HENRY BROCKMAN

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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

With the Brockman family we are reaching as far back as the 14th century. William Everett Brockman has written A Genealogical chart of the Brockmans. The story needs confirmation. An English book Kent Parish Records, Newington Marriages lists at least four Brockmans from a period of 1566 to 1623. They are in the place and at the time William E. Brockman asserts. One of the four matches the genealogical data exactly. The other four are not connected to our line. Another piece by William Everett Brockman is Orange County (Va.) Families and Their Marriages. Much of the following information comes from that piece which was published by Burgess Publishing Ct. of Minneapolis.

There are two stories about Henry Brockman.

Henry Brockman was born on Nov. 8, 1623 in Beachborough Kent England. His father was Sir William Brockman of Beachborough. His mother is currently unknown. The author quotes the records of Beachborough. It was a large stately manor house sitting on a large piece of land outside of Folkestone, Kent.  There is in the Index to Acts of Administration in Prerogateive court of Canterbury, dated 1658 a records for Henry Brockman, bachelor of Newington Next Hithe, Kent.  I am guessing this is our Henry born 1623, died 1658 a bachelor.

I have copies of three pictures showing the manor. Two are all from Record of The Brockman and Drake-Brockman Family written by Brigadier General David Henry Drake-Brockman. The first is "from an old print in the possession of Rev. Edward Drake-Brockman". It shows Beachborough Park in the time of William Brockman 1741. By that time our family was already in America. The Very large house is in a plain between two ridges and surrounded by pastures, gardens and woods.

The second is "from a water colour in possession of Brig-Gen D.H. Drake-Brockman, C.M.G" It says Beachborough Park, present day. Unfortunately I don't know when the Record was written so I don't know when the "present" refers to. It shows a very pastoral setting with sheep, and a man leading a horse. In the distance is the large white manor house

Finally, a photograph from The Brockman Scrapbook by William Everett Brockman which was written about 1950. It shows the large manor house with a vintage car in front and the caption reads "Beachborough - the home of Sir William Brockman Kent - Now used as a Boys' School."

I was in Folkestone, Kent in Jan 2002. It is a very hilly small city on the west end of the whitecliffs of Dover. The Chunnel begins on the edge of town and the transportation hub has taken up a huge amount of land, some of it was Brockman land of old. I did not know that this town was their center until the last night there. I mistakenly believed Maidstone was the place to look. I missed the opportunity to search out Beachborough. It probably still exists as a school or college.

If you would like a copy of any of the pictures of Beachborough, Go to opening page and contact us.

The narrative states that Henry escaped to Holland when Cromwell came to power. That would be 1653. Nothing of his life is known there. 

It is not known what exactly connects the Henry born in Beachborough, the Henry to fled to Holland and the Henry in Maryland. However, the Cromwell years inspired many members and adjunct members of the Brockman family to emigrate to America. The families St. Leger, Shelton settled in Virginia. John Curtis led a group in 1670 to Barbados and finally Maryland, then on to Virginia. So it is entirely reasonable to find Henry joining his family in the colonies about 1670.

Henry Brockman was born in 1647. His parents were William and Elizabeth Brockman. But this William is a different William than the one titled Sir William. They had the same Great-Grandfather Henry Brockman who wed Ms. Chillon.

Henry was orphaned by 1659 and was transported from "The Barbadoes" in 1667. It is thought that he had been sent to "The Barbadoes" as an indentured servant.  He appeared in court in Maryland on October 4, 1667, to prove that his age was 20 years not "at least 20". Orange County (Va.) Families and Their Marriages. by W.E. Brockman states that Henry Brockman appears in the Maryland records in 1674 selling land to Thomas Salmon. These records need to be searched and documented. It was probably St. Mary's County. However, those records are recorded as being burned during the Civil War.

More research and documentation is needed to clear up which line this Henry is connected to but to continue.... This Henry we can locate in Maryland proving that his age was 20.  So that sets the American Henry's birthdate as 1647.

Henry married in Maryland probably around 1675 and had one son, Samuel Brockman. His wife may have been Mary.  However, there is a lot of people who state his wife was Rebecca Salmon, daughter to Thomas Salmon.

It is suggested in Orange County Families that Henry Brockman died while Samuel was still a boy. His mother remarried Mr. Pettie and they moved to Orange County Virginia..

We assume that Henry is buried in St. Mary's County Maryland.

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

1. Confirm his parents.

2 Are there any Holland records referring to Henry?

3. Find land records in Maryland, St. Mary's.

4. Find the court record that states he is 20 years old exact.

5. Clear up the lineage.

6. Who exactly did he marry?

7. Look for a will for Henry - or an administration.

8. Find the marriage of Mr. Pettie to Mrs. Brockman.

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Date Last Edited: 12/20/2011