Mary Thorley

In 1638 Mary was about 18 and living in Kent Island, Maryland when she married Thomas Keene. Thomas was almost 30 years older than her. They had 5 children together. Thomas Keene was recorded in Kent Island as well as St. Mary's, MD at various points up until 1650 when the family moved to Northumberland County in the Northern Neck of Virginia.

Thomas made a will in November of 1652 and passed away less than two months after. He left their plantation and estate to Mary for her use in bringing up their children. Months after his death a land patent was granted to Thomas for 527 acres in Northumberland County, the land appears to have gone to Mary. In March of 1653 the Northumberland County Court granted 200 acres of land for the transport to the colony; herself and children Thomas, William and Susan.

Mary lived on almost ten years longer than Thomas and remarried twice having one more child. Her second husband was Henry Rayner, one of the witnesses to Thomas Keene's will. She married third to Thomas Broughton. When Mary made a will in 1662 she named four of her five children with Thomas Keene.

N THE NAME OF GOD Amen. The Last Will and Testamt. of MARY BROUGHTON, Widdow, the Relict of THOMAS BROUGHTON deced., being of p:fect mind & memory doe dispose of my worldly Estate as followeth after the bequeathing of my Soule to my Maker from whence I had it & my body to be buried as I have given order to my Executor, WILLIAM ( ) him I have appointed Executor & to my ( ) Sonnes, DANIELL & GEORGE COURTNELL exusteers of this my last ( ) I bequeath to my Executor ( ) to his heires for ever the Land ( ) lived at the writeing & ensealing ( ) three hundred acres of Land with ( ) on by ANTHONY LYNTON, with all ( ) priviledges in as ample manner as I ( ) them; I likewise give to my sd. Ext. ( ) upon when I was sick with all its ( ) with a paire of sheets & the ( ) RAYNERs. ( ) Daughter, SUSANNA GARDNER, all my ( ) except two peuecoats, I likewise ( ) with a kettle that holdeth twelve ( )ozen napkins with a table cloth ( ) and JOHN GARDNER a Steere of Foyer ( ) my Grand Child, their Daughter I ( ) two yeares of age with ye increase for ever; Item. I give to my Sonne, MATHEW KEENE, one ..haffe of my land at YEACOMOCO to him & his heires for ever, the whole tract being Eight hundred & seaventy acres; the other halfe I give to my loveing Freind, THOMAS DANIELL, provided my Sonne, MATHEW, may have his first choice; I give likewise to my Sonne, MATHEW KEENE, a bed & bolster with a rugg & blanket as likewise a Chest that stands in the Shed at the end of my Lodgeinge roome; for my other household stuffe I give to be equally deviled among my three Sonnes, WILLIAM, THOMAS & MATHEW KEENE equally to be shared & not any part nor p:cell to be made away or sold; I give likewise my hoggs to runn on in stock for provision for them & when eyther of my Sonnes depart from the other, my desire is that at their seperating that my Executor will give to eyther of my Sonnes, THOMAS & MATHEW, one breeding Sowe; As for my Cattle, my desire is that after my debts be satisfied that they may be shared betweene my Sonnes, THOMAS & MATHEW, onely to my Sonne, MATHEW, I give two Cowes more then to THOMAS, And I give to WILLIAM MOUSELEY my God Child one Cove Calfe & likewise another to ELIZABETH PERRY & one to my Servant, ROBERT BRIERIE, each: legacies I desire my Executor to satisfy. As for my Freind, THOMAS DANIELL, my desire is that hee live upon my nowe dwelling plantacon foyer years after my decease & to see that my Sonnes, THOMAS & MATHEW, may be educated in learning & for the reall p:formance hereof I leave my Servants for their maintenance and for ye sure p:formance of the abovemenconed I sett my hand & seale this second day of January in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred sixty & two Signed sealed & delivered in the pr:sence of JOHN TINGEY, MARY BROUGHTON, the marke of ye Seale