A Tale of Two Families
Each family has a history. Whether individuals know the history of their families is another thing. Most individuals may know they may be of German descent, or English or Irish descent. If asked what town from France their ancestors came from, many will not be able to tell you. Recently, after many weeks of research, I have traced the ancestors of my paternal side Delbridges to Devonshire England. This is where my direct ancestor who migrated to America was born. This is where his parents were from as well. There is record of Delbridges throughout most of southwestern Britain dating back centuries, including the famous merchant and shipper, John Delbridge of Barnstaple, Devonshire, England who supplied James Towne, Va and the Bahamas during the 1620's. He is mentioned in "His Majesty's List" for his deeds for the Virginia Company and bringing back to England much valued tabacco. His name is listed on the Jametowne Society as one who made contributions to the Virginia Company of London and held shares accordingly. Some shares were passed to heirs or sold after purchasing them. View the list here
http://www.jamestowne.org/adv.htm.
I have traced my maternal Branscum ancestors as well. They are from Devonshire England, living within fifty miles of the Delbridges. The Branscombes (early traditional spelling) have been in southwestern Britain since before the Battle of Hastings, which marked to transition of the Norman Conquest in 1066. They both came to America within the same generation, 1735 to 1765. Whereas the Delbridges lived mainly in North Devon, mainly along the Bristol Channel, the Branscombes are noted from the southern coast of Devon, along the English Channel, not far from where the Spanish Armada was defeated. It is speculated that this family acquired its name from the town of Branscombe, which means branches of valleys (combs). It was common during ancient times to adopt a surname from the town one lives. There is record of this surname dating back to the 9th century AD.
Both the Delbridges and Branscombes came to this new world before this land governed itself as a new country.
The County of Devonshire (Devon)
The County of Devonshire is darkened in this map. To the west (left) of Devon is Cornwall County. To the East is Somersetshire (Somerset) and Dorset (upper to lower, respectively). Delbridge have been noted in Dunster, Somerset, as well as Devonshire. Branscombes have been noted in Devonshire and Cornwall.
The Flag of Devon England
Thomas Delbridge (1756-1844) came to America to settle. The prospect of free land and a new life awaited. He most likely came indentured to someone as a teenager for a period of perhaps seven years or so. Perhaps in the mid 1770's, around the time of the Revolutionary War, he acquired a land holding in Brunswick County, Virginia. This is where he started his family. He married and had his first child in 1780.
Richard Branscomb came to this exciting new land most likely as an indentured servant as well. The year was 1735 or 1736. He most likely arrived in Baltimore, for there is a record of him in Maryland. He applied for a land patent and eventually acquired over 800 acres in a county in Virginia with the name of Brunswick, the same county in which the Delbridges settled.
The Delbridges, for the most part, continued to remain in Brunswick County, farming its fertile land. Greensville County was formed in the year 178? From Brunswick. Therefore there were Delbridges in both counties for over two hundred forty years, up to this present time.
The Branscombs stayed in Brunswick until about the year 18?. Their parcels were split, due to the formation of Greensville County, between the two counties. The families moved west to Patrick County. Then they moved to Tennessee, then to Arkansas. At the turn of the 20th century, my grandfather's, Theodore Andrew Branscum, family was in Oklahoma, near Tulsa, where he was born in 1904.
To be able to