John Robert Bruce

Abt 1690 - 1748  (~ 58 years)

• Name	John Robert Bruce  [1]
  Birth	Abt 1690	Fordyce, Aberdeenshire, Scotland   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Death	23 Sep 1748	Brucetown, Frederick Co, Virginia   [1]
  Person ID	I2251	Cooley Miller Sears Barnhouse
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2020

  
  

  Family	Sarah Caroline Parnell,   b. Abt 1690, Aberdeenshire, Scotland d. 23 Sep 1748, Brucetown, Frederick Co, Virginia (Age ~ 58 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1709	Aberdeenshire, Scotland   [1]
  Children	1. Mary Bruce,   b. 3 Jul 1715, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland d. Bef 1765, Winchester, Frederick Co, Virginia (Age 49 years)
  Family ID	F856	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2020

  
  

• Notes

  John brought his family to America after 1727. He immigrated about 1730 to Chester Co, Pennsylvania. He may have lived for some time in southeastern PA. During the 1730's, the offer of patented land to settlers in the lower Shenandoah Valley, near the Opequon, attracted many Scots and Scot-Irish. Patents were issued under the seal of the Colony of Virginia and were grants from the Crown, free of any obligation of feudal services to the Fairfax family, who claimed the land as lords/proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia. [6] In "JB of the Shenandoah"; there is the following: among the 70 grantees receiving patents on 12 Nov 1735 were many Irish families (the Albins of County Meath, the Neills of County Lurgan; the Calverts from County Dromgora) as well as John Bruce who settled his family in the Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia area between 1731 and 1735, under guidance of Joist Hite's son.[7] His land adjoined the land owned by the Calverts, Hugh Parrell, William Albin, James Carter and George Hollingsworth.[8] With other families settling in the area, the community became a flourishing little village known as Brucetown (in NE corner of Frederick Co, 8 miles NE of Winchester, near border of Berkley Co, West Virginia. For John to have established credibility among his peers by 1740, he would have had to live in the Winchester area for at least a few years, or to have been their neighbor in a former place of residence. Yet another reason would be that John's two oldest daughters later married into families remaining in Chester and Bucks counties in PA. John Bruce was in Orange County, Virginia by 1735, when the following judgments were recorded: 1. John Bruce vs Francis Williams .For debt 3 pounds, 10 shillings, 8 pence, in tobacco at 12 shillings per ct wt to 588 lbs of tobacco. 2. Summons to Francis Williams,July17, 1735, returned July 17, 1735 by Wm Henderson, DeputySheriff. 3. HenryWillis, Esq vs John Bruce, account with John Bruce, peddler, 1735, for 12 lbs, 12shillings, 53/4 pence. Willis asks damages to 15 lbs. 4. Summons to John Bruce, peddler, May 18, 1736 by Gideon Marr. Judgement.. George Stuart vs John Bruce in 1736. For divers cattle \endash John Bruce detained and for the other animals etc. How did the defendant come by the animals? Between 1737 and 1740, he settled on Opecuon Creek near Winchester, Virginia. This 255-acre tract is located on Turkey Run, a branch of Opequon Creek (headwaters Evan Thomas/Branson Spring). The SE corner of the 255 acres is present-day Bruceville. Frederick County Highway 667 (Braddocks Road/Great Road from Winchester VA to Shepardstown WV) and Highway 672 cross the south and east section of this tract. John was a carpenter, land owner and gristmill operator. By 1740, John Bruce and Mary Littler (George Bruce's mother-in-law) were operating grist mills, sawmills and carding/fulling fills. A landowner and farmer, he operated a grist mill on Turkey Run, Nebraska of Winchester. "The earliest available record of John Bruce of the Shenandoah is 18 Aug 1740 when he, along with Hugh Parell and Robert Calvert, were appointed to appraise the estate of Micah Shepherd. Mention of William McMechan and John Littler as buyers of several articles at the estate sale as well as the names Parrell and Calvert confirm that this John Bruce lived in the Winchester area." On 24 July 1740 he was appointed to make an inventory of the estate of Michael Sheppard, deceased; Hugh Parrell, Robert Calvert and William Glover were delegated also and any three of them were required to form the audit commission.[9] John wrote and signed a will on 4 Nov 1747. John wrote and signed a will on 4 Nov 1747. "At the time John Bruce wrote his will (Will Book 1, page 205), his youngest son and daughter were probably unmarried. Mention in the will of a partially completed house and barn on George's 140 acres could be an indication that George was contemplating marriage at that time. He willed 150 acres ("the plantation I now live on") to his wife, Sarah and son George. His will mentioned daughters Margaret Carter (wife of Richard) and William (son-in-law) and Mary Albin. His will of 4 Nov 1747 was entered 1 Nov 1748 records of Frederick Co, Virginia."[10] He died on 23 Sep 1748 in Brucetown, Frederick Co, Virginia in an epidemic that was rampant in the Winchester area. He had an estate probated on 1 Nov 1748, the same day his will was proven. He had an estate probated on 1 Nov 1748 in Frederick Co, Virginia; he willed 300 acres of land to John James and George Bruce, his sons. James Wood was engaged to survey this land(recorded at the time as 402 acres) on 10 Mar 1735/36. Hugh Parell commissioned another survey on 26 April 1753. [11] Out of this survey, George received 315 acres and James received 310 acres from Lord Fairfax on 12 and 14 April 1760. It goes on to state that his two eldest daughters later married into families remaining in Chester and Bucks counties, Pennsylvania. Those would be Mary Bruce m William Albinc 1737; William probably being from Chester Co, Pennsylvania; Margaret Bruce m Richard Carter before 4 Nov 1747; Richard being from Bucks Co, Pennsylvania. It also states that George Bruce who married Rachel Littler died 1800 Frederick Co, Virginia, and that Anne Bruce b c 1724 Scotland or Ireland m James McCoy c 1747 and that she died 1808 probably Union town, Pennsylvania.[12] JOHN BRUCE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT FREDERICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA - WILL BOOK 1, PAGE 205 - (1748) In the name of God, Amen. The 4 day of November 1747. I John Bruce of Frederick County in the Colony of Virginia being sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God calling to remembrance it is appointed for all men once to die, do make, Constitute and ordain this my last will and testament as follows viz. Item- I give and bequeath to my son James Bruce the plantation I now live on with all the improvements thereunto belonging being 150 acres. Item- I give and bequeath unto my son George Bruce 150 acres of the remaining tract of land lying on the south side of the aforesaid plantation and on the Licks with the clear land that is now and also that his brother, James Bruce, be one half in building 1 house 24 foot X 16 foot with a shingle roof and also a barn of 25 foot X 18 foot etc. Item- I give and bequeath to my son George Bruce and Ann Bruce all my movable estate to be equally divided between them and the desertation of William McMachin and Hugh Parrel after debts and funeral charges are paid, except my carpenter tools which I give to my son James Bruce and one yearling heifer to Richard Colbart and out of the above perquists I do oblige my sons James Bruce and George Bruce to maintain my loving wife Sarah Bruce as long as she lives or remains a widow. Item- It is my will and desire that my son George Bruce also out of the above perquists give to my daughter Margaret Carter and Mary Albin ten shillings of currency each to be paid in grain, etc. Item- I give and bequeath to my son James Bruce my new great coat and beaver hat and to Richard Carter, my son-in-law, my suit of woolen clothes and to my son-in-law William Albin my suit of linen clothes. Item- I do constitute and ordain my sons James Bruce and George Bruce Executors of this my last will and testament. I do utterly disavow all other wills and testaments etc., no other. In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this 4 day of November 1747. Signed and Sealed and delivered in the presence of Edward Parrel James McCoy Elizabeth King John Cusee Taken from Wikitree Bruce-1290 managed by Rick Gardiner et al.

  
  

• Sources

  [S742] Erlene Huntress Davis, Bruce descendants.