counties, was born 1584; came to Virginia in 1613, and died in 1647. There is a deposition by Francis Mason in January, 1637, in which he states his age to be about forty-two years, and another in 1641, when he states he is aged forty-six. On July 11, 1637, Mr. Francis Mason was present in court as a justice of Lower Norfolk; on July 15, 1640, Lieutenant Francis Mason was appointed a church warden, and on June 16, 1642, his name was again included in the commission of the peace. There is on record an order from Thomas Hart, March 7, 1642, to his "Cosin Francis Mason," to deliver a cow and calf to another person. On March 5, 1646, Francis Mason qualified as high sheriff. November 15, 1648, on the petition of Alice Mason, his widow, and Lemuel Mason, his son, administration was granted them on the estate of Mr. Francis Mason, deceased.

On November 22d, 1648, the court made an order in which it was stated that Francis Mason died intestate.

Francis and Alice Mason had issue: I. Lemuel; II. Francis,2 born about 1623; III. Elizabeth,2 married James Thelaball, of Lower Norfolk, a French Huguenot.

On November 7, 1648, was recorded an agreement between Mrs. Alice Mason, relict of Mr. Francis Mason, deceased, and Mr. Lemuel Mason, on the first part, and Mr. James Thelaball, on the second part, in which they gave him certain land, &c.

Colonel Lemuel' Mason was born about 1628 (according to his deposition made in 1653), was a justice of Lower Norfolk from 1650 until his death, and presiding justice from 1669; appointed high sheriff in April, 1655, and was a member of the House of Burgesses in March, 1655, March, 1657-8 (as Major Lemuel Mason), March, 1658–9, March, 1659– 60, 1663, 1666–76, 1682, 1692, and doubtless in other years. He was for many years the leading and most influential man in Lower Norfolk county. He married Ann, daughter of Henry Seawell, and sister and heiress of Henry Seawell, Jr. The will of Colonel Lemuel Mason was dated June 17, 1695, and proved in Norfolk county September 15, 1702. Appoints his sons, Thomas and Lemuel, overseers of the will, and his wife, Ann, executrix. His legatees were his sons, Thomas, Lemuel, and Samuel [George?], daughter, Frances, wife of George Newton, Samuel Boush, who married daughter, Alice, Mr. Cocke, who married daughter, Elizabeth, Mr. in England, who married daughter, Margaret, Mr. who married daughter, Ann, Mr. Walton, who married daughter, Mary, daughter, Dinah, and sister, Elizabeth Thelaball. (The will-book is much mutilated.)

The will of Ann Mason, widow of Colonel Lemuel Mason, was dated October 30, 1705, and proved in Norfolk county March 13, 1705-6. Legatees: daughters, Frances Sayer, Alice Boush, Mary Cocke, and Dinah Thoroughgood; sons, Thomas, Lemuel, and George Mason.

Robert Hodge, of Lower Norfolk, in his will, dated September 20, 1681, names his wife, Alice, and father-in-law, Colonel Lemuel Mason. Colonel Lemuel' and Ann Mason had three sons: I. Thomas;3 II. Lemuel;3 III. George.3

Thomas3 Mason was a justice of Lower Norfolk and Norfolk counties, and a member of the House of Burgesses, October and November, 1696. His will was dated January 9, 1710–’11, and proved in Norfolk, June 15, 1711; legatees, son, Lemuel, all of his lands; wife, Elizabeth; £50 to be raised out of his estate to keep Lemuel at the Grammar School at Williamsburg, as long as it will maintain him; daughters, Ann, Mary, and Margaret; wife executrix, and brother, George Mason, and cousin George Newton, overseers.

In 1712 was recorded an account with the estate of Mr. Thos. Mason, deceased; it included money paid for his son's schooling and boarding, for son Lemuell's funeral sermon; to Captain Richard Sanderson, who married the widow Elizabeth, and to daughters, Ann, Mary and Margaret.

There is recorded in Norfolk county a deed from Wm. Ellison, of the city of New York, merchant, reciting that Thomas Mason left certain lands to his son, Lemuel, who died without issue, and they were then inherited by his three sisters, Ann Willoby, Mary, wife of Wm. Ellison, and Margaret Mason. There is a deed dated April 18, 1744, from Captain Thomas Willoughby and Ann, his wife, for land formerly belonging to Thomas Mason, father of said Ann, and which descended to her as one of the co-heiresses of Lemuel Mason, deceased.

George Mason was also a justice. His will, dated January 13, and proved March 16, 1710, is on record in Norfolk county; legatees, wife Phillis, sons Thomas and George, and daughters Abigail and Frances, wife executrix; kinsmen, Captain George Newton, Mr. Lemuel Newton, and Mr. Wm. Craford, overseers.

There is a deed dated May 20, 1737, from Thomas Mason, of Norfolk Town, gentleman, and his wife Mary, sole daughter and heiress of Nathaniel Newton, deceased.

Also deeds from George Mason, of Norfolk Town, dated January 14, 1731, in which he names his brother Thomas Mason; and January, 1733, in which he conveys land given him by his mother, Phillis Mason, in

1711.

(280) CAPTAIN THOMAS WILLOUGHBYE, 300 acres on a tract of Elizabeth river, due for the transportation of six persons (names below) by West. Nov. 19, 1635.

Tymothy Barloe, Nicholas Fortescue, John Farrar, Mary Wormewell, Robert Bartwith, Dennis Reeve.

GENEALOGY.

GENEALOGY OF THE COCKE FAMILY OF VIRGINIA.

THE COCKE FAMILY OF HENRICO (THIRD GENERATION).
I. THE CHILDREN OF THOMAS COCKE.2

I. THOMAS COCKE3 (Captain), born c. 1662; died 1707; married, first, about 1687, Mary Brazier* (Brazure, Brashear, Brasier, Brassieux, Brashure) of Nansemond; married, second, Frances I think at least four of his six children (including his two daughters) were by his first wife.

His life was a short one, but he, with James, were the most prominent members of the family at this time. James Cocke and Wm. Randolph were in the House of Burgesses from Henrico in 1696. In 1698 Thomas and James were the representatives from this county. Thomas was made sheriff in 1699. The law did not permit the sheriff to be a member of the House of Burgesses (See Hening), but in 1702 we find him again a member of this body, and in 1707, when he died, he was again sheriff. We have no record for the intervening years.

On his death Colonel William Randolph was appointed sheriff, competing with Lieutenant-Colonel ffrancis Epes and Major William ffarrar. At this time (say 1702) his brother James Cocke3 was the county clerk; his brother or cousin William was coroner; Richard,3 of Bremo, was (like the others) a member of the county court. One of the justices of the county at this time was Thomas Jefferson, great-grandfather of President Jefferson.

Thomas Cocke's will was admitted to probate 1707. He appointed

* In the Richmond Enquirer of 1824 there is mention of Gen. Brazure W. Pryor, of Elizabeth City, who was a candidate for Congress. (A sister of President Tyler married one of the Pryors.)

In Vol. I. of the "Dinwiddie Papers," p. xxiii, it is stated that Col. Gerard Fowke, of Gunston Hall, Eng., of the Bedchamber to Charles I, and his cousin, Col. Geo. Mason, both of the Royalist Army, came to Virginia about 1650. Chandler Fowke, son of the above, had issue: Chandler, Gerard, and Elizabeth, the last of whom married Z. Brazier, son of Robert Brazier, of Isle of Thanet, Eng, Gov. Dinwiddie married into the family.

In 1680 John Brassier was one of the Justices of Nansemond Co.; also in 1699. In 1702-9 (See Meade) John Brasseur and Maj. Thos. Jordan were vestrymen of Chuckatuck Parish, Nansemond.

In 1696 John Brassieux and Thomas Jordan (sheriff) were in the House of Burgesses from Nansemond. There is a deed from John Brashear (as it is spelled in the deed) on 17th May, 1692, which is signed by Thomas and Mary Cocke.

his son Thomas his executor, and his "beloved ffriends Thomas ffarrar, Littlebury Epes, and Sam'l Harwood [his brother-in-law], Gent., overseers of his last will and testament." He left six children: Thomas, James Powell, Henry, Brassuir, Mary, Elizabeth.*

4

His wife (Frances) had a separate estate settled on her by her father, which she retains intact.

The testator first devises 650 acres of land to his son Thomas; then to James Powell Cocke the tract on which testator lives (Malvern Hills); also another tract of 200 acres to same; and also to said James Powell Cocke a third tract lying in Charles City County, containing 920 acres; to son Henry he gives a tract of land in Henrico, and another tract containing 943 acres; to Brassuir two tracts, containing 1650 acres. He devises in all about 6,000 acres of land. He gives land, negroes, tobacco and money to his two daughters, and certain negroes to his sons, and divides, excepting certain special legacies, all his personal property equally among the four sons with certain provisions for the support of his daughters.

As Thomas receives much less land than the other sons, it is probable (he was older) that he had been advanced in the testator's life-time.

Among the special legacies are: 100 acres of land to his servant, Edward Richardson; to his son, Thomas, his horse "Desperate,” his "longest cane and great silver-hilted sword with my best trooper's saddle and ffurniture with brass plate Crooper, Holsters, Pistolls, and Carbine;" to son, James Powell Cocke, "a Bay horse called 'Prince' with my silver-headed cane and Baginet;" unto son, Henry, “a spayed mare called 'Bonny,' & his old silver-hilted sword;" to Mary “my old silver Tankard and the one half of her deceased mother's wearing apparell [he was married twice], best chest of Drawers, Rusha Leather Trunk, 10 sterling, one of my silver wine cups, largest Gold Ring, marked J. P. and M. C., with a silver Tumbler, ear Bobbs, and one silver wine cup marked to M., &c.;" to Elizabeth "Walnut chest of Drawers, 1 Seile Skin Trunk, newest Silver Tankard, 10 sterling, one of my silver wine cups, gold ring and ear-rings and bobbs of Gold and five silver spoons." He gives to wife and children and son, Thomas, the wearing apparel he had sent for to England."

I

In the account of the Huguenot Emigration to Virginia in the year 1700 published in the Virginia Historical Collections, Vol. V, pages 17-21, there is a statement of moneys paid out “for the Transport and Suplies of ye French Refugees,” and among the items are the following:

“To Capt. Cocke and his brother for 10 Cowes and a Calfe, £23 11 0 "To Capt. Cocke for 3 tin pans, one Cullinder, &c., &c.,

9 16"

In 1687 Thomas Cocke, Jr., patented 671 acres of land in Henrico county for transportation of 14 persons: Sarah Carter, Peter Dangerfield, &c.

In 1688 he patented in Henrico 1650 acres. Showing the capriciousness in the spelling, there is in the Land-Books about 1690 an entry for 79 acres of land to Thomas Cox. His estate at his death we judge amounted in present figures to about $75,000-very large, considering that he was only about 45 years of age.

2. STEPHEN COCKE, born c. 1664; died 1717; married, 1, Mrs. Sarah Marston,* 1688; 2. Martha Banister, † 1694.

We have no will of Stephen Cocke, but it is ascertained from the few remaining records of Prince George that he died in that county in the year 1717. He had crossed over among the Banisters and Bollings, and Jones'. He had a son Abraham Cocke, who settled in Amelia Co. (then part of Charles City Co.), and became the progenitor of the distinguished line of Tennessee Cockes: General Wm. Cocke (in U. S. Senate, 1795), General John Cocke, his son, in House of Representatives 1819-27, and Hon. Wm. M. Cocke, in Congress, 1849–53.

Stephen Cocke left also a daughter Agnes. He patented, as appears, 1,040 acres of land in 1695 in Henrico and Charles City. In 1687, his father, Thomas Cocke2 conveyed to him 200 acres of land one part of which was part of ye tract or dividend of land at Malvern Hills," which included the Mill property; and in 1701 Stephen Cocke3 conveyed 56 acres, on which the mill stood, to John Pleasants, who married Dorothea Cary,3 daughter of Henry Cary of Warwick. Her brother Miles Cary married Elizabeth Cocke, daughter of Richard. This piece of property is described as adjoining lands of Thomas Cocke, William Cocke,3 and Stephen. Sealed by Stephen Cocke with a red wafer. Sealed by Martha Cocke with "seal of yellow wax." Witnessed by James Cocke, Theodorick Carter, Benj. Hatcher.

3

* There was at this time a Marston Parish in James City county. In 1702 William Marston was sheriff of James City county.

Frances Benskin, daughter of Henry Benskin, of England (died 1692), married William Marston, of James City, and her son, Benskin, was sheriff of Charles City 1747. Benskin was a name in the Lightfoot family.

In 1638 Francis Epes, John Banister, and others import thirty negroes into Virginia. There was a Lieutenant John Banister (no doubt the same person) who died in Charles City county prior to 1661.

On the 5th January, 1689, the Rev. John Banister baptized Henry Randolph at Appamatock.

This last-mentioned John Banister2 was no doubt the father of Martha Banisters and of John Banister, the celebrated botanist, who was killed by an accident near the Falls of Roanoke. (See Campbell, page 724.)

John Banister3 was the father or grandfather of Colonel John Banister,5 of the Revolutionary period, who was in the Convention of 1776 and in the Continental Congress, and who was a man of very large wealth. He lived at "Battersea," and married about 1760 Elizabeth Bland, daughter of Colonel Theodorick Bland, and sister of Frances Bland, mother of John Randolph, of Roanoke, and Judge Henry St. George Tucker. Martha Banisters was a sister of Colonel John Banister,5 born (see Slaughter's Bristol Parish) February 9, 1732, and married, 1751, Robert Bolling, son of Robert Bolling3 and Anne Cocke.3