Individual Details

This child probably did not exist...

The existence of Elizabeth Browne as the daughter of Elizabeth (?) Meriwether Browne is said to be proven by the 1699 Will of Henry Hartwell, The Will refers to her as Elizabeth Browne, niece of my wife (who is unnamed and unknown by researchers), along with the other living Meriwether nephews and nieces, Nicholas, Francis and Thomas Meriwether and Jane (Meriwether) Browne.

Elizabeth is not mentioned in the will of her father, William Browne, dated 4 Dec 1704, nor are any possible children, so it seems likely she died unmarried sometime between 1699 and Dec 1704.


Genealogical Gleanings in England, Vol 1, p.1-3 (Google Books)
By Henry Fitz-Gilbert Waters, New-England Historic Genealogical Society, 1885
Henry Hartwell late of Virginia, esq., now of the parish of Stepney als Stebonheath, 3 July 1699, with codicil, dated 4 July 1699, proved 2 August 1699.
To Nicholas Merryweather (2), nephew of my late wife, two hundred pounds. To Francis Merryweather, another nephew, one hundred pounds. To Thomas Merryweather, another, one hundred pounds. To Jane Browne, wife of William Browne and niece to my late wife, one hundred pounds. To Elizabeth Browne, daughter to Coll. William Browne and niece to my late wife, one hundred pounds. To my kinsman John Spratly one hundred pounds. To my kinswoman Mary Sanders one hundred pounds (and other personal property). To Elianor Say, daughter of Capt. Edward Say one hundred pounds, to be put into the Bank of England until she whall arrive to the age of eighteen or day of marriage; but in case the Bank shall be redeemed before such time that then it shall be put out at the discretion of my executors till the time aforesaid. In case of the death of the said Elianor Say, before she arrive to the age of eighteen or day of marrige then to Anne Say daughter of the above Capt. Edward Say. To Mrs. Susan Say his wife twenty pounds. To the poor of Maidenhead in the County of Berks twenty pounds.
I give and bequeath unto the use of the College of William and Mary in Virginia the sum of fifty pounds. To my niece Mary Hartwell daughter of my late brother William Hartwell (1) three hundred pounds at age of eighteen or day of marriage. To my nephew William Hartwell eldest son of my late brother William, four hundred pounds at the age of twenty one. To John Hartwell the youngest son four hundred pounds at age of twenty one. If the said Mary, William or John or either of them die before they arrive at their respective ages etc. the portion of such shall be euqally divided to the survivors of them and their brother Henry Hartwell. To my coachman William Anderson five pounds. To my maid servant Isabella Leigh ten pounds. To my nephew Henry Hartwell, the second son of my late brother William, all my land in Surrey County, over against James City in Virginia, and to his heirs forever. To Thomas Land and Mary his wife, each five pounds to buy them rings. To Mrs. Sarah Perry wife Mr. Richard Perry five pounds to buy her a ring. To Micajah Perry and Richard Perry in consideration of their trouble in the management of the Trusts fifty pounds each. And it is my express will that my executors do send for my said nephew Henry Hartwell out of Virginia to England and that they give him the best education they can till he shall so arrive to the age of one and twenty years. If my said nephew Henry Hartwell shall not live to attain the age of one and twenty years my will then is that my land in Surrey County etc shall be to my nephew William Hartwell and his heirs forever. And all other my personal estate, in case of my nephew Henry Hartwell's death if he die before he attain the age of one and twenty years, I give as follows. I then give unto the College of William and Mary in Virginia, more, one hundred pounds for and towards the founding Scholarships in the said College, and I do hereby desire the Governors of the said College to see if faithfully laid out to that end.
The residue of the personal estate, in case of the death of my Nephew Henry Hartwell, I give to my nephews William and John Harwell and my niece Mary Harwell and to Nicholas, Francis and Thomas Merryweather and Jane the wife of William Browne, and John Spratly and Mary Sanders and Elianor Say, equally to be divided among them.
I appoint my trusty and well beloved friends Micajah Perry and Richard Perry of London, merchants, executors etc.
Wit: Priscilla Jones, Anna Haddock, Elizabeth Crawley
In a codicil a bequest of twenty pounds is made to Robert Wise, servant to Micajah Perry, for several services done.
Wit: Thomas Lane, Isabella Lee
Pett, 134.
[Henry Hartwell received the following grants of land in Virginia: 730 acres in James City County, May 13, 1679 (Virginia Land Registry, Book 6, p. 690); 900 acres in Charles City County, Mar 30, 1682-3; 1960 acres in Surry County, April 20, 1687, 2 1/2 acres in James City, april 20, 1689 (Book 7, p. 234, 595, 901). He was clerk of the Council of Virginia 1677-1679, and married in or before 1685, ____, relict of Colo. William White. In the same year Henry Randolph of Henrico County is recorded as his attorney.
(1) In 1675, according to the York County, VA records, William Hartwell had married the widow of Richard Barnes, deceased. Capt William Hartwell was Justice of the Peace for James City County, 1687-8. William, son of Gideon and Martha Macon of New Kent County, Virginia, married Sept 24, 1719, Mary, daughter of William Hartwell. John Hartwell patented land in York County, Virginia, in 1642. Harrison Hartwell of Brunswick County, Virginia, was alive in 1728. The name Hartwell is perpetuated as a Christian name in the Harrison, Cocke, Macon and other families of Virginia.
(2) Nicholas Meriwether, "Gent." of Hanover County, Virginia, was granted 400 acres of land in that county, Feb. 18, 1722 (Virginia Land Registry, Book 11, p. 161) He and William, David, Thomas, Nicholas Jr.and Mildred Meriwether received subsequently to and inclusive of the year 1741, numerous and extensive grants of land in the counties of Hanover, Louisa, New Kent, Spotsylvania and Goochland. The descendants of Nicholas Meriwether include the well-known Virginia names of Walker Rives, Hughes, Nelson and others. R. A. BROCK]

Birth

Abt 1682

Father	Lt. Col. William Browne Sr. ( - )
Mother	Elizabeth [Meriwether] ( - )