Thomas Blunt, of Southwark Parish

Thomas Blunt (son of Richard Blunt and Mary Flood) was born Bef. 1655, and died 1709. He married (2) Prescilla Browne on 1702, daughter of Henry Browne.

This Thomas Blunt of "Southwark Parish" made his will 21 September 1708, same probated 7 March 1709. (WB 5, p. 442)

Built Shinglton Plantaion, Southwark Parrish, Sussex Co., VA

Children of (unknown 1st wife) & Thomas Blunt are:

1. +Elizabeth Blunt, b. Abt. 1680.
2. Mary Blunt, b. Abt. 1680.
3. Ann Blunt.
4. Thomas Blunt, d. 1719, Surry Co., VA.
5. +Richard Blunt.
6. ? Blunt, b. Abt. 1679, d. Aft. 1708.

Children of Thomas Blunt and Prescilla Browne are:

1. William Blunt, b. 1703, d. 1737.
2. Henry Blunt, b. 1705, d. 1758, Southampton Co., VA.
3. Benjamin Blunt, b. 1706, d. 1752, Southampton Co., VA.

notes

From The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 5  edited by Philip Alexander Bruce, William Glover Stanard. Page 202

(2) The “ Life of William Blount,” by General M. J. Wright, states that, according to tradition, three sons of Sir Walter Blount, Baronet, of Sodington, emigrated to Virginia. One remained in that colony, and “left a long line of descendants; ” the other two removed to North Carolina. Of the latter, Captain James Blount settled in Chowan about 1669, and was a member of the Council, and Thomas went to North Carolina a little later. The only family of Blunts in Virginia having a “long line ” was that resident in Surry and Southampton. and this must be the one referred to by General Wright. Of the truth of the claim as to the English descent, no evidence has been presented. The earliest mention of the name noticed in the Surry records is in a deed from John Washington, who, when about tO marry Mrs. Mary Ford, widow, makes provision for her son, Thomas Blount. It appears by a deed from Thomas Blunt and his half brother, Richard Washington, dated 1678, that their mother married, secondly, Charles Ford, of Surry county.

Thomas Blunt appears to have been married twice, first to a daughter of Henry Briggs (who, in his will, dated September 26, 1681, names his wife, Margerie, son-in-law, Thomas Blunt, &c.), and secondly, Priscilla, daughter of Colonel \Villiam Browne, of “ Four Mile Tree,” Surry (whose will, dated December 9, I704, names his daughter, Priscilla, and her husband, Thomas Blunt). The will of Thomas Blunt, of Southwark Parish, Surry, was dated September 21, 1708, and proved March 7, 1709. Legatees: Howell Edmunds and Elizabeth, his wife (daughter of said Thomas Blunt), 100 acres; son, Thomas Blunt, lands on Cattail Swamp and Seacook Swamp; son, Richard, part of the lands on Blackwater, “where I live; " son, \Villiam, the remainder ofthe land “where I live," also “my old plantation;” son, Henry, 210 acres on Nottoway River; john Flood and Mary, his wife, 100 acres; Howell Edmunds and joel Barker, land; wife, Priscilla, £25 current money, two negroes, &c., &c. (doubtless in addition to dower), and appoints her sole executrix.

Comment: son in law could refer to step son. It seems unlikely Thomas Blunt would marry his half sister

From http://genforum.genealogy.com/va/greensville/messages/111.html

THOMAS BLUNT married twice. The name of his first wife is unknown. He married second PRISCILLA BROWNE, daughter of William Browne of Southwark Parish, Surry (who died in 1705) , and his first wife, Mary, daughter of Col. Henry Browne of Four Mile Tree plantation on the James River . Prior to marrying Blunt, Priscilla had been married (before 1699) to River (of) Jordan whose will was probated in Surry, March 4, 1700/01 . After Blunt's death Priscilla was married to William Thomas of Surry; and she died in that county where her will was probated in 1733 .

The earliest land transaction in which THOMAS BLUNT was named dates from the time he was fifteen years old. On April 6, 1671, his mother, then Mrs. Mary Briggs, and his stepfather, Henry Briggs, patented 250 acres in Surry in the right of THOMAS BLUNT and his half brother, Richard Washington, called “orphants” in the instrument. This tract lay near the James River and adjoined property owned by the Floods.

When he was twenty six, THOMAS BLUNT, together with Richard Washing ton, patented 330 acres of land in the Upper Parish of Surry one half mile from the "main Black Water," meaning Blackwater Swamp and River. This grant was dated April 29, 1682, and was based on the grantees having paid for the transportation of seven persons to the colony. This instrument is significant because it gives the first indication of the section of Surry County in which Blunt and his descendants were seated i.e., the portion that lay in or near the portion of that county that was cut off and designated Sussex County.

In 1701 THOMAS BLUNT made three land acquisitions that demonstrated his apparent interest in amassing an estate capable of supporting his large family. Each grant was dated April 25, 1701; two encompassed land on the south side of the main Black Water adjoining Col. Benjamin Harrison, one tract contained 510 acres, the other 486 acres. The third patent of that date covered 159 acres on the south side of Seacock Swamp in what is today Southampton County.

Thirteen years later, when he was 58 years old, THOMAS BLUNT made three significant additions to his landed estate. On December 16, 1714, he patented 320 acres on the south side of the main Black Water (in the neighborhood of his earlier acquisitions), and he also patented 710 acres of "New Land" on the south side of the Nottoway River and the south side of Whitewood Swamp "in the line of the Nottoway Indians." This lay in what is today Southampton County. Later in the same month, THOMAS BLUNT patented 420 acres on the north side of the Nottoway in the same general area.

In attempting to evaluate the size of Blunt's holdings, it is necessary to keep in mind the fact that the 2250 acres he patented (and noted here) is not a definitive record of the land he owned; it does not take into account what he may have purchased from private individuals, nor does it include any land that he may have inherited or been given.

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