Chad Brown migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 44) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm
"Chad Browne ... His parentage and the date and place of his birth have not been discovered, but he married at High Wycombe ... 1626.[1]
According to the Ancestry.com Millennium File, Chad was born around 1600 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. He was the child of Dorothy and Arthur Brown.[2]Millennium File, however, is not a reliable source, so his place of birth is conjecture. US and International Marriage Records (another unreliable source) has his date of birth as 1603.[3]
I believe the "perpetrator" of this father, Arthur, comes from an apprenticeship deed. "Chadde Browne the sone of Arthure Browne of Melcheborne in the Countie of Bedford yoman hathe put himself ap'rentice wth Leonrd Omston of North'ton Curriar ... eight yeares." The big problem with this is that it took place in the 12th year of Elizabeth's reign, 1570, thirty years before the immigrant was born.[4]
Biography
Chad Brown was the first permanent pastor of the First Baptist Church in America, and co-founder of the city of Providence, Rhode Island.
Birth
Born: Before 1605.
Estimate based on marriage in 1626.
He was possibly born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England where he was married, but this is not known to be true. His actual baptism and parents have not been found.
Immigration to America
Chad arrived at Boston in the ship "Martin" in early July of 1638 with his wife Elizabeth and son John. [5][6]
Move to Providence, Rhode Island
Later in 1638, Chad moved to Rhode Island, where he acted as a close assistant to minister Roger Williams. Upon Williams return to England in 1643, Brown took over the reins as Pastor of the church becoming first (or by some accounts second) Pastor of the Baptist Church in America.[7]
The home lot of Chad Brown was at the corner of the present Market Square and College Street in Providence, and Brown University now occupies part of that lot. He was buried on his own ground (a spot now occupied by the Court House), whence his remains were removed in 1792 to the North Burial Ground, where the gravestone then erected may still be seen.
Marriage and Children
Married: Elizabeth Sharparowe on 11 September 1626 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.[8][9]
Children of Chad Brown and Elizabeth Sharparowe:
Please see the detailed analysis published in The American Genealogist.[10]
Austin[5] includes Mary and Deborah as children of Chad, but other sources have them as the children of Chad's eldest son John.[7]
Death
Chad Brown passed away in or before 1663 in Providence, Rhode Island, when he was mentioned as deceased in a deed from William Field.[1] Others indicate an earlier date of death based on his wife Elizabeth being cited as a widow on a tax list from Sept 2, 1650.[6][5] However this simply Widow Brown taxed there is no indication that she was widow of Chad and there were plenty of other Browns in the area at the time.[1]. Thomas Armitage, in "A History of the Baptists" [1], quotes a 1738 sermon of Rev. John Callender on "The History of Rhode Island" that implies Chad Browne was living "about the year 1653" when "there was a division in the Baptist Church at Providence about the rite of 'laying on of hands'", Browne being one of the leaders of those who believed this tradition "essentially necessary to church communion".
The memorial stone erected in 1792 in the North Burying Ground suggests a death year of about 1665.[11]
Legacy
For a brief summary of Chad Browne's character one can do no better than to quote the remarks of Hague in his 'Historical Discourse' : 'Contemporary with Roger Williams, he possessed a cooler temperament, and was happily adapted to sustain the interests of religion just where that great man failed. . . We know only enough of his character to excite the wish to know more; but from that little it is clear that he was highly esteemed as a man of sound judgment and of a Christian spirit. Often referred to as the arbitrator of existing differences, in a state of society where individual influence was needed as a substitute for well digested laws, he won that commendation which the Savior pronounced when he said, "blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God."'[7]
Common Errors to Avoid
Disproved son: Chad Brown: Chad and Elizabeth Brown are commonly given a son Chad Brown. This has been shown to be an error resulting from misinterpretation of land distribution in Providence.[10] After the death of Chad Brown, distributions of land continued to made in the name of Chad Brown. A son Chad Brown was created to explain these records; however, it can be shown that Providence continued to set off land in the names of the original proprietors even after their death. There is no other evidence or reason to suppose a son Chad.
Disproved daughter: Phebe Brown: Virkus in his Compendium of American Genealogy made Phebe Brown, wife of Thomas Lee, a daughter of Chad Browne.[12] This is incorrect. She is a proven daughter of William Brown.[10]
Sources
Footnotes and citations:
↑ 1.01.11.2 Browne, William Bradford. "Chad Browne and his descendants." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 80:74 (1926) Link at AmericanAncestors ($)
↑ Heritage Consulting. Millennium File [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2003, Ancestry Record millind #10565043 Birth date: 1600, Birth place: High Wycombe, Bucks, England, Death date: 1663, Death place: Providence, Providence, Rhode Island,
↑ 10.010.110.2 MacGunnigal, Bruce C., "The children of Chad Browne of Providence, Rhode Island - Proved, Disproved and Unproven" The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) Volume 62 (1987) pages 193-201 via $American Ancestors
↑ Virkus, Frederick Adams. ed. Compendium of American Genealogy; ... v.5 (1933): pages 56, 97.
Source list:
New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 65 no. 1 (January 1911): page 84. "Notes: King, Brown", by The Editors. Marriage of Chad Brown. Books.google.com Link
New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 80 no. 1 (January 1926): pages 73-86 and 170-185, see page 74. AmericanAncestors.org ($) Link"Chad Browne of Providence, Rhode Island and Four Generations of His Descendants", by William Bradford Browne.
The American Genealogist, vol. 62 no. 4 (October 1987): 193-201. "The Children of Chad Browne of Providence, RI: Proved, Disproved and Unproved, " by Bruce C. MacGunnigle. AmericanAncestors.org ($) Link
Virkus, Frederick Adams. ed. Compendium of American Genealogy; ... v.5 (1933): pages 56, 97. Note:incorrectly makes Phebe Brown a daughter of Chad Browne.
Marriage: Buckinghamshire Parish Registers, Vol. 6; High Wycombe Marriages, p. 11; by Phillimore, W. P. W. (William Phillimore Watts), 1853-1913, ed; Ragg, Frederick William, 1845, joint ed; Gurney, Thomas, joint ed; Bale, Ronald Frank, joint ed; London, Phillimore & Co., 1902; Collection allen_county; americana; Digitizing sponsor MSN; Contributor Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center; [2]
Thomas BROWNE, Jr (Abt 1535-1600) m. Elizabeth LETTLYE (1540-1630) bore Arthur BROWNE (1567/1574-1603)
Nicholis ALCHURCH (1545-) m. Margery (Abt 1550-). They bore Dorothy ALCHURCH
(1576-1650)
Arthur BROWNE and Dorothy ALCHURCH bore Rev. Chad BROWNE (Abt 1600-Bef 1650).
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/changelog/LZZ4-LMV
Name: ARTHUR BROWN OR BROUNE OR BROWNE
Birth: BET 1567 AND 1574 in MELCHBOURNE OR HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND
ALIAS: ARTHUR BROUNE OR BROWN
Death: BET 1603 AND 1604 in MELCHBOURNE OR HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND.
Father: THOMAS (L) BROWNE b: BET 1531 AND 1535 in BEACONSFIELD, BUCKS, ENGLAND
Mother: ELIZABETH LETTLYE b: 1540 in DUNCHURCH, WARWICKSHIRE, ENGLAND
Marriage 1 DOROTHY ALCHURCH b: 1579 in HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND Married: 1604 in HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND
Children
CHAD OR CHADDUS (NOTES)(MAR) BROWN OR BROWNE b: BET 1575 AND 1607 in HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, ENGLAND
Arthur Browne
Birth circa 1573 High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England
Death: Died 1603 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, , England
Immediate Family:Son of Sir Thomas Browne and Elizabeth Browne
Father of Rev. Chadd Browne and Rev John Browne
Brother of Margret Browne and Hacheliah Brown
Looks like the place of birth in the data should be generalized to "England" since "High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England" is conjectury. It should, however, reman in the biography.
Under Common Errors to Avoid it says that "There is no other evidence or reason to suppose a son Chad." Then why is a Chad in the children list? Some sources say that Chad and Judah are the same person.
I would agree that the presumably-mythical son Chad, whose alleged existence is AFAIK based wholly on a misunderstanding of land records that actually refer -- post mortem -- to the senior Chad, should not be linked as a son.
His profile, however, lives on, carefully flagged with the "may-never-have-existed" box; so can we instead please place the link to it within the "Common Errors" section rather than showing him alongside the actual offspring?
hmmm... thinking back on what has been recommended previously. My recollection where a mythical wife or child has been dealt with previously: their profile is brought into PGM under "adjunct" so it can be overseen by the PGM project.
That's the direction I will take unless there is objection.
I would agree with bringing him into PGM that way but would still prefer that he not continue to be shown in the list of actual children, as it will just serve to perpetuate the misunderstanding. Since he's now linked under "Common Errors", surely that ought to suffice?
Claudia, I have followed all your sources to the links and sources they provide. They essentially lead no where but unsourced internet trees. There appears to be no real evidence as to his parents or birth. I will be disconnecting until some primary evidence can be found.
TAG 20 (1943), citing NEHGR 47 p. 266 on the apprenticeship, states "This may refer to the grandfather of the emigrant" ([1]). That makes more sense, tho' I still don't like the geography.
A 1556 birth would have him m. a 22-year-old when he is age 70... and fathering children at age 75+! Methinks these are two different fellas. I also now question whether we have the right Elizabeth Sharparowe, or at least the right birthplace; we have her b. 1604 at Melchborne, which, as noted below, is some 60 miles from High Wycombe where the m. took place. AA shows other Sharparowe marriages in High Wycombe (John, 1623; a later Elizabeth, 1636) and I would have to think she is of their family -- a local gal.
Re the apprenticeship from Genealogical Gleanings Jillaine pointed out. It is dated 10 June of the 12th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth (c1570). It is for 8 years with the last year he is to paid as a journeyman. We can safely say he was 13 or 14 years old, placing his birth date as about 1556 - if this is the right Chad Brown.
I have added to the bio a (sourced) piece of supporting evidence for his death being post-1650... also slightly edited the note below the new entry about the death date shown on his monument.
Re: the apprenticeship -- both Melchborne and Northampton ("North'ton") are more than 60 miles from High Wycombe. Meanwhile, there is a John Browne, son of William, christened 10 Aug 1575 at Hambleden in Buckinghamshire (<https://www.americanancestors.org/DB543/r/360582499>), just half a dozen miles SW of High Wycombe; this individual appears at least equally likely as a candidate for father of Chad/Chaddus. I suggest we detach Arthur & Mary as parents.
I see that some sources listed on this profile include the Millennium File and the compiled indexes of "Edmund West." The PGM project strongly discourages the use of and reliance upon these sources. They're highly derivative and questionable. I'll take a look at NEHGS and see if there's anything more recent on Chad.
Hi Claudia, what you have posted has no actual evidence as to his parents. The most recent published article still says his parents are unknown. Why do you think Arthur Brown is the father of Chad Brown?
Chad, son of Ro Browne, was baptised on 3 February 1593 in Mancetter, Warwickshire, England.<ref> Baptism: "Warwickshire Baptisms"
Archive: Warwickshire County Record Office; Reference: DR0130/1
FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 24 June 2023)
Chad Browne baptism on 3 Feb 1593, son of Ro Browne, in Mancetter, Warwickshire, England. </ref>
Thoughts?
His profile, however, lives on, carefully flagged with the "may-never-have-existed" box; so can we instead please place the link to it within the "Common Errors" section rather than showing him alongside the actual offspring?
Cheryl, can you detach him?
I'm also going to do a little editing on the profile of the younger Chad, which states that he is a son.
That's the direction I will take unless there is objection.
Thanks for patience.
Hope the PMs on the other Chad's profile are OK with the changes.
EDIT: sorry Joe. I am responding to the claim in the narrative not to a comment you posted.
Thank you for your comments.
I am adding every reference that I find about Chad Brown. On the Knight genealogy, it says "with sources"... I have not seen nor requested them.
I have read many sources that repeat the same wording... Is there a recen article, with actual research? Where can I read it?
What do you think we shall do? I would appreciate your help here!
Thanks a lot, Claudia