (Ibid., folio 187). Diamond, 200 acres, surveyed September 28, 1681, for Thomas Browne (Anne Arundel County Rent Rolls, folio 84). Browne's Forest, 387 acres, surveyed 1695, for Thomas Browne, north branch of the Patuxent (Ibid., folio 82). Browne's Increase, 250 acres, surveyed June 14, 1669, for William Hopkins (Anne Arundel County Rent Rolls, No. 6, folio 50). Ranter's Ridge, 415 acres, surveyed May 7, 1703, for Thomas Browne, on the main fails of the Patapsco (Baltimore County Rent Rolls, folio 221). Clink, 100 acres, surveyed August 27, 1659, for William Galloway. Possessed by Thomas Browne (Anne Arundel County Rent Rolls, folio 47). Thomas Browne, second, was in 1692 appointed by the council of Sir Lionel Copley, first Royal Governor of Maryland, as Ranger in Anne Arundel County "from Mr. Snowden's Plantation down the rest of the county" (Maryland Archives, volume 3, folio 339). That he continued in his Majesty's King William III Colonial service is shown in the Maryland Archives, volume 20, folio 541, where Thomas Browne signed, as one of the military officers of Anne Arundel County, a letter to King William, dated May 10, 1696, congratulating him on his escape from assassination. Thomas Browne lived at his plantation on the Severn. Here he died in the year 1715. His will, dated March 22, 1714-15, and proved June 4, 1715, is recorded in Liber W B, No. 6, folio 54, Land Office, Annapolis, Maryland. In it he calls himself Thomas Browne, Sr., of Anne Arundel County. Thomas Browne, the eldest son and heir, inherited over 1000 acres of land from his father. To son John Browne he left the home plantation Clink. To son Valentine Browne he gave the Patuxent plantation, Browne's Forest. To son Joshua Browne the lower part of Ranter's Ridge, 400 acres. The lands which were inherited by Thomas Browne, the son and heir of Thomas Browne, who died in 1715, included those granted the first Thomas Browne and also those patented by his son. The following deed is given to establish this point. Provincial Court Records, Annapohs, Maryland, Liber T P, No. 4, folio 339, October 4, 1715: Thomas Browne, of Anne Arundel County, planter, son, and heir-at-law to Thomas Browne, late of the said county, deceased, of the one part, and John Browne, brother to the said Thomas Browne, party to the second part. Thomas Browne conveys to his brother, John Browne, several tracts or parcels of land, viz: Addition, lying in Baltimore County, on the head branches of the Patuxent River, containing 400 acres; also land called Browne's Increase, on the south side of Anne Arundel River, containing 250 acres; also land called Browne's Forest, in Anne Arundel County, on the west side of the north branch of the Patuxent River, and 387 acres called Browne's Chance, and Captain Dorsey's Friend, lying in Baltimore County, on the west side of Middle River, containing 574 acres; also land in Anne Arundel County near the Bay, containing 100 acres; also Increase, containing 150 acres; also Browne's Folly, in Anne Arundel County, containing 270 acres; also Browne's Peace, in Anne Arundel County, containing 52 acres, in all 2283 acres. Liber T P, No. 4, folio 389, Provincial Court Records, Land Office, Annapolis: John Browne mortgaged all the above named lands to Amos Garrett, merchant of Annapolis, August 8, 1716. (2) Cotton, Jane Baldwin, Maryland Calendar of Wills, Vol. 4, Baltimore, MD: Kohn & Pollock, 1904: Browne, Thos., Sr., A. A. Co., 22nd Mch., 1714-15; 4th June, 1715. To son Jno., ex., and hrs., land belonging to dwelling-house on Annarundell R. To son Valentine and hrs., Patuxent plantation. To son Joshua and hrs., 400 A., "Ranter's Ridge." To dau. Hannah (Brown), all land adjoining son Jno. Stevens and Samuel Dryers. To brother-in-law Jno. Somerland, personalty. Test: Abraham Childs, Jno. Somerland, Susannah Johnson, William Vinecome. 14. 54.
  Person ID	I29818	Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Thomas BROWNE, I   d. Bef 1670, Anne Arundel County, MD
  Mother	--- (BROWNE)
  Family ID	F12987	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Catherine SUMMERLAND,   b. Bef 1652, Anne Arundel County, MD d. Bef 22 Mar 1715, Anne Arundel County, MD (Age < 63 years)
  Marriage	Bef 1668	Anne Arundel County, MD
  Children	1. Valentine BROWNE, Sr.,   b. Abt 1692, Anne Arundel County, MD d. Aft 1770, Anne Arundel County, MD (Age ~ 79 years)   2. Joshua BROWN, Sr.,   b. Abt 1698, Anne Arundel County, MD d. Bef 9 Jun 1774, Anne Arundel County, MD (Age ~ 76 years)   3. Hannah BROWNE   4. John BROWNE
  Family ID	F12978	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024