Maiden Name of Thomas Batte Sr. Wife, Mary

Date: 13 Apr 2024 [unknown]
Location: Henrico, Virginia
Surnames/tags: Batte Farrar Browne

Many have speculated on the maiden name of Mary, wife, of Thomas Batte Sr. That's likely because she was married to someone who was influential for the time and who worked and was friends with some of the most consequential Virginia men of the 17th and 18th centuries, including many of the ancestors of Thomas Jefferson. Randolph, Butler, and Jennings have been put forth as Mary's maiden name with little or no proof or background and can be pretty easily dismissed.

Henry Randolph was simply an Attorney for Mary. Amy Butler Beville was likely a friend and neighbor of Mary's, but less likely a sister. And Jennings seems the furthest fetched and hard to discern, other than that Jennings is another highly valued FFV name.

More likely, Mary came from some of the earliest families of Jamestown! The reason is that the Thomas Batte Sr. related families that intermarried during and after Mary's life mostly have certain ancestors in common. Those being the Farrars, Brownes, Cockes, and some others - families directly connected with an early woman Ancient Planter, Cecily Jordon, and her daughter, Temperance Baley,

I searched the records for some proof of my suspicions and found some very interesting information.

Why would John Farrar (abt.1632-bef.1685) leave so much to Thomas Batte Sr. and his children?? https://archive.org/details/virginiamagazine08bruc/page/424/mode/2up?q=batte&view=theater

Mary Batte, wife of Thomas Batte, Sr. had died prior to the John Farrar will.

Last Will and Testament of John Farrar[3]
Henrico Parish, Henrico County, Virginia.
4 March 1684/5.
1 April 1685 (proved).

In his Will, John names the following persons, in the following order:

1.) Thomas Batte Jr., son of Thomas Batte of Henrico County. 200 acres of land and "to his heirs forever"
2.) Thomas Batte Sr.
3.) Mary, Amy, and Sarah, daughters of Thomas Batte. The rest of the estate equally divided
4.) my cousin Mary Worsham, wife of George Worsham, bequeathed my servant boy named Thomas Symmons.
5.) my cousin Martha Shiply, wife of Walter Shiply of Charles City County, bequeathed one likely man or woman servant, which she shall make choice.
6.) my three kinsman William Farrar, Thomas Farrar, and John Farrar (minor).
7.) my said negro Jack his freedon after Christmas day next.
8.) [name?] one ring
Signed: John Farrar.
Witnesses: Captain William Randolph, Thomas Daulby, Thomas Wells.
Executors: my kinsman William Farrar, Thomas Farrar.

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John Farar's half sister,
Temperance (Baley) Cocke (1617-bef.1652)
had "children" with John Browne Jr (1609-abt.1632):
John Browne, b 1632
Mary Browne, ? *Bingo

(Also see: the wife of Thomas Batte Jr. is Temperance (Browne) Batte (abt. 1672))

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Richard Cocke Sr was the 2nd husband of Temperance Baley Browne. His children are well documented.

Richard Cocke Sr and Thomas Batte Sr. were both Justices of Henrico County and both previously came from Charles City County. Mary Browne, being an adopted daughter of Richard Cocke Sr., was likely a neighbor of young Thomas Batte Sr. in Charles City County.

The families of Batte-Farrar-Browne-Cocke seem especially closely aligned as you can see if you examine the marrages and alliances,

Therefore, I think this connection is the best theory for Mary's maiden name and background to date.

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My interest began here: " Judith, daughter of Henry & Judith, born at Appam: 29 Jul 1671 baptized y* 6tb of August in ye parsh church by Mr. Bichd Morris - Sponsors Wm Soane Mrs Mary Batte Mrs Amy Bedill." “Descendants of Henry Randolph.” The William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, vol. 4, no. 2, 1895, pp. 125–27. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1915057. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024. NOTE: Mrs Amy Bedill is almost certainly Amy Beville.