Person Page - 3511

       John/3f Brooks was born 8 Oct 1715 at Stratford, CT.¹ There he married, 5 Sep 1738, Ann Sherwood of Stratfield.² Mentioned in his father's will, 17 Dec 1745, of which he was executor with his brother David.^3,4 This brother David named his own executors as brother John and son David Jr., who petitioned the General Assembly of May-Jun 1769 for leave to sell real estate of the testator's in the amount of £407-9-7 to pay debts over and above the value of the moveable estate.⁵
     The name of John Brooks appears often in the pages of the Connecticut Journal in the years 1771–74. He was twice elected, 1771 and 3, Stratford deputy to the General Assembly. Justice of the peace for Fairfield County, 1771–76.^6,7 He is mentioned in 1772/3 as Stratford agent for tickets of the New Haven Lottery.⁸ He again appears, 1772–74, as bankruptcy trustee of the estates of Abijah Beach of Stratford, Gurdon Saltonstall of New London, and Ephraim Peet of Stratford.^9,10 25 Feb 1774, upon request of John Brook, Esq., Stiles Curtiss, Daniel Judson and Thomas Wooster, proprietors of a township granted by Gov. Wentworth of New Hampshire to be called Maedstone, a meeting is announced to determine the exact location of said town.¹¹ Stratford delegate to a 1774 meeting in Middletown to discuss claims to western lands. 28 Dec of that year, appointed a committee by town meeting to ensure Stratford's compliance with "the [Continental] association."¹² Jul 1776, the Connecticut General Assembly voted, on pressing application of selectman Brooks of Stratford, authorization for the town of Stratford to obtain 800 lbs. of gunpowder from the Doolittle powder mill at New Haven.¹³
     John Brooks died at Stratford 7 Mar 1777, aged 61-4-15.¹ Buried in Stratford Cemetery.¹⁴

       Benjamin/4f Brooks was born 2 Aug 1746 at Stratford, CT.¹ There he married (1), 15 Jan 1770, Elizabeth Lewis.² She died 9 Oct 1773.³ He married (2), by 1778, Rebecca (–?–).⁴ There he was recorded in the 1790 census, with a household of himself, three males under 16, and four females.⁵ He died at Bridgeport, CT, in 1810 [newspaper announcement dated 7 Nov 1810].⁶

       Abijah/4f Brooks was born 29 Apr 1752 at Stratford, CT.¹ There he married (1), 19 Dec 1778, Sarah Selena Wetmore of S., daughter of Rev. Izrahiah Wetmore and Phebe (–?–).² Their 1790 census household at Stratford included himself, two males under 16 and two females.³ His wife died at Stratford 11 Jun 1813.^4,5 There he married (2), 14 Dec 1819, Elizabeth Sherman.⁶ There she died 27 May 1826.^7,8 He died at Stratford 4 Apr 1829 at age 76.^9,10

       Anna/4f Brooks (rec. as "Ann") was born 28 Jul 1744 at Stratford, CT.¹ There she married, 8 Feb 1773, John Benjamin III of S., son of Capt. John Benjamin and Lucretia Backus.² Her niece Dorothy/5f Brooks married her husband's brother Aaron Benjamin. John Benjamin died 30 Oct 1817 at age 63.³ Wid. Anna Benjamin died at Milford, CT in 1825.⁴

       Isaac/4f Brooks was born 22 May 1750 at Stratford, CT.¹ His 1st wife was I___ (–?–).² Hist. Stratford says he "probably" married (2) Martha Curtiss, daughter of Joseph Curtiss.³ Recorded at Stratford in the 1790 census with a household of himself, two males under 16, and two females.⁴ He died 11 Jul 1797 (g.s.) at age 47.² Buried in Stratford's Episcopal cemetery.²

       John/4f Brooks Jr. was born 9 Oct 1739 at Stratford, CT.¹ There he married, 20 Oct 1762, Dorothy/5 Birdsey of Stratford, daughter of Rev. Nathan/4 Birdseye and Dorothy Hawley, with whom he had 9 children.² He died 22 Oct 1788 (g.s.) at age 49.^3,4 His widow married (2) Thomas Ivers, and died at Stratford in 1834.^3,5

       Joseph/4f Brooks was born 29 Sep 1748 at Stratford, CT.¹ He married Abigail (–?–).²

       Lemuel/4f Brooks was born 23 Mar 1741/42 at Stratford, CT.¹ He married, 19 Sep 1764 at Norwalk, CT, where they lived, Hannah Raymond, with whom he had 10 children.² Their 1790 census household at Norwalk included Lemuel and one other male over 16, three males under 16, and five females.³ Almost certainly a Revolutionary soldier, he died 9 Oct 1815 at age 73.⁴
     22 Nov 1837, widow Hannah Brooks of Norwalk, aged 92 the preceding day, made a declaration concerning Lemuel's Revolutionary War service to claim a pension. She stated that Lemuel Brooks, "a resident of Norwalk, Connecticut, at the commencement of the Revolution, was a seafaring man and while on a return voyage from the West Indies, was captured off Block Island, September 5, 1775, by the man-of-war 'Rose', conveyed to Halifax, after two months of imprisonment, made his escape and returned home. He took command of a privateer at New Haven, in which he made one cruise. During 1777 and 1778, he served as Assistant or Deputy Commissary under Commissary Daniel Gray, also during 1780 served as a private in Captain Uriah Raymond's company, and during 1781 as sergeant in Captain Eliakim Smith's Company on the alarm list, and was in service when Danbury, Fairfield and Norwalk were invaded."⁴
     Their son Lemuel (Jr.) filed his own declaration the same day, in support of his mother's claim, adding considerably more detail. "My younger Days was Imployed in Different Voyages on the Water frequently with my father Brooks," he states. "He was a Strong Advocate for the Liberty of America his Ocupation was uppon the Seas & was Captured Sept. 5^th AD 1775 on his Return Voyage from the weft Indies in sight of Block Island by a Tender belonging to the Rose Manawar Capt. Wallace & Caryed into Rhode Island from thence was ordered to follow s^d fleet to Bofton but sufspicion of his Intending to Make his Efcape from the fleet he was taken out of his Vefsel put on board a Manawar held a prifner when he made his Efcape arriving home Late in November he soon after obtained a Comifsion Under the United States Government[.]
     The son states his father then took command of a privateer fitted out at New Haven, making one cruise, from which he was chased back into port by the British. Finding that most of his crew had left him, he alfo gave her up to his Owners[.] he Returned home was Imployd in carrying Troops from Norwalk to New York until after the place was surrendered to the British Early in the year Seventeen Hundred & Seventy Seven[.] he Served as Deputy Comifary Under Daniel Gray as forwarding Comifary of provifions to the Troops on the Lines. I believe about Two Years some time in the year of AD 1779 there was an order from government that all able Bodied Men Exempt from the Militia should be Imbodied into Companys & [acquit] themselves to Stand Ready to March at Notice which was Cald Naryholders or alarm lift, Eliakim Smith was apointed Captain of the Company[.] my father Lemuel Brooks was Chofen and served as Sarjant & as such led the Company to [Hannage?] in Connecticut at the time the British made a Sally on that place he was in service when danbury, fairfield & Norwalk was invaded was once drafted to Go to Hartford to Join a Ridgement I think was Commanded by Col [Norry] while General Waterbury was Comadant at [Noyfe?] Neck which was in the year AD 1780 & then Continued in the Station of Sarjant until the year of AD 1781[.]
     Among the attestations to Lemuel's declaration is a brief note, to which the continuing page is missing: "I further certify that on this 23^d day of November AD 1837 by actual & personal examination of books in the hands of executor of Lemuel Brooks I found a charge against William [Sizemore] Commandant of Artillery in …."⁵
     The claim, however, was not allowed, "as she failed to furnish sufficient proof of six months actual military service, as required by the pension laws."⁶
     Lemuel's widow Hannah died 11 Nov 1841 at age 95.⁶ Jul 1853, Ann Miller of New Haven, aged 77, as daughter and heir-at-law to Hannah Brooks, widow of Lemuel, gave power of attorney to Wilson H. Clark of New Haven "to investigate, substantiate, demand and receive" any Revolutionary pension benefits due her mother.⁷

       David/3f Brooks was born 26 Oct 1719 at Stratford, CT.² There he married, 23 Dec 1744, Mrs. Anne Deane, a widow of New York. Mentioned in his father's will, 17 Dec 1745, of which he was executor with his brother John.^3,4 He died 11 Jun 1766 (g.s.) at age 46.⁵ His wife died 6 Oct 1766.⁶ They are buried in Stratford's Episcopal Cemetery.⁷
     His brother John and his son David, executors of his will, petitioned the General Assembly of May-Jun 1769 for leave to sell real estate of the testator's in the amount of £407-9-7 to pay debts over and above the value of the moveable estate.⁸