John (Browne) Brown (abt. 1584 - abt. 1662)

Born about 1584 in England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 10 Apr 1662 at about age 78 in Rehoboth, Plymouth Colony

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John (Browne) Brown migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 1, p. 420) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

This profile deals with the John Browne/Brown Senior (the last in list below (see Disambiguation) who was born in England between about 1584 and 1591, married Dorothy and lived mainly in Rehoboth, and died in 1662.

Life

The exact date and place of John Brown's birth are unknown, however, he was probably born in England and Anderson estimates his birth to have taken place by about 1591 (based on an assumed age of 25 at his estimated year of marriage).^[1] George Tilden Brown estimates his birth year as 1583^[2], and the Find A Grave Memorial shows 1585.^[3]

Brown calls John "Gentleman,"^[4], and this is what is shown on his memorial stone.^[5]

John was made a freeman on January 5, 1635/6.^[6] In 1635, "he was elected one of the Governor's Assistants and continued an active and influential member of that board for many years.^[7] He probably could read, as his estate included a parcel of books. He lived in Plymouth, Taunton, and Rehoboth, and he held numerous offices in the Plymouth Colony. He was also a Captain of the Swansea militia. In his life he bought and sold many pieces of property.

"John was prominent in the Plymouth colony. He was living in Duxbury in 1636; in Taunton in 1643 but soon moved to Swansea. He was Assistant for seventeen years; served as one of the Commissioners of the United Colonies for twelve years, and sat on the Council of War for three years. He was one of the lessees of Kennebec trade in 1649.^[8]

"His liberal sentiments on religious affairs were positive* and as a colonial magistrate he expressed his scruples as to the propriety of coercing the people to support the minister and offered to pay all delinquencies from his own estates."^[9]

About 1655-56, John went to England, at the request of Sir Henry Vane, who was being persecuted by Oliver Cromwell. Sir Henry had recently inherited from his father, which estates were deeply mired in debt. He requested that John attend to the estates. After about two years, John returned to New England and his family.^[10]

A 23 Nov 1655 deed of land by John Brown names "my cousin John Tisdale and my cousin James Walker, his brother-in-law."^[11][12] "Cousin", in this era, most often meant niece or nephew, placing John as uncle of James Walker and his sister Sarah (Walker) Tisdale, but it's unclear exactly how.

Marriage and Children

John Brown and Dorothy (Unknown) had three children:^[13]

• Mary, born about 1616, married Thomas Willet;
• James, born by 1627, married by about 1655, Lydia Howland, daughter of John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley, both Mayflower passengers
• John, born by 1627, married twice, but first wife is unknown; married second, by 1661, Lydia Buckland, daughter of William Buckland.

Death

John died at just two weeks after his son John, Jr., at Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts, which was originally part of Rehoboth, (also in the Wannamoisett area) on April 10, 1662.^[14] His Will was dated April 7, 1662, the Inventory was taken on April 19, 1662, and his Will was proved October 3, 1662. Even though the Inventory shows that, by the time he died, John had given or sold all his real property, his estate was still worth £665. In his Will he mentioned his wife, son James and daughter Mary, wife of Thomas Willett, and deceased son, as well as various grandchildren.^[15]

John was buried at Ancient Little Neck Cemetery, Barrington (now East Providence, Rhode Island).^[16] You can see a picture of the memorial stone for him, erected long after his death, at Find A Grave. GPS coordinates are 41.76648, -71.35406.

John's wife Dorothy died at Swansea:

"Mistris Dorrithy Browne, wife of Mr John Browne senir: Deceased January the 27 being the 90th yeer of her life or thereabouts and was buried on the 29th of January 1673

Taken out of the booke of records at Swansey

by mee John Miles junr Towne Clarke."^[17]

Will

John's will mentions his daughter Mary and her husband Thomas Willet; grandchild Martha Safflin and her husband John Safflin; grandchildren John Browne, Joseph Browne, Nathaniel, Lydia Browne Hannah; Uncle James; his unnamed wife; and son James.

The text of the will follows:^[18]

The last will and testament of Rmr John Browne Senir: exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the third of october 1662 on oath of John Allin.

Aprill the seaventh 1662

Know all men to whom this shall Come that I John Browne of Rehoboth in the Jurisdiction of Plymouth being weake in body but my understanding feirme and stable as in any pte of my life heertofore Doe appoint this for my last Will and Testament as followeth first I Doe give unto Mary my Daughter the wife of Thomas Willet the sume of twelve pence to bee payed at the end of every yeare During her life for a memoriall unto her; and it shalbee in full of all filliall portion which shee or any in her behalfe shall Claime; I Doe give unto my grandchild Martha Saffin the wife of John Saffin twenty pounds; I Doe give unto John Browne my grandchild the house that his father Died in with six acrees of land adjoyning to it; to make an orchyard and other Conveniencyes; and I Doe give him halfe the lott that Thomas Willett bought of Experience Michell for mee; and I Doe give him seaven hundred acrees of land lying in the Narragansett Countrey three hundred and fifty of it lyeth in the great necke; and the other three hundred and fifty is to bee Chosen where they shall thinke fitt; and I Doe give unto my grandchild Josepth Browne and Nathaniel each of them five hundred acrees of land lying in the Narragansett Countrey where my lot shall fall; and I Doe give unto my grandchild Lydia Browne and Hannah each of them five hundred acrees of land in the Narrangansett Countrey; and theire Unkell James to Dispose of it for them to raise them portions for all the rest of my lands and whole estate not yett Disposed of I Doe give unto my wife and my son James Browne whom I Doe make Joynt exequitors of this my last Will and Testament; my full Intent is that my two exequitors shall have the ordering of the Children as full as my selfe

Signed Sealed and Delivered John Browne

in the prsence of us And a (seale)

John Allin

Richard Bullocke

Sampson Mason;

Wee Testify that mr Browne in his full understanding Did add those two lines Concerning the Children with his owne hand;

Roger Williams John Allin;

This followeing ordered to bee endorsed on the Will of mr John Browne senir:

Least any thinge mencioned in this will in reference to mistris Mary Willett the wife of Capt: Thomas Willett might be by any Construed to the prejudice of of the said mistris Willett; wee thinke it meet to Declare that out of the longe experience of her Dutifull and tender respect to her said father from time to time expressed there hath never appeered to us the least ground of any such thinge to this prsent

The Courts mind Declared;

Attested p me Nathaniell Morton Clark^[19]

Research Notes

Disambiguation - Which John Browne/Brown?

There were numerous John Brown/Brownes around Plymouth and New England shortly after the arrival of Pilgrims in 1620.

1. John Brown, a 35 year old tailor, was enrolled as a passenger on the Defence on April 5, 1636.
2. Joⁿ Browne, age, 27, a taylor, left the port of London bound for New England on June 1635. He also traveled on the Defence with with his 3 servants, Tho: Hart (age 24), Mary Denny (age 24), and Anne Leake (age 19).^[20]
3. John Brown, who came with Captain Mason in 1632 aboard The Lion.^[21][22] This John also married a Dorothy. He was born in about 1600, lived in Watertown, died in June 1636. Hotten specifies a Jo: Browne left the port of London bound for New England on ship with Captain Mason. Hotten does not identify the ship, though.^[23]
4. John Brown, weaver who settled in Duxberry, who was the brother of Mayflower passenger Peter Browne.
5. John Browne, lawyer, and brother of Samuel Browne who came in 1628 and went back to England in 1629.^[24]
6. John Brown, who married Phebe Harding in 1634.^[25]
7. John Browne, Jr., the son of the subject of this profile.
8. John Browne, Sr., the subject of this profile.

It is very easy to confuse John Browne, Senior, with his son John Browne, Junior, as they both signed their Wills in 1662 and they died within two weeks of each other.^[26] John Junior signed his Will on the last day of March, and the Inventory was taken on April 19, while John Senior wrote his Will on April 7, and the Inventory was also taken on April 19.^[27]

Unproven information

Birth location: This profile previously showed a birth location of - Hawkedon, Suffolk, England, but was removed due to lack of evidence.

Sources

1. ↑ Anderson Page 420
2. ↑ Brown Pages 11-12
3. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 19136869; Maintained by: Kevin Avery; Originally Created by: Superkentman; Record added: Apr 29, 2007
4. ↑ Brown Page 20
5. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 19136869; Maintained by: Kevin Avery; Originally Created by: Superkentman; Record added: Apr 29, 2007
6. ↑ Shurtleff Page 4
7. ↑ NEHGR George M. Browne, John Browne of the Old Colony, 1634-1662, NEHGR (Oct 1882) 36:368-371, at 369
8. ↑ Miner at John Brown Sr
9. ↑ Tilton: Page 335-336
10. ↑ NEHGR (Oct 1882) 36:369
11. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634–1635, Volume 1, A-B. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1999, pp. 423-4.
12. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634–1635, Volume 7, T–Y. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 2011, p. 202.
13. ↑ Anderson, Page 426
14. ↑ Arnold, Page 804
15. ↑ The Mayflower Decendant MD 18:18
16. ↑ Brown Page 20
17. ↑ The Mayflower Descendant Plymouth Colony Vital Records MD 19:22
18. ↑ The Mayflower Descendant (1916), The Wills of John Brown, Senior and John Brown, Junior MD (Jan 1916) 14-19
19. ↑ Last Will & Testament: "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-V3RF?i=286&cc=2018320&cat=89113 : 20 May 2014), Wills 1633-1686 vol 1-4 > image 287 of 616; State Archives, Boston.
20. ↑ Hotten p. 91, https://archive.org/stream/originallistsofp00hottuoft#page/90/mode/2up.
21. ↑ Anderson Page 420
22. ↑ Brown Page 11
23. ↑ Hotten, p. 150, https://archive.org/stream/originallistsofp00hottuoft#page/150/mode/2up.
24. ↑ Brown Page 11
25. ↑ Brown Page 11
26. ↑ Arnold Page 804
27. ↑ The Mayflower Descendant The Wills of John Brown, Senior and John Brown, Junior MD 18:14-22

• Anderson, Robert C, George F. Sanborn, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634-1635 Vol.1: A-B (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Great Migration Study Project, Boston, 1999). pp 420-29. American Ancestors (Subscription required)
• Arnold, James. Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896 (Narragansett Historical Pub. Co., 1897), Archive.org.
• Brown, George T. John Browne, Gentleman, of Plymouth: (and One Branch of Descendants to the 12th Generation) : Assistant, Commissioner, Magistrate, Pioneer in New England Colonial Life. Providence: Remington Press, 1919. archive.org.
• Find A Grave, www.FindAGrave.com
• Hotten, John Camden, The Original Lists Of Persons Of Quality (John Camden Hotten, 1874) Open Library, Internet Archive
• The Mayflower Descendant (Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, Boston, 1916), Vol 18.Internet Archive
• The Mayflower Descendant: A Magazine of Pilgrim Genealogy and History. (MD) Boston, MA: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1899- . (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010) (Subscription required.)
• Miner Descent Website, http://www.MinerDescent.com
• Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet; Pulsifer, David New Plymouth Colony; Records of the colony of New Plymouth, in New England (New York : AMS Press, 1855). Vol. 1: Court Orders 1633-1640. Open Library, archive.org
• Tilton, George Henry. A History of Rehoboth, Massachusetts (The Author, Boston, Mass., 1918) Page 47
• The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1881) Vol 36, Page 182. Internet Archive

See also:

• William Cutter, Genealogical and Family History of the State of Connecticut (1911)
• Barnum, Mary Pierpont. Pierpont Genealogy and Connecting Lines (Boston, 1928) Page 15