Person Page - 225

       Mary/2a Brooks, probably the eldest surviving child (Bond, Threlfall), was born in England, perhaps circa 1623. (A Mrs. Mary Wheeler was aged 64 in 1687 per deposition in Middlesex, CT.).² Of Concord, MA, she married, as his 3d wife (though no record survives), circa 1655 (Torrey), Capt. Timothy/1 Wheeler of Concord, son of Thomas/a Wheeler and Rebecca (–?–), with whom she had 3 daughters.^3,2 Her husband shared in the partition of her father's estate, 1667.^4,2 She was named in her husband's will, 1 Mar 1686/87, and left lands at Charlestown and at Town End upon his death, 30 Jul 1687.^5,6
     The will of Mary Wheeler, "stricken in years," dated 20 Apr 1691 and proved 30 Oct 1693, signed by mark, leaves son (in law) Ebenezer Prout 5s. To his son Ebenezer my grand child that now liveth with me and shall so live till he is 21 or my decease, one silver cupp marked E.W. and a feather bed with its furniture being my best bed and furniture and £5. To my three grandsons, sons of my son Prout, each of them two pair of sheets. To son (in law) Minot 5s. and £10 he borrowed of me to purchase a piece of land with, and to his wife Rebecca my daughter one silver cupp without letters, a standing cupp and a bible with silver clasps. To the eldest son born of my daughter Rebecca if God shall give her one, all the lands in Charlestown, about 8 acres and 15 acres of marsh belonging to it with 8 cow commons; if she has no son, then to my three granddaughters now born of my daughter Rebecca, Rebecca, Lidia, and Mary, all my house and land at the east end of the town. To Mary Ball my kinswoman (niece) that formerly lived with me a good cow. To nephews Ebenezer and Samuel, sons of my brother Caleb Brooks, 20s. each. My said brother Caleb Brooks to be sole executor and give him £5; Mr. Humphrey Barratt of Concord and Mr. Steven Willis of Medford to be overseers and to each of them 10 shillings in money. Witnesses were William Johnson, Stephen Willis and John Willis.^6,2
     Mary died at Concord 4 Oct 1693.⁷

       John/3w Brooks was born 16 Oct 1662 at Woburn, MA.¹ He married (1), circa 1683? [Torrey: "doubtful"] at Swansea?, MA, Martha/3 Cole of Swansea, daughter of Hugh/2 Cole and Mary/2 Foxwell, with whom he had no children.^2,3 7 Jan 1705/6, John Brooks presented an account of the estate of his sister-in-law Mercy Cole of Rehoboth, which mentions disbursements to both Jonathan Kingsley and John Brooks "for diet."⁴ Mentioned in his father's will, 12 Mar 1708/9.^5,6 He married (2), 16 Aug 1711 at Newport, RI, Tabitha Wright of Oyster Bay, Long Island.^7,3 He died at Swansea 22 Nov 1714 at age 52.^8,9 10 Mar 1712, John Brooks of Swanzey, as attorney for Timothy and Hannah Brooks, receipted to Thomas Bowen, executor, for 8 pounds 10 shillings, '& one bed & beding in full of a Legacie..unto sd Hannah Brooks.¹⁰'
     John removed with (or preceded?) his father to Swansea, where he remained when his parents moved on to West Jersey sometime after 1690.¹¹ Thomas Bowen of Swansea, executor of the estate of Obadiah/2 Bowen of Swansea, reports, 12 May 1712, a legacy to John Brooks for (brother) Timothy Brooks (of West Jersey) and Hannah his wife.¹²
     The will of John Brooks of Swansea, yeoman, "Very sick & weak," dated 9 Apr 1713 and proved 20 Dec 1714, mentions wife Tabitha; sisters Elizabeth Lewis, Hepsabeth Mason, Rebecca Martin, Abigail Press ("Liveing in West Jersey") and Anna Right; elder brother Timothy Brooks ("liveing at said West Jersey"), brother Josiah Brooks of W.J; cousin Mary Salisbury, daughter of my sister Mary Salisbury dcd; cousin Samuel Salisbury, brother of my said Mary Salisbury; cousin James Lewis, son of my sister Elizabeth Lewis of S; cousin Job Mason, son of my sister Hipzabath Mason of S; cousin Mary Lewis, daughter of my sister Lewis; brother-in-law Palatiah Mason of S; brother-in-law Melatiah Martin of Rehoboth; Christian Kingsley, wife of Nathaniel Kingsley of S; Mary Cole & Lidia Cole, daughters of Hugh Cole of S; and Mary Brown, daughter of Lt. John Brown of S. and granddaughter of Capt. James Cole, "My first wifes relations that is to say the Coles." Witnesses: William Wood, Samuel Gardner and Joseph Mason.^13,3 His wife Tabitha died at Swansea 19 Nov 1714, three days before him.¹⁴
     The inventory of John Brooks, dated 7 Dec 1714, was presented by executors Thomas Lewis & Pelatiah Mason, his brothers-in-law. Appraisers: Joseph Mason, William Wood and William Anthony.⁸
     "The John Brooks listed by Bond as an eldest son [of Joshua] was an error," says Threlfall. "He was son of Timothy, Henry, and d. at Sudbury 4 Aug. 1713.". I believe Threlfall is correct in refuting Bond's placement of John Brooks as a son of Joshua, but the identity of the man who died at Sudbury remains a mystery. Whatever his ancestry, he evidently had no children.¹⁵

       Mary/2 Cooper was born 11 Sep 1645 at Cambridge, MA.¹ Probably there she married, 21 Oct 1663 (also rec. Concord), John/2 Merriam of Concord, son of Joseph/1 Merriam and Sarah/1 Goldstone.^2,3 He died at Concord 2 Feb 1723/24.⁴ There she died his widow 5 Mar 1731 at age 85.⁵

       Dea. John/1 Cooper, of Dedham, Essex, England, emigrated to New England.² He married, probably at Cambridge, MA (where an extant church record of the event is undated), Anna/2 Sparhawk, daughter of Dea. Nathaniel/1 Sparhawk and Mary (–?–).^2,3 His children, beginning in 1643, were born at Cambridge.⁴ There he died 22 Aug 1691 (g.s.).⁵ Buried in Harvard Square Cemetery.⁵

       Sarah/1 Goldstone married (1), circa 1622 at Tudeley, Kent, Joseph/1 Merriam, son of William/a Merriam and Sarah Burgess, with whom she had 6 children in England and one at Concord, MA.¹ Sister Sara, wife of Joseph Merryam of Tewdly, clothier, was bequeathed 10 shillings in the will of her brother Robert Goldston, 10 Apr 1637.¹
     She emigrated with her husband and his two brothers to New England, Jul 1638, and settled at Concord, MA.^1,2 Joseph Merriam died there 1 Jan 1640/41.³ His will, dated 29 Dec 1640, speaks of sons and daughters and leaves the care of all to wife Sarah. In an unusual provision, he stipulates that should his widow remarry, she shall nevertheless have the widow's third of his estate.^1,2 Sarah did marry again, probably in the latter half of 1642, as his 2d wife, to Lt. Joseph/1 Wheeler, son of Thomas/a Wheeler and Rebecca (–?–), with whom she had two daughters.^4,5 She died at Concord 12 Mar 1670/71.⁵

       An unnamed child was born 5 Jun 1693 at Concord, MA, and there died 4 days later.¹

       Lydia/4 Barker was born 18 Jun 1711 at Concord, MA.¹ Probably there she married, Jan 1728, Dea. John/4a Brooks of Concord, son of Ens. Daniel/3a Brooks and Anna/3 Merriam.^2,3 They had 10 children, two of them doctors. They lived in that part of Concord which became Acton, where John Brooks died 6 Mar 1777.⁴ There she died his widow 30 [3, g.s.] Jun 1802 at age 91.^5,6 They are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.^7,8
     Lydia's sister Dorothy died 9 days after her, and the Columbian Centinel, in its death notice for both, noted, Sisters. Through a long life, they were lovely and pleafant to each other, to their numerous defcendants and friends, and in their death, they were not divided.^5,9