Person Page - 2665

       Thomas/3h Brooks III was born 30 Sep 1697 at Haddam, CT.¹ There he married, 28 Nov 1717, Mary ?Smith of Haddam, probably daughter of Benjamin Smith and Elizabeth Wells.² The will of his father Thomas, 24 Feb 1728/29, says, "As touching my eldest son Thomas, I have already by deed of gift settled his inheritance upon him, reserving £9 to be paid by him to me on my order." Thomas and his mother Susanna were executors.³ Haddam deputy to the General Assembly, 14 Oct 1742 and 12-27 May 1743.⁴ Named as a debtor in a committee report to the Assembly, May 1751, concerning Capt. John Dwight of Killingly, whose notes and bills of credit had burned in a house fire.⁵ Reportedly died at Haddam 13 Apr 1781 at age 83.⁶

       Joseph/1 Arnold, of Haddam, CT married, by 1663, Elizabeth/2 Wakeman, daughter of Samuel/1 Wakeman and Elizabeth (–?–).¹ With George Gates he returned, 7 Aug 1682, the inventory of John/2 Spencer of Haddam.² He died at Haddam 22 Oct 1691.¹
     His inventory, returned 2 Mar 1691/92 by Daniel Braynard and Timothy Spencer, was valued at £151-10-0.¹ 21 Jul 1692, administration was granted to the widow with sons Joseph and Josiah.¹ 30 Mar 1693, an agreement by the Children to settle their Father's Estate: John, Joseph & Jonathan to receive £11 each. Samuel has his portion by a Deed of Gift of Land from his Father at Machamoodus. Josiah to have £188 out of this, to pay £10 apiece to his two sisters and to pay all the debts. There being no provision for the wife, although she be married this Court confirmes the Agreement with the caution that if the woman see Cause she shall have her thirds of the profits during life, the agreement to the Contrary notwithstanding.¹
     The same day the division agreement was signed, his widow married Daniel/1 Brainerd of Haddam, one of the appraisers of the estate a year previous.³

       Capt. Abraham/3h Brooks was born 12 Mar 1702/3 at Haddam, CT.¹ The boundaries of his existing land, contiguous to his father's at Haddam, are cited in the will of his father Thomas Brooks, 24 Feb 1728/29. Abraham is directed to pay each of his five sisters, two of whom were deceased by the time of probate, £9 each.² He married (1), 5 Nov 1729 at Haddam, Martha Porter, daughter of William Porter and Sarah/3 Church.³ Appointed, 8 Oct 1741, ensign of the 11th company, 7th colony regiment.⁴ Lieutenant of the same company, 8 May 1746, and captain Oct 1747.⁵ Administrator of the estate of Ebenezer Walkley of Haddam, 1752.⁶
     Haddam deputy to the General Assemblies of Oct 1756, Jan 1757, Feb 1757, Oct-Nov 1757, Mar 1758.⁷ Administrator of the estate of Ezekiel Bayley of Haddam, 1757.⁸ One of three members of the First Society, Haddam, who asked the General Assembly, Oct 1765, to choose the location of a new meeting-house.⁹ He married (2), 14 Nov 1771 (Haddam c.r.), Mrs. Eleanor Smith.¹⁰ His livestock earmark, recorded at Haddam 11 May 1731, was later given to Gideon Arnold.¹¹
     Solomon Walkley of Haddam deposed in 1838 that, at the wedding of James Brooks and Lydia King at Haddam in 1782, grandfather Abraham Brooks "was present and after the ceremony was performed stepped up & kissed the bride and said he had now kissed the wife of a grandson, which caused some laughter."^12,13
     Abraham Brooks is said to have died about 1784.¹⁴

       Jabez/3h Brooks [Jacob, birth record] was born 11 Jun 1714 at Haddam, CT.¹ The will of his father, dated 24 Feb 1728/29, left his mother "the use of my dwelling house, barn and shop, and all that part of land hereinafter given to my son Jabez for his portion, for and until he shall attain to the age of 21 years if he live so long, or till she shall be married again, which shall happen first," with "the use of one end of my dwelling house (which she shall choose), viz, two rooms," reserved for Susanna "so long as she shall continue my widow." Futhermore, "I give to my son Jabez, and to his heirs and assigns forever, all my land lying southwestward on his brother Abraham's land, butting thereon northwesterly, butting northeast partly on the Great River and partly on land of Capt. James Welles, and butting on land of Capt. Caleb Cone southeast, he to pay to his only sister Eunice £10 in money at the age of 18 years."²
     Jabez Brooks married Eunice (–?–).³ The Haddam Brooks Genealogy says, "Jabez Brooks settled in Haddam Neck about 17[4]2 near the Abiah Brooks place and did not leave as he had but one son named Daniel."⁴
     Says Selden, "Jabez Brooks, or his supposed father, Thomas, built a little southwest of the house of the late Abial J. Brooks. He was an eccentric man, of whose ready wit anecdotes are told, and the first justice of the peace on [Haddam Neck]. It is related of him that a customer employed him to draw a deed, which he prefaced with 'Know one woman' etc., and on an objection being made, he replied, 'It is all right. If one woman knows it, all men will!⁵'"

       Capt. Joseph/3h Brooks was born in 1716, and died in 1796.^1,2 The will of his father, Thomas Brooks, 24 Feb 1728/29, gives him "all my lands and rights of land, divided and undivided, within the bounds of Haddam, be the same more or less, which is not by me already disposed of, except the sixth division lott laid out upon my list which lyes near Flag Swamp."¹ Joseph's wife was Rebecca (–?–).² Appointed lieutenant of the 11th company or trainband, 7th colony regiment, by the General Assembly of May-Jun 1757.³ Captain of the same unit, 10 Oct 1765.⁴ Haddam deputy to the General Assembly, 1770–71, 1773–76.⁵ Joseph Brooks Esq^r was recorded in the 1790 census at Haddam with five males over 16 and five females in his household.⁶

       Mary/3h Brooks is mentioned in the will of Thomas Brooks, 24 Feb 1728/29, which gives my daughter Mary, over and above what I have already given and done for her, 20 shillings of money.¹