Benjamin/4a Brooks

M, #1941, (28 April 1698 - 27 March 1793)
Benjamin/4a Brooks|b. 28 Apr 1698\nd. 27 Mar 1793|p195.htm#i1941|Noah/3a Brooks|b. 1656 or 1657\nd. 1 Feb 1738/39|p193.htm#i1923|Dorothy/2 Potter|b. circa 1662\nd. 15 Mar 1752|p814.htm#i8137|Dea. Joshua/2a Brooks|b. circa 1630\nd. before 24 Aug 1697|p163.htm#i1623|Hannah/2 Mason|b. 23 Sep 1636|p163.htm#i1624|Dea. Luke/1 Potter|b. 18 Oct 1615\nd. 13 Oct 1697|p510.htm#i5093|Mary/2 Edmunds|b. circa 1628\nd. 15 Feb 1710/11|p539.htm#i5386|
Father*Noah/3a Brooks1 b. 1656 or 1657, d. 1 Feb 1738/39
Mother*Dorothy/2 Potter1 b. c 1662, d. 15 Mar 1752
Appears on charts:Descendants of Capt. Thomas/1a Brooks
Descendants of Dea. Joshua/2a Brooks
Descendants of Noah/3a Brooks
Descendants of Benjamin/4a Brooks
Last Edited18 May 2008
       Benjamin/4a Brooks was born 28 Apr 1698 at Concord, MA.1 There he married (1), 29 Dec 1719, Sarah/3 Heywood of Concord, daughter of Dea. John/2 Heywood and Sarah Blodgett.2 He lived first at Concord, then removed, after Apr 1742, to Townsend. There his wife and 5 children died in 1747 in an apparent epidemic.3 He married (2), 16 Nov 1749 at Hopkinton, Elizabeth Giles.4 The birth of an illegitimate son Abel to Benjamin's servant Amy was recorded at Townsend in 1752.5 [Abil the Son of Ame a Servant of Beniamen Brooks Born July the 9d 1752.] He purchased pew no. 17 "on the Loer floor of the meetinghous."6 His 2d wife died at Townsend 9 Oct 1780.7 Benjamin was recorded living alone at Townsend in the 1790 census.8 He died there 27 Mar 1793 at age 94.9

Family

Sarah/3 Heywood b. 18 Jan 1700/1, d. 25 Sep 1747
Children
  • Persis/5a Brooks10 b. 2 Aug 1720, d. 28 Apr 1816
  • Seth/5a Brooks11 b. 20 Mar 1721/22, d. 13 Sep 1747
  • Sarah/5a Brooks12 b. 2 Feb 1723/24
  • Keziah/5a Brooks13 b. 2 Mar 1725/26, d. 21 Aug 1754
  • Capt. Benjamin/5a Brooks14 b. 30 Mar 1729, d. 7 Jun 1790
  • Dorothy/5a Brooks15 b. 4 Jun 1731, d. 27 Aug 1747
  • Mary/5a Brooks16 b. 24 Jul 1734
  • Millicent/5a Brooks17 b. 13 Jan 1736/37, d. 13 Apr 1756
  • Abner/5a Brooks18 b. 13 Apr 1740, d. 2 Sep 1747
  • Rebecca/5a Brooks19 b. 14 Apr 1742, d. 5 Sep 1747
  • Noah/5a Brooks20 b. 29 Dec 1746, d. 18 Sep 1747

Source Citations/Notes:

  1. [S185] Concord BMD, 45, Benjamin Brookes b.
  2. [S185] Concord BMD, 101, Benjamin Brooks/Sarah Haywood m.
  3. [S248] Townsend VR, 228, Sarah Brooks d.
  4. [S273] Hopkinton VR, 233, Benja[min] Brooks/Elizabeth Giles m.
  5. [S248] Townsend VR, 203, Abil, son of Benjamin's servant Ame, b.
  6. [S248] Townsend VR, 1, Pew purchases in meetinghouse.
  7. [S248] Townsend VR, 348, Elizabeth Brooks d.
  8. [S985] 1790 U.S. Census, Townsend, Middlesex, MA, M637/4/609, Benja. Brooks.
  9. [S248] Townsend VR, 284, Mr. Benja Brooks d.
  10. [S185] Concord BMD, 100, Persis Brooks b.
  11. [S185] Concord BMD, 105, Seth Brooks b.
  12. [S185] Concord BMD, 111, Sarah Brooks b.
  13. [S185] Concord BMD, 115, Kezia Brooks b.
  14. [S185] Concord BMD, 120, Benjamin Brooks b.
  15. [S185] Concord BMD, 126, Dorothy Brooks b.
  16. [S185] Concord BMD, 137, Mary Brooks b.
  17. [S185] Concord BMD, 140, Mellescent Brooks b.
  18. [S185] Concord BMD, 157, Abner Brooks b.
  19. [S185] Concord BMD, 157, Rebekah Brooks b.
  20. [S248] Townsend VR, 214, Noah Brooks b.; 228, d.

Gershom/2a Brooks

M, #1947, (circa 1634 - 1686)
Gershom/2a Brooks|b. circa 1634\nd. 1686|p195.htm#i1947|Capt. Thomas/1a Brooks|b. 2 Mar 1594/95\nd. 21 May 1667|p163.htm#i1621|Grace/1 Cunliffe|b. 14 Oct 1593\nd. 12 May 1664|p163.htm#i1622|Thomas/a Brooke|b. say 1565|p5871.htm#i58701||||William/a Cunliffe|b. circa 1550|p5870.htm#i58700|Elizabeth (–?–)|b. say 1570\nd. circa 12 Jun 1605||
Father*Capt. Thomas/1a Brooks1 b. 2 Mar 1594/95, d. 21 May 1667
Mother*Grace/1 Cunliffe1 b. 14 Oct 1593, d. 12 May 1664
Appears on charts:Descendants of Capt. Thomas/1a Brooks
Descendants of Gershom/2a Brooks
Last Edited31 Jul 2009
       Gershom/2a Brooks was "born probably in New England between 1634 and 1640," says Threlfall. (Patricia Law Hatcher has noted that the name Gershom was often given to the first child of an immigrant family to be born in America.).1,2 Of Concord, MA, there he married, 12 Mar 1665/66, Hannah/2 Eccles of Cambridge, daughter of Richard/1 Eccles and Mary (–?–), with whom he had 7 children.3,4
     His father Thomas Brooks died at Concord, intestate, 21 May 1667. The male heirs—three sons and son-in-law Timothy Wheeler—presented an inventory of the estate for probate 16 Jun 1667, and the following day signed an agreement for division of the estate. Joshua, as eldest son, was to have a double portion, the usual custom.
     Whereas Thomas Brooks, of Concord, hath left an estate, and the sonnes of the said Thomas not willing to troable the Court have Joyntly agreed that it shall be divided as followeth. First That the Inventory taken by Deacon Mirriam, Deacon Potter, and George Wheeler shall be accounted the full estate of Thomas Brooks. 2ly. wee do agree that Joshua Brooks shall have a full double portion out of the lands at Meadford, and the 3: other sonnes, Capt. Timothy Wheeler, Caleb Brookes, and Gershom Brookes to have equall portions, only Caleb and Gershom are to have the remainder of the said land after Joshua is first accomodated as a part of their portion, and Timothy Wheeler out of the moveable estate, and all to be distributed to them by those 3. partyes that tooke the Inventory; unto whose finall determination we do severally bynd ourselves in a bond of 100£ apeece, to stand unto, as wee do witness by setting of our hands to this present writeing, the 17th of June. 1667.
          In the presence of us. Hugh Mason, Joseph Estabrookes.
          Timothy Wheeler, Joshua Brookes, Caleb Brookes, Gershom Brookes.5,6
     "In 1672, seventeen articles of instruction were given to the selectmen by a committee, consisting of Nehemiah Hunt, John Flint, John Miles, William Hartwell, Thomas Wheeler, Joshua Brooks, Joseph Haywood, Gershom Brooks, Humphrey Barret and John Billings…," says Shattuck.7 Gershom was admitted freeman of Concord, 15 May 1672.8 Tythingman, 1680.9
     Gershom Brooks died in 1686.10,11 30 Jun 1701, probate articles of agreement (which provide Gershom's date of death) were signed to divide the property of Hannah, widow of Gershom late of Concord, between her children Daniel, Tabitha, Elizabeth, and Joseph, represented by his guardian and cousin Joseph Brooks, and son-in-law Edward Bridge of Roxbury, on behalf of his wife Mary. Eldest son Joseph had for his part all the lands owned by his father in the town of Medford. All named were signatories to the agreement.12
     Widow Hannah Brooks died at Concord 2 Jan 1716/17.13

Family

Hannah/2 Eccles b. s 1647, d. 2 Jan 1716/17
Children

Source Citations/Notes:

  1. [S282] Threlfall, "Thomas Brooks", 9, 10.
  2. [S1563] NEHGS eNews:, 9:38 (19 Sep 2007), "Name Origins" by Julie Helen Otto.
  3. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Gershom brooks/hanna Eccles m.
  4. [S221] Torrey, New England Marriages, 102: Gershom Brooks.
  5. [S1300] Palfrey, Hist. New England, 2:29: "Ward's laws of inheritance and of servitude borrowed principles from the Law of Moses. The oldest son of a parent dying intestate was to have 'a double portion of his whole estate, real and personal, unless the General Court, upon just cause alleged, should judge otherwise.'"
  6. [S1405] Threlfall, Ancestors, 512, Thomas Brooks.
  7. [S182] Shattuck, Hist. Concord, 45.
  8. [S222] Paige, "Massachusetts Freemen", 28, Gershom Brooks, Conc.
  9. [S572] William Gray Brooks, 55.
  10. [S282] Threlfall, "Thomas Brooks", 10: "died in 1686."
  11. [S572] William Gray Brooks, 28, citing probate Articles of Agreement of 30 Jun 1701.
  12. [S572] William Gray Brooks, 28, 56.
  13. [S185] Concord BMD, 89, Hanah Brooks d.
  14. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Mary Brooks b.
  15. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Hannah Brooks b.
  16. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Joseph Brooks b.
  17. [S185] Concord BMD, 17, Tabitha Brooks b.
  18. [S185] Concord BMD, 22, Daniel Brooks b.
  19. [S185] Concord BMD, 24, Elizab. Brooks b.
  20. [S282] Threlfall, "Thomas Brooks", 13.

Hannah/2 Eccles

F, #1948, (say 1647 - 2 January 1716/17)
Hannah/2 Eccles|b. say 1647\nd. 2 Jan 1716/17|p195.htm#i1948|Richard/1 Eccles||p347.htm#i3463|Mary (–?–)|d. 23 Aug 1675||||||||||||||
Father*Richard/1 Eccles1
Mother*Mary (–?–)1 d. 23 Aug 1675
Appears on charts:Descendants of Capt. Thomas/1a Brooks
Descendants of Gershom/2a Brooks
Last Edited31 Jul 2009
       Hannah/2 Eccles was probably born at Cambridge, MA, where her undated baptismal record is found.2 She married, 12 Mar 1665/66 at Concord, Gershom/2a Brooks of Concord, son of Capt. Thomas/1a Brooks and Grace/1 Cunliffe, with whom she had 7 children.3,4 He died at Concord in 1686.5,6
     30 Jun 1701, articles of agreement were signed to divide the property of Hannah, widow of Gershom late of Concord, between her children Daniel, Tabitha, Elizabeth, and Joseph, represented by his guardian and cousin Joseph Brooks, and son-in-law Edward Bridge of Roxbury, on behalf of his wife Mary. Eldest son Joseph had for his part all the lands owned by his father in the town of Medford. All named were signatories to the agreement.7 Wid. Hannah Brooks died at Concord 2 Jan 1716/17.8

Family

Gershom/2a Brooks b. c 1634, d. 1686
Children

Source Citations/Notes:

  1. [S282] Threlfall, "Thomas Brooks", 10: "daughter of Richard and Mary (____) Eckles of Cambridge."
  2. [S308] Cambridge VR, 1:224, Hannah Eckles bp., n.d.
  3. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Gershom brooks/hanna Eccles m.
  4. [S221] Torrey, New England Marriages, 102: Gershom Brooks.
  5. [S282] Threlfall, "Thomas Brooks", 10: "died in 1686."
  6. [S572] William Gray Brooks, 28, citing probate Articles of Agreement of 30 Jun 1701.
  7. [S572] William Gray Brooks, 28, 56.
  8. [S185] Concord BMD, 89, Hanah Brooks d.
  9. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Mary Brooks b.
  10. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Hannah Brooks b.
  11. [S185] Concord BMD, 15, Joseph Brooks b.
  12. [S185] Concord BMD, 17, Tabitha Brooks b.
  13. [S185] Concord BMD, 22, Daniel Brooks b.
  14. [S185] Concord BMD, 24, Elizab. Brooks b.
  15. [S282] Threlfall, "Thomas Brooks", 13.
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