One of the early land owners in the northeast part of the county was Samuel Brockman. He died in 1779, leaving two sons, Samuel and William, and probably a third named Jason.
William was apparently prosperous in his affairs. He lived on Priddy's Creek, owned a considerable quantity of land, and had one of the first mills erected in that section. He died in 1809. A Baptist church, the precursor of the present Priddy's Creek Church, was on his land, and he devised it to the congregation using it as a place of worship. His children were Frances, the wife of a Taylor, Elizabeth, John, Margaret, the wife of a Henderson, Thomas, William, Ambrose, Samuel, and Catharine, the wife of a Bell. Ambrose married Nancy, daughter of Captain William Simms, and became a Baptist preacher. Samuel married Ann Simms, a sister of Ambrose's wife, and his son Samuel, who died in 1847, was the father of Richard Simms, Bluford, Tandy, Simpson, Tazewell, and Agatha, the wife of Thomas Edwards. Richard Simms married Martha, the daughter of Wiley Dickerson, and removed to Amherst. Among his children were Fontaine D., Harriet, the wife of William Jeffries, Tandy, and Willis Allen, who removed to Atlanta, Georgia.
In the early part of the century many of this name emigrated to Kentucky, a Tandy Brockman going to Christian County, and Elizabeth, a widow, with a large family of children, to Boone.
The eldest Samuel Brockman was born sometime around 1690 in St. Marys County Maryland. He then moved first to King and Queen County and then Orange. It seems he never lived in Albemarle. Among his neighbors in Orange were the Madisons. In fact, James Madison, Sr. (father of the 4th president) witnessed the signing of his will (see below). There has been speculation that Samuel's wife, Mary, was a Madison, but this cannot be proved. Others claim she was Mary Collins, Mary Henderson, or a host of other names. No one has any proof that she was a Madison and it's very possible the stories were invented.
WILL OF SAMUEL BROCKMAN, DATED 3 NOV 1762
"Unto my sons Samuel and William the tract of land which I have in Albermarle County containing about 358 acres to be divided as they themselves think proper. I formerly intended to give my late son John the tract of land containing 150 acres which he lived on at the time of his death and by his last will did divise to his son Joseph, and to prevent any dispute which might arise touching Joseph's title to the said land I do confirm the gift. Unto my well beloved wife Mary during her natural life only my land whereon I now live and all the Negros and also my other estate. After her decease, To my son William one Negro Wench Phillis. Unto my daughter Mary Singleton one Negro man George. To my daughter, Mary Singleton one Negro man George. To my daughter Elizabeth Street one Negro child Winney. Also 15 pounds current money. To my daughter Sarah Henderson one Negro boy Hercules. To sons Samuel and William one Negro man Peter in trust for the maintenance of my daughter Rachael Rogers during her natural life. Peter shall decend after her decease to such of the said Rachael's children as shall be living. All the rest of my estate be at the death of my wife equally divided amongst my sons and daughters that shall then be living and the children of such as are now or shall be then dead. Such grandchildren shall not be entitled to any greater share than what their father or mother would have been entitled to. My sons Samuel and William Brockman Executors.
Samuel (S) Brockman
Wit: James Madison, William Sims, John White, James Meginnis.
A Codicil was added on 19 July 1765 to distribute four more slaves. On 25 Sept 1766, the will was proved in court.
FYI, Samuel Brockman would be my 7 greats grandfather.
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