Thomas Holbrook

Husband of Constance (Thayer) Holbrook — married 19 Feb 1560 in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England

Died after 1596 in of Thornbury, Somerset, England

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Disputed Parents

There are internet websites showing that Thomas was the son of Thomas Holbrook and Agnes Derrell. No evidence is known to support such a supposition.

There are other internet claims that Thomas was the son of William Holbrook and Elizabeth Middleton of Staffordshire. Once again, no evidence is known to support such a supposition.

Evidence of parentage appears in the will of Nicholas Derrell, father of Agnes Derrell. Abstract: "1546 Nicholas Derell - (July 22, 1546) Leave to Richard Cage of Norton Maleward and the leasur that I hold of Robert Holbrook within the lordship of Stanton Prior during my years therein ...To Robert Wathett, 40 a and a yearling which is with Thomas Holbroke which shall be kept until she hath calvge .....To John Holbroke and Johane Holbroke, 6s 8d each.... Executors Overseers: Thomas Holbroke of Norton and Joh Richman of Stanton" And from the will of Alice (Derrell) Saunders, mother of Agnes. Abstract: "1551 Alice Derell March k9, 1551 To John Holbroke and John Holbroke children of my son-in-law Thomas Holbroke, a cow to each. Overseers: Thomas Holbroke and John Aprice"

Notes from an FTM family tree compiled by Elmond Holbrook indicate that these abstracts were obtained from "Somerset Medieval Wills, 1531-1558, Somerset Record Society, Vol. 21".

And from an abstract of the Thomas Holbrook will found in the "Probate Registry in New England Historic and Genealogical Society Library, Newbury Street, Boston. dated March 28, 1559." Abstract: "l, Thomas Holbroke, to be buried in Dunderye. To the church of Dunderye 12 d. To John Pope my best yerlying. To Edward Typpet my god chylde 12 d. To Jone my daughter 5 marke and a cowe, and if she dye unmarried it shall remayne to the resydwe of my chyldren. To Isa-bell my youngest chylde 20 s. The resedewe of my goodes I geve to Agnes my wife and Thomas and Rychard Holbrocke my chyldren whom I make my executors. Deattes dewe unto me. Rychard Typpet 6/-. Rychard Byfyike 3/4 Thomas Nayler 16 d. Deattes that I do owe. Robert Hanna' 115/- John Hunte 7/-

Witnesses: Edward Pope, William Hunte, Thomas Burche and Rychard Typpet. Overseers, Edward Pope and William Hunte. Proved May 6 1556 (note the date above)"

Disputed Marriage

The marriage to Constance Thayer is disupted. "Mr. A Roberts Lord authored a book on Holbrook in which he states that Thomas Holbrook married Constance Thayer in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, 1560. This is true in a sense, there is a an entry of this marriage, but it should be noted be noted that in this same decade and Parish Register there are two other marriages of a Thomas Holbrook of Thornbury! One between Thomas Holbrook and Edith Marten in 1562 and one of Thomas Holbrook and Margery Morton in 1569. I have found not one bit of of evidence that the Thomas Holbrook of any of these three Thomas Holbrook marriages is of the Somerset line. To the contrary, the Gloucester wills name several Thomas Holbrook of Thornbury and nearby Iron Acton. I feel Mr. Lord is in error to claim that this one marriage belongs to the Thomas Holbrook of Somerset!^[1]

The will of Edith Holbrooke of 1593 mentions sons William, Robert and John Holbrooke as well as her sons Richard and Thomas Sandes (Saunders?).

Thomas Holbrook will of 1571 leaves "To Richard Sanders my wife's son 5 pounds."

"Thomas Holbrooke married Constans Tawier at Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England. The parish is in the western part of Gloucestershire, near Severn." The source goes on to mention that Thomas Holdbrook was godfather at the Thornbury baptisms of Nicholas Tawier in 1574, Joan Tawier in 1593, and Mary Tayer in 1596. "When Tawier-Tayer descendants came to New England, the surname became Thayer."^[2]

"Thornbury is only a few miles north of Glastonbury, which was probably the home of Thomas Holbrook. William Holbrook of Glastonbury, the father of our American progenitor, named his first male child Thomas. There are many other circumstances that make it probable that Thomas and Constans (Thayer) Holbrook were the parents of William Holbrook who was born circa 1562."^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Halbrooks, J.C., The Holbrook Report,Sterling Connecticut, February 8, 1998.
2. ↑ Harold and David Boles, Foster Ancestors: Some Europeans, Immigrants, Colonists and Pioneers (1990), p. 400, citing Thornbury Parish Register "as cited by Roberts, 1985".
3. ↑ A. Roberts Lord, Holbrook and Allied Families (1942), pp. 5-6.

• Ancestry.com. The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1847-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

• Original data: New England Historic Genealogical Society. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston: The New England Historic Genealogical Society. Volume 060 (1906), page 287 [Thayer Family in Thornbury, Eng].

• Ancestry.com. Gloucestershire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1813 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

• Original data: Gloucestershire Anglican Parish Registers. Gloucestershire Archives, Gloucestershire, England.