Susannah Brasseur/Brashier

Susannah Brasseur was the second (possibly third, if he had an unknown wife in France) wife of Mareen Duvall the Emigrant, and the mother of several of his children, including Mareen Duvall the Younger, the ancestor of Ellis Duvall and his children J. Forest Duvall and Wilma Gladys Duvall Whittlesey.  Susannah is believed to have been born in Nansemond County, Virginia about 1650.  Susannah was the daughter of Benjamin (Benois) Brasseur who was believed to have been married to Mary Richford.  Susannah died in Anne Arundel County, Maryland in 1692 when her son, Mareen Duvall the Younger, was only 12 years old.

Susannah moved with her family to Calvert County, Maryland in about 1658; she was about 8 years old.  She was naturalized, along with her parents and siblings, in Virginia 4 December 1662 by Lord Charles Calvert.  She and Mareen Duvall the Emigrant married about 1674 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.   Little is known about Susannah other than through information about her husband.  It is speculated that she died in childbirth and that she did not leave a will.

It should be noted that the name "Brasseur" has been spelled many different ways, including:  Brashier, Brashear, Brassures, Brassieurs, etc..  "Brashear" evolved to be the most common spelling.

Credit needs to be given to Charles Brashear and Shirley Brashear McCoy who have researched and written the most comprehensive series of books on the Brashear family.  I have relied heavily on Brashear and McCoy,  A Brashear(s) Family History, Vol. 1, The First 200 Years of Brashear(s) in America and Some Descendants in Maryland, 31 August 1998.  For more information and to order a copy of the book, go to http://www.charlesbrashear.com/Family_Histories/Genealogies.htm