Person Page - 2345

       Lt. Thomas/2c Brooks was born 27 Mar 1679 at New Haven, CT.^2,1 There he married, 25 Mar 1702, Martha Hotchkiss, daughter of Joshua Hotchkiss and Mary Pardee, with whom he had 11 children, each of whom lived to marry.^2,3
     23 Apr 1705, William and Mary Tyler sold him "102 akers" of Second Division land, in the West Farms section of Wallingford (now Cheshire), CT, "called the Lothrop farm," lying one mile from the New Haven Mill river, and 8 acres adjoining laid out on the east side of this farm. Att an ajurned town meeting the ninth January, 1706-07, the town admeated Thomas Broox an inhabetant upon thatt land he purchest.⁴
     In 1718 Thomas Brooks, with Stephen Hotchkiss and Matthew Bellamy, on behalf of the residents of West Farms, unsuccessfuly petitioned the assembly to be "constituted a distinct society." In 1723 the appeal was renewed, and the General Assembly persuaded to allow the formation of a new parish, which, at the urging of Thomas Brooks, was named Cheshire, in honor of his father Henry's birthplace.⁵ Thomas Brooks, Nathaniel Bunnell and John Hitchcock were appointed "a Comtee to manage y^e affairs of the society for the year insuing." Oct. 10, 1723, Thomas Brooks and others petitioned to erect their own meetinghouse. In the meantime, a Congregational church was gathered, consisting of 11 men and 15 women, which met at the homes of Thomas Brooks and John Hotchkiss. Thomas Brooks was a member of the committee which arranged to settle Mr. Hall as their first minister, 4 Dec 1723.⁶
     Appointed ensign of the Cheshire train-band by the General Court, 13 May 1725, and lieutenant in Oct 1731.⁷ He died at New Cheshire (later Cheshire) of smallpox 20 Jul 1732 (c.r.) at age 53.^2,8 Buried in Hillside Cemetery, Cheshire.⁹

       Sarah/2c Brooks was born 9 Apr 1661 at New Haven, CT.^2,1 There she married (1), 29 Aug 1687, Benjamin/2 Robbins, son of John/1 Robbins and Mary (–?–).² There she married (2), 10 Dec 1691, Nathaniel Thorpe.²

       Benjamin/2 Robbins was born 24 Oct 1660 at Branford, CT.¹ He married, as her 1st husband, 29 Aug 1687 at New Haven, CT, Sarah/2c Brooks, daughter of John/1c Brooks and Mary Griggs.² He died by 1691, when she remarried.²

       Martha Hotchkiss was born 14 Dec 1683 at New Haven, CT.¹ There she married, 25 Mar 1702, Lt. Thomas/2c Brooks, son of Henry/1c Brooks and Hannah Potter, with whom she had 11 children, each of whom lived to marry.^1,2 He died of smallpox 20 Jul 1732.^1,3
     23 Jan 1755, Martha Brooks quit claimed unto her children her dower rights in buildings and lands that came from her husband deceased, being the place he last dwelt in Wallingford, CT (New Cheshire Parish). She names children Stephen of Farmington; Thomas, Enos, Cornelius, Henry, Nathan Gailord and Thankful [Brooks] his wife of Wallingford; Samuel Coles and Martha [Brooks] his wife of Torrington; Benjamin Brooks, Edward Gailord and Mahittable [Brooks] his wife of Farmington; and mentions daughter Mary Benham deceased, wife of Joseph of Farmington.⁴

       Stephen/3c Brooks was born 28 May 1703 at Wallingford, CT.² There he married, 6 May 1725, Hannah Barnes, daughter of Thomas Barnes and Abigail Frost.^2,3 Baptised as an adult 25 Jun 1725 at the Congregational church, Cheshire.² Son Stephen of Farmington is mentioned in a deed of his mother, 23 Jan 1755.⁴ He died at Bristol 16 May 1773 at age 69.² Buried in Green Hills ("the old Episcopal") Cemetery, Bristol, where his tomb is inscribed: Here Lieth Interr'd | the Body of Mr | Stephen BROOKS | Who Departed this | Life May ye 16th AD | 1773 in the 71st year | of his Age | Behold & see as you Pass by | As you are now so once was I | As I are now so you must be | Prepare For death & follow me.⁵

       Mary/3c Brooks was born 14 May 1704 at Wallingford, CT.^2,1 Baptised as an adult with 9 siblings, 30 May 1725 at the Congregational Church, Cheshire.^2,3 She married (1), as his 2d wife, 17 Feb 1726 at Wallingford, Ens. Nathaniel Bunnell, son of Benjamin Bunnell.^2,4 He died at Wallingford in May-June 1732.⁵ There she married (2), 3 Aug 1735, Joseph Benham.² She died at Farmington, CT, 11 Jan 1743/44, at age 39.² A deed of her mother's, 23 Jan 1755, mentions "the heirs of my daughter Mary Benham deceased who was the wife of Joseph Benham of Farmington."⁶

       Thomas/3c Brooks Jr. was born 14 Feb 1706 at Wallingford, CT.^2,1 Baptised with 9 siblings, 30 May 1725 at the Congregational Church, Cheshire.^2,3 He married (1), 6 Jul 1727 at Wallingford, Desire Bristol, daughter of Henry Bristol and Desire Smith.^2,4 She died at Wallingford 13 Nov 1748.^2,5 There he married (2), 20 Mar 1748/49, Elizabeth (–?–), wid. of Daniel Bristol.^2,6 Son Thomas of Wallingford is mentioned in his mother's deed of 23 Jan 1755.⁷ Ensign of the south company, Cheshire, May 1760, under his brothers Enos (captain) and Cornelius (lieutenant), or was this his son Thomas, a. 26 at the time?⁸ He died 1 Nov 1773 (c.r.) at age 67.²

       Capt. Enos/3c Brooks was born 15 Feb 1708 at Wallingford, CT.^2,1 Baptised with 9 siblings 30 May 1725 at the Congregational church, Cheshire.^2,3 He married, 3 Jul 1734 at Wallingford, Tamar Wooster of Derby, daughter of David Wooster and Mary Lobdell.^2,4 Ensign, south company, parish of New Cheshire, town of Wallingford, May 1751.⁵ Captain of the same, May 1760, his brothers Cornelius and Thomas serving as lieutenant and ensign in the same company.⁶ Son Enos of Wallingford is mentioned in his mother's deed of 23 Jan 1755.⁷ Wallingford deputy to the General Assembly, 1754–5, 1756, 1758-60, and 1764.⁸
     Enos Brooks attended the General Assembly of 21 Jan 1756, where war plans against the French were presented by the Governor after the body had been sworn to secrecy. While approving the proposed offensive operations, the delegates protested that "the expence of this Colony was so great in the last year's operations, and necessarily drawn out beyond the abilities of the Colony, that the inhabitants are loaded with large taxes laid on the next four years as sinking funds for bills of credit emitted for carrying on those services, and that an emission of a larger quantity of such bills may lessen their value and injure the possessors, it is therefore hoped that the pay of the troops, supply of arms, ammunition and carriages, may be undertaken at the expence of the crown, and for that end it is thought expedient that his Excellency General Shirley be applied to and solicited on this subject."⁹
     He died at Wallingford 27 Sep 1771 at age 63.^2,10 Tamar died 7 Oct 1775.¹¹ They are buried in Hillside Cemetery, Cheshire, CT.^2,12
     The house he built in 1733, now considerably enlarged and located in the Brooksvale section of modern Cheshire, has been continuously occupied by descendants to the present.¹³