Lady Elizabeth Anne Lodge

Lady married Sir Knight Thomas Sparrowhawk Sparks on 18 Oct 1551 in St Martin, Ludgate, London, England. Sir (son of Sir William Lambe Andrew Sparrowhawke Sparke and Lady Susannah Matilda Cobbold) was born in 1530 in Brent Pelham, Hertfordshire, England; died on 7 Jul 1596 in St Andrew Hubbard, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Sir married Lady Elizabeth Ann Martin Wayne Sparke on 25 Sep 1569 in Little Saxham, Suffolk, England. Lady (daughter of Sir Nicholas Sparke of Bridford and Lady Elizabeth Sparke (Aiffer)) was born in 1552 in Brent Pelham, Hertfordshire, England; died on 1 Mar 1615 in Halstead, Hertfordshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Valentia married Lionel Branch on 8 Jul 1596 in St Martin, Ludgate, London, England. Lionel (son of William Branch, Lord, Mayor Abington and Katherine Barbara Jennings, (Magna Charta line)) was born on 18 Aug 1566 in Abingdon, Berkshire, England; died on 1 Jun 1605 in Ludgate, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Arrival: 1619, , , Virginia, USA
• Residence: 1624, , , Virginia, USA

Notes:

Christopher Branch
Father: Lionel Braunche
Mother: Valentia Sparkes
b. 1601 in London, England
d. 1681 in Henrico County, Virginia
m. licence September 2, 1619 in St. Peter's,Westcheap, London, England, Mary Addie, bap. August 16, 1593 in Darton, Yorkshire, England, d. 1630 in Virginia, Daughter of Francis Addie and Margaret Lee.

Issue
Thomas Branch, christened May 1620 in Jamestown, Virginia, d. buried April 21, 1695 in Varina Parish, Henrico County, Virginia m. Elizabeth Gough. In 1622 Thomas was the only Virginia born to survive the Good Friday Indian Massacre.

William Branch, b. 1625 in Henrico County, Virginia, d. 1676 in Henrico County, Virginia m. Jane Hatcher

Christopher Branch, Jr., bc. 1627

Information:

March 1, 1601, proved, April 24, 1602:
Christopher's grandfather William Braunche (branch2E) wrote the following clause in his will: "To my unthrifty and disobedient sonne Honell (Lyonell?) by blacke gowne and best cloke and to his first borne sonne at eightene yeares of age then liveinge in money Five marks". It would appear that when Christopher turned 18 he collected his inheritance, got married and sailed for Virginia.

March 1619/20:
Christopher and his wife departed for America on the London Merchant, which was dispatched by the Virginia Company (also known as the London Company) from Tilburyhope in England with 200 passengers.

1624/25:
The Henrico County, Virginia Muster of 1624/25 lists Christopher, his wife and their nine month old son Thomas, as living at "ye Colledg Land". 'College Land was a large tract of land in Henrico County which was to be used as a place were the Indians would learn the Christian religion. In the words of the colonists, the land was set aside "to erect and build a college in Virginia for the training and bringing up of infidel's children to the true knowledge of god and understanding of righteousness." This plan was abandoned in 1622 after the Good Friday Massacre of about 350 colonist by the Indians led by chief Opechancanough.

1632:
Christopher returned to England, going to court, saying he had been cheated out of ownership of the Bull Inn at Abingdon by his Uncle Robert Payne. Christopher's case was that, by the terms of his great-uncle Thomas' will of 1565 the Bull Inn after descending to his grandfather William, and to his uncle, William's eldest son Thomas, should have descended to Christopher's father Lionel, as heir at law of the younger Thomas, and so to Christopher after Lionel's death. But Christopher lost his case and returned to Virginia and settled down to a planter's life.

1634:
The Land Office issued to Christopher Branch, Planter, of Arrowhattocks a 21 year lease on 100 acres on the north side of the James River.

1635:
Christopher obtained a patent for 250 acres on the other side of the James River. 50 acres for his own and 200 for the transportation of four other persons. He renewed the patent wtice in 1638.

1636-38:
Christopher had a patent for 100 acres of which he assigned 60 acres to James Place in return for 100 acres. He renewed the 1636 patent and got another 350 acres for seven more transports in 1638.

1639:
Christopher was the Viewer of Tobacco.

1639 thru 1641:
Christopher was a member of the House of Burgesses from Henrico County, Virginia.

1656:
Christopher was a Justice of the Peace in Henrico County, Virginia.

1665:
Christopher now obtained a patent on Kingsland as he now called his estate. The 1,380 acre plantation encompassed his earlier 250 and 450 acre patents, and added 50 acres from John Griffin and 630 acres for transporting thirteen persons.

June 20, 1678, probated, February 20, 1681/82:
Christopher's will confirmed what he had already gifted to his son Thomas and the rest was itemized out to his grandchildren Christopher, Samuel, Benjamin, Sarah and Mary (wife of Thomas Jeffferson (jeff201). At his son Christopher's death (1665) the children had come to live with him and were raised at Kingsland.

April 13, 1682:
The inventory and appraisement of Christopher's estate was pounds 38:7:10 and the division of the estate was ordered.

1691:
Christopher Branch III and his Uncle Thomas Branch were in heated dispute. Both lived on land that Christopher Branch I had owned and Thomas put a fence across an old cart path blocking Christopher's way to the creek. After Christopher several times tore down the fence, Thomas sued him. To help resolve the issue, Christopher's brothers, Samuel and Benjamin Branch were ordered to give depostions about where a cart path ran. Christopher III pointed to a clause in his grandfather's will - that the cart way be not stopped up nor altered that now is to go into the woods for timber or for firewood but to have a clear passage - and the court ordered Thomas to leave a path fifteen feet wide.

Will of Christopher Branch
20 June 1678 In the name of God Amen. The twentieth of June 1678. I Christopher Branch, of Kingsland, in the County of Henrico being in years and memory, praised be to God, do make this my Last Will and Testament as follows: Item. I give my body unto the Earth from whence it came and my Soul unto my Savior Jesus Christ, who has bought it with his most precious blood. Item. I give unto my son Thomas Branch my great copper kettle and a book called Ursinis Catucis and I do confirm the two hundred and forty acres of land that I have given him by deed gift formerly. Item. I give unto my grandson Christopher Branch all the land between the river and the long slash, beginning at Proctors Creek mouth, and run upward on the river to the pine tree that parts my land and my son Thomas, and from Proctors Creek at the lower end of long slash on the inside of the slash running upward to my son Thomas’ land unto him and his heirs male forever, provided that he shall help to build for his brother, Samuel Branch a house [with] four lengths of board every length to be five foot with help of the Negro and Job. If they live until Samuel be of ability to help and to seat it, and to help him to clear a cornfield sufficiently fenced to keep out hogs and cattle. Item. I give unto my grandson Samuel Branch all the land that lies between the long slash and the bottom called by the name Jacks Bottom, beginning at Proctors Creek and running upwards to my son Thomas’ land to him and his heirs male forever provided that he, with the help of Christopher and the Negro and Job, if it pleased God they live, do build Benjamin one house of four lengths of board every length of board to be five foot long, clear and fence him a cornfield so much as they do for Samuel, with his help when he shall be able to seat it. Item. I give unto my grandson Benjamin Branch all the land that lies between Jacks Bottom and Proctors Creek beginning at Proctors Creek and running upwards to my son Thomas’ land to him and his heirs male forever. It is my will that Christopher do give unto Samuel and Benjamin six locust posts and two elm posts a piece when they shall build them their dwelling houses if they can find none on their own ground. It is my will that any of these—Christopher, Samuel, or Benjamin—do die before they come to the age of one and twenty years then their land shall return to the next brother and the goods that they shall have out of my estate after my decease. It is my will that after my decease, my son Thomas shall pay unto Christopher the rent that shall be due unto his Majesty yearly for his two hundred and forty acres of land when it shall be demanded. Likewise, Mr. Gower, Samuel, and Benjamin when they shall seat their land. Item. It is my will that neither Samuel nor Benjamin go off the plantation but to live with Christopher and to have housing and ground and to work together until they be able to seat their own land unless they be willing to go off themselves. It is my will that my part of my Job’s labor, so long as he has to serve, shall go to maintain Samuel, Benjamin, and Sarah, and the half of the Negro’s labor go to maintain them. Item. It is my will that the cart way be not stopped up nor altered that now is to go into the woods for timber or for firewood but to have a clear passage. It is my will that William and John Branch shall have liberty to fish or fowl in the creeks or swamp. If Christopher shall refuse to help to build and clear for Samuel and Benjamin as I have set down in this my will, then he shall pay to Benjamin six hundred pounds of tobacco. Item: I give unto Thomas Jefferson one hogshead of tobacco of four hundred pounds weight whom I make with my grandson Christopher Branch my full and sole executors of this my last will and testament and I desire them to see my will truly performed, my debts and legacies being paid and burial discharged, all the rest of my estate I give unto my grandson Christopher Branch and Samuel and Benjamin and Sarah and Mary Branch, the wife of Thomas Jefferson to be equally divided among them. Witness my hand and seal the day and year above written. Christopher Branch Witnessed:
Abel Gower
Richard Ward

Christopher married Mary Francis Addie on 2 Sep 1619 in St Peter, London, England. Mary (daughter of Francis Addie Addy, Sir Knight and Lady Mary Standing) was born on 30 Nov 1599 in Darton, Yorkshire, England; died in 1630 in , Henrico, Virginia, USA; was buried in , Henrico, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]