There are so many Breedings in Virginia that it is impossible at this point in time to accurately identify any Breeden - Breden - Breeding as the progenitor of the line. Until the appearance of the Breeding / Grigsby Bible it was thought that John Breeding, Sr. (b 1730) was the son of Bryant Breeding (Breeden) of Shenandoah County, Virginia, born 1705. That Bryant Breeding left his estate to his son John and mentions another son, James. This John sold his interest in the estate to his brother James. John was living in Augusta County and the transaction is recorded there.
The appearance of the aforementioned Bible (details below) indicates John, b. 1711, to be the father of John Sr., b. 1730. From John, Sr., and forward, we are certain of his lineage from court documents and documentation of the Revolutionary War service of his sons Bryant, John, Richard and Spencer (Clinch River) Breeding. John is believed to be the same person as John Bryant but used Bryant as his name. There are still doubts if they are the same person though. Also, the bible could easily be wrong if it had been written by a poor researcher and/or possibly 100-200 years after the fact. IF they are the same person, then either the date of birth of 1711 is off by 11 years or Bryant was not the son of Patience Breeden who gave birth to an illegitimate son called Bryan on Oct 15, 1700.
Per Bruce Breeding: In the records of 7 counties, King George, Prince William, Fauquier, Augusta, Frederick, Dunmore and Shenandoah, from 1730 to 1783, the name Bryant is used for an individual who is proven, by original records (whose provenance is known - in the VA State Archives), to have been the father of John, Sr., of the Shenandoah Valley and later Russell Co., and James of Wythe. Never, in any of these records, created contemporaneously by the people involved, is he given any name other than Bryant. The name John does not appear in connection with this line until the late 1740s, when it clearly applies to another individual (See abstracts of the Northern Neck Warrants and Surveys by Joyner).
DOCUMENTATION OF A JOHN BREEDING BORN SEPT 25, 1711, father of John Sr, husband of Winifred Asnby
· JOHN BREEDING I FAMILY BIBLE RECORD Copied from hand written bible pages and transcribed by Barbara Breeding. Below entries taken from left and right hand side pages which when opened, faced each other.
Left hand side of page which faces right hand side of page (see below for right hand side)
John Breeding, born 25 Sep 1711
John Breeding born 4 Oct 1730
Winfred Eliza Ashby born 3 Jan 1731
James Breeding born 16 Nov 1750
John Breeding born 8 May 1752
Winfred Eliozab Breeding born 27 Aug 1757
Spencer R. Breeding born 1 May 1759
John Breeding died 1 May ---------------
John Breeding died 1 May----------------
Winfred E. Breeding died 9 Sept--------
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Right hand side of page which faces left hand side of page (see above for left hand side)
John Breeding
mari
Winfred Ashby 1 May 1749
Winfred E. Breeding
mar John Grigsby 6 Apr 1778
John Breeding
Marri Mary Short 4 Sep 18-----------
Spencer Breeding
M. Elizabeth Finney
5 Aug 1786
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DOCUMENTATION OF A BRYANT BREEDING BIRTH IN OCTOBER 15, 1700, probably the husband of Elizabeth Coleman, parents of a John and James
RICHMOND COUNTY, VA.
ORDER BOOK #3 page 130.
Court held February 5th 1701.
Patience BREEDEN servant to John OLDAM being presented to this court for having a Bastard Childthe court has ordered she serve her said Master or his assigns according to Act After her time by indenture custome or otherwise lawfully expired being the compensation for the trouble in his house in the time of her childbirth.
ORDER BOOK #4
Page 39.
Att a Court Held for Richmond County the 7th day of Febry 1704
Capt. John TARPLEY Certifying to this court that John OLDHAM has given security for the saveing harmeless the parish of North Farnham of and from charge or incumbrances that may arise or acrew for or by Reason of a Child named Bryan BREEDING aged three yeares old the 15th day of October Last.Ordered that the said Bryan BREEDING to serve the said John OLDHAM or his assigns till he shall arrive to the age of twenty one yeares
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1721-1735 King George County Deed Book 1-A, (Antient Press); pp. 107
Indenture 27th October 1730 between THOMAS CONWAY of St. Stephens Parish County of Northumberland & BRYANT BREDEN & ELIZABETH his wifeof Parish of Hanover King George County (now Fauqier County) for valuable consideration sell 50 acres now in possession of BRYANT BREDIN & ELIZABETH .. on northside of Deep run (Of Rappahannock River in current Fauqier County) joyning in land of WILLIAM BLACKWELL & land of SAMUEL EASLES during natural lives of BRYANT BREDIN & ELIZABETH his wife .. give unto BRYANT BREDIN privileges to get timber of any part for any necessary buildings in consideration .. to pay yearly rent of nine six pounds of Tobacco or eight shillings Sterling in cash a year rent ..
Presence George Conway, Thomas Conway
Andrew x Hunt. Bryant Bredin
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Family tradition says that when John Breeding, Sr.’s son Bryant died that his widow married John “Mill Creek” Hurst and lived in Wythe County, VA and that her son, John III grew up around Spencer “New River” Breeding, Jr., the son of John III’s uncle, Spencer “New River” Breeding, Sr.