John Brewster (abt. 1630 - 1691)

Born about 1630 in England

Husband of Mary (Sherburne) Brewster — married 6 Jul 1652 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, NH

Descendants

Died 16 Dec 1691 at about age 61 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kate Montressor [send private message]

Biography

Researchers should take care when studying this family because many of the original records were forged by Doctor George Gaines Brewster, 1797-1872, graduate dentist, trial justice, member of the NEHGS and published in the register. For example the marriage record to Mary Knight published in the register (NEHGR 17:253, 61:83) and Torrey 1:199 was based on a fabricated record. The name of the family was purposely mis-transcribed as Brewster when it was consistently recorded as Bruster. This incorrect information was included in later works such as "Life and Times of Elder Brewster," the Wentworth Genealogy and Stackpole's "Old Kittery and Her Families." Mary Knight was invented from whole cloth. Per GDMNH his wife probably or at least possibly was Mary Sherburne dau of John Shurbourne (based on a deed see GDMNH), But there is some doubt because in his will of 1691 her father named her Mary Sherburne as if unmarried. And still other genealogists believe Mary Sherburne married instead 1st Gowen Cox 2nd Peter Matthews (See GDMNH Cox and Matthews and Walter Goodwin Davis, The ancestry of Joseph Waterhouse, 1754-1837, of Standish, Maine 101-3) to explain other relationships in the family. Therefore his wife is shown here as simply Mary.

Genealogical Dictionary Of Maine and New Hampshire states Sergt. John Brewster was not in Portsmouth by 1658 or he would have shared in division of commons. In 1662 he received a deed from John Sherburne on the Plains, which was the homestead of many generations of his descendants. They spelt the last name Bruster rewritten in ink Brewster whereever Dr. G. G. Brewster found it in the original town or provincial records. (Dr. George Gains Brewster apparently changed some of the town records. He lived 1797-1872 according to the book also he must have assumed John's wife's father was Roger Knight but the book disputes that fact.) The deed from John Sherburne part of his homestead, with proviso that grantee or wife and children cannot sell without first giving the grantor an opportunity to buy (Deeds iii. 92a) is consistant with John's wife being the daughter of John Sherburne, yet the father's will treats daughter Mary "Sherburne" as if unmarried. Aside from this no original record untampered with suggests a connection between the Brusters and any family until the son of John, John marries Mary Sloper, grandaughter of Henry Sherburne. The will of John Sr. lists his widow as Mary and children and children Sarah who married Robert Hinkson 26 September, 1679. Elizabeth, Martha, John b. 1667, Mary, Jane and Rachel. In 1664 John Brwster Sr. bought land with Philip Benmore at Kennebec (Parker's Island) and sold in 1667. Freeman 15 May 1672. Jury 1666, 1687 a foreman on road surveyor Portsmouth.

Sources

• Source: S33 Type: Web Site Title: Family Search Author: LDS URL: http://www.familysearch.org Data Changed: Date: 20 DEC 2009
• Source: S99 Type: Web Site Title: Ancestry.com URL: www.ancestry.com Data Changed: Date: 4 AUG 2012