Ninth Generation

462. Benois "Benjamin" ^ BRASSIEUR\BRASSIER) of "The Cliffts"^89,90,91 was born about 1621 at Pernes, Venaissin, France. Most sources list his birthdate as abt 1610, but since his parents were not married until 1621, this is impossible and IF he had been born in 1610, his father would have been 13 years old. He was living in 1658 in "Upper Bennett", Chesapeake Beach, Calvert County, Maryland. He was naturalized in 1662 in Calvert County, Maryland. Once Naturalized, his name was Anglicized to "Benjamin". He died before 1667 at Maryland. There is no documented proof other thanThe Brashear Story that proves Benois Brassieur is the son of Allemand DeJorcas Brasseur.

Charles Brashears believes that Benois father was Robert Brasseur who came to Virginia with at least seven children.

Information is allegedly also based on will and birth records in either Prince Georges Co. MD, probably South River Parish or Queen Anne Parish, or Calvert Co. All family data originates with the same base.

The name of Benois Brassier is spelled phoneticly. It is possible the original French spelling of Brasieur, Brassieur, in America became Brashears, Brazier, Besshears, Bresshers, Brasher, Brashar, Brashur, etc. French spelling is most likely Brassier or Brassieur, and the first name as Benois or Benoit, which later became Benjamin. It appears that the family in America usually adopted the spelling Brashear or Brashears. Benois Brassieur and his brother and/or father, Robert are believed to have come to the colony of Virginia and thence to Maryland as French Hugenot refugees by way of the Isle of Thanet, part of the county of Kent, bounded on the North and East by the North Sea amd South and West by the River Thour, off the Eastern shore of England. It is reported that this emigrant is listed in the records of the American Hugenot Society.

According to Charles Brashear there is still no evidence that Mary Richford was the wife of Benois, simply based on the fact that he paid passage for her. She came as an indentured servant, on an English ship. In some documents, written by Huguenots, she is referred to as "Marie", but in others she is more often referred to as "Mary." In her will she signed "MB", but after she married Robert Sterling, she signed a land record "MS". Benois "Benjamin" ^ BRASSIEUR\BRASSIER) of "The Cliffts" and Mary ^ BROWNE were married in 1639 in Calvert County, Maryland.

463. Mary ^ BROWNE was born about 1614. She died after 1663 at Maryland. It is not proven that Mary was the wife of Benois Brashear. He did pay passage for her, but she came as an indentured servent on an English ship. She signed her will after marrying Thomas Sterling as "MS". Many sources list her as Mary Richford, because that was her married name when she married Benois. However, her true maiden name was Browne. Children were:

	i.	Robert ^ BRASHEARS III24 was born between 1640 and 1650 at Calvert County, Maryland.24 IGI lists a Robert Brashears, father Benjamin b. abt 1650 of Calvert, Maryland File #: 1239526 Page Number: 1963 Reference Number: 43210 Also in File #: 1760931, Robert Brashears, son of Benjamin Benois Brashears and Mary is listed as being born abt 1640, Calvert County, Maryland File #: 1904021 shows Robert Brashears, born 1642, of "Cliffs", Calvert County, Maryland, son of Benois Brashears and Mary BROWNE Batch number: 8018203 Sheet: 30 in IGI shows Robert Brashears born 1640. Film # 2034353 shows he was born 1645, Calvert County, Maryland Batch number: 8461603, Sheet: 39 shows him born 1640 File # 1985402 shows him born 1620 File # 1760989 shows him born abt 1640, son of Benois Brashears and Mary Richford !Source IGI of LDS Church based on Brashear-Brashears Family 1449-1929 by Henry Sinclair Brashear p. 1-22, and Brashears Story - A Family History 1637-1963 by Back and Brashears pp. 16-69. Other authorities give place of birth as Nansemond Co., VA in 1640 or 1746. It appears that his father, Benjamin or Benois Brashear or Brassier or Brassieur first came to Virginia, then migrated to Maryland, where the family was raised. It is not sure who Robert's first wife was, although Charles Brashear suspects she was a daughter of Thomas PAGET, Sr, but the documentation is scarce. The Huguenot Society of America thinks that Florence ?REY was the wife of Robert Brasseur, JR. brother of Benois, and uncle to Robert Brashear, III, who signed his will as Robert Brashier. His second wife was Alice, widow of Thomas Jackson, and they married about 1679, at the time renouncing her right to administer Thomas Jackson's estate. This is too late to be the mother of any of the Brashear children. The evidence is very strong that she was NOT Alice SPRIGG. !Source IGI of LDS Church based on Brashear-Brashears Family 1449-1929 by Henry Sinclair Brashear p. 1-22, and Brashears Story - A Family History 1637-1963 by Back and Brashears pp. 16-69. Other authorities give place of birth as Nansemond Co., VA in 1640 or 1746. It appears that his father, Benjamin or Benois Brashear or Brassier or Brassieur first came to Virginia, then migrated to Maryland, where the family was raised. It is not sure who Robert's first wife was, although Charles Brashear suspects she was a daughter of Thomas PAGET, Sr, but the documentation is scarce. The Huguenot Society of America thinks that Florence ?REY was the wife of Robert Brasseur, JR. brother of Benois, and uncle to Robert Brashear, III, who signed his will as Robert Brashier. His second wife was Alice, widow of Thomas Jackson, and they married about 1679, at the time renouncing her right to administer Thomas Jackson's estate. This is too late to be the mother of any of the Brashear children. The evidence is very strong that she was NOT Alice SPRIGG.
	ii.	Benjamin BRASHEARS was born in 1642 at Calvert County, Maryland.
	iii.	John BRASHEARS was born in 1644. He died in 1696. He was christened.
	iv.	Mary BRASHEARS was born in 1646 at Calvert County, Maryland. Chalres Brashears says Mary's husband was Christopher ELLIS.
	v.	Susanna BRASHEARS was born in 1650 at Calvert County, Maryland.
229	vi.	Martha BRASHEARS.
	vii.	Elizabeth BRASHEARS was born in 1654 at Calvert County, Maryland.
231	viii.	Ann BRASHEARS.