Hugh Brent, Sr.

Hugh Brent is thought to have been born in Kent or Somerset, England about 1620. His parents are unknown. Hugh arrived in Virginia in 1642. He was listed as a head right of Francis England in Isle of Wight. By 1649 Hugh made his way to the Northern Neck. In a 1656 deposition Thomas Gaskins stated that seven years prior he and others went to Fleete's Bay and Corotoman Creeke and took up land there next to the Creeke where Hugh Brent lived. In 1654 Hugh purchased 200 acres of land from John Sharpe at Fleetes Baye and butting north on Hadawayes Creeke. This same parcel had been previously granted to Henry Fleete in patent and then transferred from Fleete to Sharpe.

Hugh's name appears in the patent book several times for Lancaster County. In February 1655 he received a certificate for the transport of five people to the colony, one of those being Mary Atchison - who Hugh went on to marry. Hugh and Mary had three daughters and a son all born before 1661.

In March of 1662 Hugh patented 200 acres north of Haddawais Creeke "including three Indian Cabbins formally granted to Henry Fleete." In July 1663 Hugh received another 100 acres at Fleetes Bay for the transport of two people to the colony. In May of 1664 Hugh and Eppy Bonnison patented 200 acres of land "lying on Haddawais Creeke and Corotoman Creeke in Fleetes Bay."

Hugh Brent was listed on Henry Fleete's list of tithables from 1656 to 1664. In 1658 Eppy Bonnison named Hugh Brent as his attorney to sell or assign his land known as "Muscatoe Point." Hugh was appointed as an attorney in several other instances too, including in 1663 by John Hunt - a merchant in Bristol, England. In 1665 Hugh was named as a Justice for Lancaster County.

Hugh wrote his will on January 8th, 1671 and it was proven in Lancaster County court on March 13th, 1671.

In the name of God Amen this eighth day of Jany. 1671: I Hugh Brent of ye Parish of Christ Church in ye County of Lancaster, being sick of body but in sound and perfect memory God be praised therefor, do make constitute and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following viz:
imprimis : I bequeath my soul into ye hands of Almighty God my maker hoping to be saved by ye meritorious death and passion of my only Saviour and Redeemer and my body to be buried in Christian burial.
It. I give to my eldest daughter Jean ye neck of land which was cleared by Mr. Wate & so as far as my bounds goeth down to ye Pocoason by patons ye Indian hollowing point for her life time and no longer.
It. I give to my daughter Elizabeth ye neck of land next adjoining to ye aforesaid as farr as Thatchers neck & so as far as ye middle of ye main road for her life time and no longer.
It. I give to my daughter Martha ye neck of land which is called Thatchers for her life time and no longer & after the decease of or all of my daughters ye land to return to my sonn Hough.
It. I - give to my sonn Hough and unto his maile children lawfully begotten my whole division of land as far as exprest by paton & so successifely from heir to heir.
It. I give to John Coan, one pair of russett French foil shoes & one pair of gloves.
It. I give to Mr. Thomas Haines my cast'r hatt & one pr. of gloves.
It. I give to Fortunatus Sydnor one pr. of french foil shoes one pr. of wosted stockings & one pr. of gloves.
It. I give to my man Howell the first cow calfe that shall fall after he is free.
All my worldly goods I give to my children to be equally divided between them my debts being pd. making them my sole executors of this my last will and testament.
It is my desire yt there shall be shypt on board Capt. Plunderers ship three hogsheads of tobb. for ye support of John Hawkins living in Greenhine. I do appoint my loving friends Mr. Thomas Haines & Fortunatus Sydnor to be ye overseers of this my last will & testament as also suddenly after my decease that they the sd. Thomas Haines & Fortunatus Syclnor to take an inventory of all my goods.
In witness this my last will and testament I set my hand & seal revoking all other wills & testaments whatsoever ye day & year first above written.

Hugh Brent H B

Haddaways Creek and the many other spellings of that body of water that appear on the land documents for Hugh Brent may refer to what is now known as Antipoison Creek. In 1659 Rowland Haddaway testified in Lancaster County Court that "nine years before, he together with Tomas Gaskin, Richard Budd, Abraham Moone and John Dennys had viewed certain lands at Fleet Bay to some of which they took title and this land adjoined a creek which they named 'Haddaway's Creek.'" Rowland Haddaway may have been the father of William Hathaway who founded the Enon Hall Plantation. Additionally the land that Hugh helped Eppy Bonnison sell was known as "Mascatoe Point" or today Mosquito Point and was described as being south of Hadaway's Creek.