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Historic Beginnings Historic beginnings are often shrouded in mystery and folklore, and our family history is no different. Handed down through the portals of time is the history of the Williams-Thorpe-Branclon Family beginning. Recounting stories told to me by family members, relatives and friends, searching year of the United States Census for North Carolina and Virginia, various city and state Archives as well as burial grounds and family Bibles. I start this story with the founder of our annual Family Reunion Sarah Williams-Tho rpe-Bra n don. She started this on-going reunion (as best we know) on the fourth (4 1h) Sunday of August in 1930 in Granville County, North Carolina. It was started seven (7) years after the death of her second husband Osh (Oce, Ash) Brandon. Why so long, who knows, and does it matter other than it is in the past gone with the death of Grandmother Sarah. What we do know is that she invited all of her children, which included those from her second husband's first marriage home for dinner and fellowship. A tradition she continued for ten (10) years until her death in 1940. This tradition continued by her children until after their death and now planned and implemented by her grandchildren. Instead of the fourth Sunday in August it has been changed to the second Saturday and Sunday in August. So we will begin where we first met the Williams family. Their first recorded record is when they (Benjamin and Sophie) appeared before the Justice of Peace on August 11, 1866 to record their marriage. This is the wording "This day came before me Benj. Williams and Sophie Burwell Freed People and say that they have been living together as man and wife for four years and intend to remain as such," information obtained from "The Register of Freed Married people, Granville County, North Carolina (1885-1868) prior to Emancipation Proclamation marriages of slaves were not recorded. The couple's next appearance was in the 1870 United States Census of Granville County, North Carolina, with their family, which consisted of five siblings. Benj. Williams, a farmer was listed as 26 years of age. Sophie Williams, a housewife was listed as 30 years old. Their children Alex (AJ) a 16 year old male, Presilla (Priscilla) a 23 year old female, Eliza Williams a 10 year old female, Sarah Williams a 7 year old female and Rachel Williams a 2 year old female. The 1880 United States Census of Granville County, Fishing Creek Township, North Carolina,, listed Benjamin (Benj.) as 38 years old and Sophia (Sophy) as 41 years of age. Now the children living in the household were Sarah (18), Peter (14), Rachel (12), Mary (10), Martha (8) and Kate (4). Alex (AL) Williams, Presilla (Priscilla) Williams and Eliza Williams were not shown with the family in this census. We know Eliza Williams had married Levi Henderson on June 15, 1879, Presilla (Priscilla) Williams married Wesley Parker and Peter Williams had married Emma Flory; Peter's second marriage was to Martha Taylor on February 1896. By the 1900 United States Census of Granville County, Fishing Creek Township North Carolina. The remaining children had married. Sarah Williams married Anderson Thorp on December 4, 1881, and appears with Osh Brandon in the 1900 census. Rachael Williams had married Phil Peace; Mary Williams had married Otis Hicks, Martha Williams had married Robert Allen and Kate Williams had married Plues Hargrove. Because of the different interpretations of the spelling of Alex (AJ) name not sure who he married and more research is needed to verify information collected. Page 2 - William-Thorpe-Brandon Family Newsletter - August 9-10, 2008
THE THORP OR THORPE'S IS THE SECOND FAMILY OF OUR ROOT
The Thorp's entered the scene in December 4, 1881 when Sarah Williams married Anderson Thorp. According to their marriage license dated December 4, 1881, Fishing Creek Township, Granville County, North Carolina, Anderson Thorp listed his mother as Martha Thorp and his father unknown. We don't have a picture of Anderson Thorp, so we used a picture of the couple son Peter Thorpe and his wife.
Anderson and Sarah Thorp had one child Peter Thorpe who married Bettie E. Adams and the couple had four children namely David, Aline, Peter Paul and Mary. No one I have talked with seems to know or at least heard what happened to Anderson Thorp. Oral history (taken with a grain of salt) is that Sarah left him and returned home to her family. Since their marriage was after the 1880 census and ended before the 1900 census there is no census records of Anderson and Sarah Thorp as a couple. This family has two spellings of the surname Thorp (Tharp) and Thorpe Page 3- William-Thorpe-Brandon Family Newsletter - Au ust 9-10, 2008
THE BRANDON OR BRANDOM'S IS THE THIRD FAMILY OF OUR ROOT
Osh Brandon and Sarah Williams-Thorpe-Brandon appeared first in the 1900 United States Census, North Carolina, Granville County. This was the second marriage for both Osh and Sarah. The Brandon history starts with Burwell and Lucy Brandon who were both born in Virginia. We know they migrated to North Carolina before 1834 because their daughter Betsy was born about 1835 in North Carolina. In the 1850 United States Census, North Carolina, Granville County, Tabs Creek District they had three children Elizabeth (Betsy) Brandon age 17, Umstead (Umberston, Humblestom) Brandon age 16 and Richard Brandon age 10. In the same household were two additional children Hayoshe (Osh, Oce, Ash) Brandon, a three-year old male and Hillejord Brandon a two -year-old female. Research showed that their mother was Elizabeth (Betsy) Brandon Elizabeth (Betsy) Brandon was the mother of about eleven children. I have not found any additional records of Hillijord Brandon after the 1850 North Carolina Census. Parthea Brandon was born after the 1850 North Carolina Census married Junious Howell. Amanda (Manda) Brandon married Henry E. Howell, Crutcher Brandon married Lucy Ann Parker, Payton (Patton) Brandon married Annie Beatrice Horriston. William Brandon married twice first to Etta Jones and next to Lucy Braswell. Walter Brandon was born about 1864 no information on whether or not he married. Admon David Brandon married Delia Braswell and Randy (Randa/Maranda) Brandon married Matthew Parker. Delia Brandon married Bennie Howell. Osh Brandon married twice first to Partheana Eaton and next to Sarah Williams-Thorp. Osh Brandon first marriage was to Partheana (Parthea) Eaton and the couple had five children. Hillard Brandon born about 1870 moved to Virginia with his wife Margaret (Mayorette) Hogan; Jennie Brandon born 1869, married Mr. Crudup, Louise (Lue, Louise) Brandon born 1873 married Carey (Yarbo) Yarborough, and Morris Brandon born 1875 no additional information on him and Lucius (Lusian) Brandon born 1877 no additional information on him.. In the 1880 United States Federal Census, Granville County, Kittrell, North Carolina,. Osh Brandon's mother-in-law Martha Eaton was living with him and his children. Sarah Williams-Thorp was his second spouse and they had a total of 13 children. Richard Williams married twice first to Susie Bell Terrell and next to Irene Jones. Bessie Brandon married Tom (Tommie) Perry. Lillie Callie Brandon married John Edward (Eddie) Alston. Sophia Aaron Brandon married Samuel Charles Adams. Carrie Brandon married twice first to Warren Blackwell and next to John Willie Spruill. Hezekiah Arthur Brandon married Odessa W. Rogers. Susie Brandon married Louis (Lewis) Peace. Rachael Brandon married George Peace. Zonius Brandon married twice first to Owanda Parks and second to Helen Gertrude Mosley. Otis Brandon married Ida Hargrove. Annie Bell Brandon married Robert (Charlie) Taylor. Willie Brandon married Robert Howard and Flora Brandon married Herbert (Burrell) Burwell. It is unknown when some of the family changed the spelling of their names from Brandon to Brandorn or vice versus. More folklore about this will appear in one of our following newsletters. The difference spelling of the surnames of William(s), Thorp(e) and Brandorn (Brandsen) and Brandon is listed if one wants to research these families.
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2008 Family Reunion Committee
Bertha Jones-Cann, President Tonya Mosley, Vice President Ruby Peace, Treasurer Laura Chapman, Secretary Annie Lee Cozart Cathy Green Milton Williams, Sr. Cilnton Green Loretta Smith Vernell Anderson Lynette Edgerton Johnnie & Roxanne Peace, Jr. Edward Taborn Willie Taborn Carl Robertson Diane Blalock
THE 2008 WILLIAMS-THORPE-BRANDON FAMILY REUNION COMMITTEE AND OUR FAMILY MEMBERS WISH TO THANK THE PASTOR AND CONGREGATION OF ILONG BAPTIST CHURCH FOR ALLOWING US TO HOLD OUR REUNION AT THIS CHURCH. MANY OF OUR PAST FAMILY MEMBERS ATTENDED THIS CHURCH.
This is our first family newsletter and we are soliciting comments and items for the next editions. Each edition will focus on another aspect of our history as well as current issues within our family. Please send your comments to Laura Chapman, 1215 Takeaway Place, Morrisville, North Carolina 27560, telephone: 919-462-0717 or email: williamsthorpebrandon@vahoo.com. This research is the work of Laura Chapman and I welcome comments, corrections, etc. I wish to thank Lynette Edgerton who helped with the completion of this our first newsletter.
Sarah (A song written by Laura Chapman) We are the descendants of Sarah Williams, who was next Sarah Thorp and last Sarah Brandon. Sarah was a woman of much strength, who put her fait in the Lord. Sarah, born in slavery brought her love of family as she continued in her adult life. She raised her family in love, a love that was like a string and like a string it bind and surrounding you with her love. a string which had flexibility to allow her children to grow. Her descendants are many and they travel different roads. Roads which includes Carpenters, Farmers, Teachers, Doctors, Nurses, Construction, Lawyers, Managers, Stay at Home Mom's and other careers, all from a woman who could not read nor write at the end of slavery. Thank you Grandma Sarah Thank you Grandma Sarah Thank you Grandma Sarah For being with us in Spirit today
A favorite Bible saying of Sarah Williams-Thorpe-Brandon was Ephesians 6:1-3 - "Children obey your parents, in the Lord for this I right". "Honor your father and mother." Which is the first commandment with a promise -that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth?"
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