In Part 1, the post concluded with the theory that Sarah, wife of Thomas Brasher of Baltimore County, Maryland, was a CONSTANT by birth, not a Constance.

Next, I went down the rabbit hole with the Constant-Brasher-Grafton FAN Club and that enabled me to learn much more about these family relationships.

Now, it’s time to return directly to Thomas and Sarah (Constant) Brasher, who left little in the way of a paper trail to document their lives.

First, when was Thomas Brasher born? Well, if you believe “everyone” online, it was on 1 September 1701 in St. George’s Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland. HOWEVER, I have read the church records for St. George’s Parish and, while I have found entries confirming the date of Thomas’s and Sarah’s marriage AND the births of their children, NO RECORD HAS BEEN FOUND concerning the birth of Thomas Brasher. Yet there is another primary source that confirms his date of birth – the 1712 court record in which he was bound to John Webster until the age of 25. It mentioned that his birthday was on “September 1 next.”

It is interesting that Thomas married just six weeks after his 25th birthday.

Brides were usually younger than their husbands by a few years, so Sarah Constant’s birth is estimated at 1705, as brides were often about 21 when they first married.

Today, we’ll look at proving their children.

Thomas Brasher and Sarah Constant were married on 13 October 1726 in St. George’s Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland. Today, St. George’s Church is in Harford County, which borders the eastern side of modern-day Baltimore County, right on the state border with York County, Pennsylvania.

My early records state that this family lived in Spesutia, Maryland, which is also correct because St. George’s Church is also called Spesutia Church.

Seven children are attributed to Thomas and Sarah (Constant) Brasher, but only births of the first three children appear in the St. George Parish records as a family group with the date of Thomas’s and Sarah’s marriage.

Children:

1. William, born 18 November 1727, St. George Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland
2. Elizabeth, born 15 May 1729; died 22 May 1729, both in St. George Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland
3. Thomas, born 18 June 1731, St. George Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland; died 1789, Greenville County, South Carolina; married Sarah (MNU)
4. Elizabeth, born 25 November 1733, St. George Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland; married Mr. Jones
5. John, reportedly born 23 May 1736
6. Aquilla, reportedly born 28 July 1740; died after 20 November 1808; married Mary (MNU)
7. Sarah, reportedly born 12 June 1744; married John Pyle, c1767

This is a matter of researching as I write this post, so the next step is to check the records for the births of Elizabeth, John, Aquilla and Sarah.

The good news is that further searching has produced a birth records for al four of those children in St. George Parish records. Interesting to note, though, that while the first three children are in a family group with their parents, the four remaining children are recorded somewhat chronologically in the church records.

It is obvious from both the handwriting style and the paper (with faint lies) that these records have been recopied from the originals.

The church clerk certainly had an odd way of noting births, marriages and deaths if the copy is in the same order as the original. The events are all mixed over several years’ time.

It makes me wonder if Thomas and Sarah were actually married in a different parish, if their first three children were also born elsewhere and that this small family group was recorded when they came to live in the parish? That’s a question that might never find an answer.

Thomas Brasher left a will, written on 17 May 1770, in Orange County, North Carolina, but exactly when he died isn’t evident because the will wasn’t proved in court until May 1784.

However, Hannah, James, his wife? Catey, and Samuel Brazier sold 100 acres of that land on 17 October 1779, so it appears Thomas died some time between 17 May 1770 and 17 October 1779. The deed wasn’t recorded until February 1782.

What is evident is that Sarah died and Thomas married (2) Hannah (MNU), born c1718; died after 17 October 1779, probably Orange County, North Carolina; married c1746.

Thomas was the father of seven more children with Hannah.

Children:

1. Hannah, born c1748; died after 1800, probably Rowan County, North Carolina; married Abraham Teague, c1769
2. James, born c1750
3. Cassia, born c1752; died after 17 May 1770. [NOTE: Is this daughter Cassie, as in Cassandra or a very misspelled Keziah?]
4. Jean, born c1754; died after 17 May 1770
5. Samuel, born c1758; died after 30 November 1796, when he and Rachel McCrary witnessed a deed for brother James in Greenville County, South Carolina
6. Mary, born c1760, probably Orange County, North Carolina; died after 1850, probably Paulding County, Georgia; married James Seaborn
7. Rachel, born c1762, probably Orange County, North Carolina; died after 30 November 1796 when she witnessed a deed in Greenville County, South Carolina; married Unknown McCrary

Thus, from church records and Thomas Brasher’s will, his wives and children have been identified.

Next, we will document a timeline of Thomas Brasher’s life, based on primary records in which he is found. that will mean a trip to the local FamilySearch center, given that Maryland’s records are locked online.