Person Page - 455

       Isaac/2w Brooks, although the record of his birth (probably at Concord, MA) is not found, is named as son of Henry Brooks in the latter's will. According to Cutter, "Isaac was aged 27 in 1670, per Middlesex County files." Previously, in Jun 1668, he gave his age in court as 26. "It is supposed from this that he was born about 1643.". Isaac Brooks was 40 in 1683, per Essex County files.^2,3 He married, 10 Jan 1665/66 at Woburn, Miriam/1? Daniels, perhaps sister of John/1 Daniels of New London, CT.^4,5 Isaac's father Henry may have given Isaac part of his Concord estate, as Concord's 1666 tax list records Isaac's cousin Joshua/2a Brooks living at "Isaac Brooks's place." After his marriage, however, Isaac settled at Woburn.⁶
     In 1668 Isaac Broockes, his brother John and his father Henry, each of Woburn, signed a petition in support of Thomas Dutton, who had sued Michael Bacon Jr. for calling him a thief.^7,8 Isaac stood surety, 29 Aug 1668, for Ephraim/3 Buck, future husband of his niece Sarah, in the matter of Edmund Augier's horse.⁹ He was one of the two persons present when Samuel Converse Jr. was killed by the water-wheel of Converse's father's mill in Woburn (now Winchester), 20 Feb 1669-70.^10,11 Admitted a freeman of Woburn 15 May 1672.¹²
     He served several enlistments as a cavalryman in King Philip's War (1675–76), appearing in records of that conflict under Lt. William Hasey, 5 Oct 1675; in Capt. Prentice's troop, 29 Feb 1676; and again under Lt. Hasey, 24 Jul 1676.¹³ A month later Isaac Brookes of "Wooborn-Towne" is named on a muster roll.¹⁴ Following the war, he was appointed quartermaster of the "Three County Troop," 1 Jun 1677, and is so named in Woburn tax lists of 1684 and 1685.¹¹
     Isaac seems to have been his father's favorite. Though the youngest living son, his father's will of 18 Jul 1682 made him sole executor and residuary legatee, and bequeathed Isaac's children several large parcels of land. His father also gave him all my land on the east side of the highway excepting eight acres, half my herbage and half my wood lots, and also I give him all my plowland lots except my great lot.^15,1 Isaac died at Woburn 8 Sep 1686.¹⁶ His widow was named in a 1688 Woburn tax list.¹¹

       Bathsheba/2p Brooks was baptised 8 Apr 1655 at the Second Church, Scituate, MA.^1,3 She married, 23 Dec 1673 at Taunton, James/2 Walker Jr., son of James/1 Walker and Elizabeth Phillips.^4,3 The will of her father Gilbert Brooks, 6 Jun 1695, left "my nine daughters an equal share of my estate after my decease."^3,5 In the executors' account of 15 Jul following, Bathsheba Walker has been paid her legacy of £7-18-9.^3,5 Her husband died 22 Jun 1718.^6,7 She died at Taunton 24 Feb 1738/39 at age 83.⁸

       Sarah/2w Brooks was a daughter of Henry/1w Brooks, though her birth is not of record.¹ She married, 13 May 1650 at Woburn, MA, John/2 Mousall, son of Dea. John/1 Mousall and Joanna ?Thompson.² Named in the will of her father-in-law, Dea. John Mousall Sr., 1660.³
     Daughter Sarah and her husband John Mousall were named, 18 Jul 1682, in her father's will, which forgave a note of £50 for land and housing held jointly by John Mousall and Sarah's brother John Brooks, "and [Mousall's] wife my daughter Sarah may have the disposing of twenty pounds of the said fivety."^4,1 19 Feb 1694, John and Sarah Mousall signed their homestead and estate over to Joseph and Elizabeth Wright, Jr., to take effect upon their deaths. In part the transfer reads, for her respects and care of me and my wife for many years together, and now also in our age the said Joseph Wright and Elizabeth his wife, have engaged themselves to take care of me and my wife, during our natural lives, I do, in consideration of love and good will, convey the homestead and other property; Joseph Wright to have all after the decease of me and Sarah, my now married wife.⁵ John died at Woburn 2 Apr 1698.^6,7
     "Her will, dated Jun 15, 1702, probated Sept. 10, 1705, signed by her mark, appointed her 'loving cousin,' Joseph Wright, Jr., and his wife Elizabeth, executors, and Major James Converse and Lieut. Josiah Converse, overseers, and mentions a number of relatives, whose connection opens some interesting genealogical material…[Anna Brooks was] living with her Aunt Sarah Mousall, of Woburn, June 15, 1702, and named in her will."⁸
     Sarah died before 1706.⁵ No issue.

       Annis Jordan was the widow of Abraham Jaquith of Charlestown, MA.^2,1 She married (2), 12 Jul 1682 at Woburn, MA, as his 3d wife, Henry/1w Brooks, then about 90 years of age.^3,2
     Six days later, on the 18th of June, Henry Brooks, clothier, "stricken in years," made his will. To loving wife Annes he left an annuity of three pounds a year, "covenanted under my hand on day of marriag upon her renowncing any other Dowry," and the use of a cow during her lifetime.^4,5 He died at Woburn 12 Apr 1683.⁶

       John/2 Mousall Jr. married, 13 May 1650 at Woburn, MA, Sarah/2w Brooks, daughter of Henry/1w Brooks and (–?–) (–?–).² Admitted freeman 7 May 1651.³
     "The will of the senior John Mousall (19th of the 4th month, 1660) makes his two sons, John Mousall and John Brooks, joint executors; gives to his son Brooks's three children, and to his grandchild, Sarah Brooks, and to his grandchild, Eunice [Unis] Brooks; to his son, John Brooks (in whose house John Mousall, Sr.'s widow was to have a peaceable living); gives also to his grandchild, Joanna Brooks; and certain residue of his lands to his two sons [John Mousall, and son-in-law John Brooks].
     "John Mousall, Jr.'s wife being the sister of John Brooks, this relationship of the son is more clearly understood. It was the case of being doubly brothers-in-law; Brooks marrying the only sister of Mousall, and Mousall marrying a sister of Brooks. From this circumstance arose a partial (not total) combination of the property of Deacon John Mousall and Henry Brooks, of which more is said in an article by one of the present writers, in the Register, vol. xlvii., p. 462, et. seq.
     "In his will, Deacon John Mousall gives his great meadow [at Woburn Centre, in the vicinity of Prospect Street, a tract now covered with buildings], to his two sons equally, but in case the son, John Mousall died without children, then he (John Mousall, Jr.) could give his share to his wife, for use during her life, and after the decease of John Mousall, the said son, and his wife leaving no heir, the share was to return to the son [in-law] John Brooks's children.
     "John Mousall, Jr. did die without children, and some of his property returned to John Brooks's children, in accordance with the terms of the will.
     "In 1673, a house described in the town records as the 'Hopewell House' was owned in common by John Mousall, Jr. and John Brooks, being a part of their inheritance from their father, Deacon John Mousall."¹
     John Mousall and his wife Sarah were named, 18 Jul 1682, in his father-in-law's will, which forgave a note of £50 for land and housing held jointly by John Mousall and Sarah's brother John Brooks, "and [Mousall's] wife my daughter Sarah may have the disposing of twenty pounds of the said fivety."^4,5 John Mousall of Woburn witnessed a deed by his 1st cousin John Mousall ["Senior"] of Charlestown, 20 Jan 1686.⁶
     19 Feb 1694, John and Sarah Mousall signed their homestead and estate over to Joseph and Elizabeth Wright, Jr., to take effect upon their deaths. In part the transfer reads, for her respects and care of me and my wife for many years together, and now also in our age the said Joseph Wright and Elizabeth his wife, have engaged themselves to take care of me and my wife, during our natural lives, I do, in consideration of love and good will, convey the homestead and other property; Joseph Wright to have all after the decease of me and Sarah, my now married wife.⁷
     John Mousall died at Woburn 2 Apr 1698, without issue.^8,9

       Miriam/1? Daniels married, 10 Jan 1665/66 at Woburn, MA, Isaac/2w Brooks, son of Henry/1w Brooks and (–?–) (–?–).^1,2 He died at Woburn 8 Sep 1686.³ Woburn tax lists of 1688 name her as Isaac's widow.⁴
     She was perhaps the sister of John/1 Daniels of New London. John Daniels settled in the Niantic region of Connecticut (present-day Waterford), where Timothy/2w Brooks, Isaac's brother, had property, and where Henry/3w Brooks, Isaac's son, resided in 1699. Comfort/4w Brooks, Henry's son, married John's granddaughter, Hannah/3 Daniels.⁵

       Isaac/3w Brooks Jr. was born 13 Aug 1669 at Woburn, MA.¹ In the will of his grandfather Henry Brooks, dated 18 Jul 1682, Isaac and his brother Henry were jointly bequeathed "about 80 acres of upland on west side of the highway on both sides of the river," half of three small shares amounting to 15 acres in the town's common land, and half of 6 acres in Shred Pine Meadow "for the town privilege in herbage," provided they not alienate (sell) any of these parcels during their grandfather's lifetime. They shared with their sister Miriam a bequest of 8 acres in Forty Pound Meadow.^2,3 With his brother Henry and sister-in-law Mary, Isaac Brooks sold, 9 Dec 1696, a parcel of land in Reading.⁴ He married, by 1689, Anna/3 Trask of Salem, daughter of William/2 Trask and Ann Putnam.^5,6 He died before 25 May 1702, when his widow married (2) Timothy Wright of Charlestown.^7,8,6
     Isaac Brooks was a participant in the Quebec Expedition of 1690. In 1738, Jabez Brooks, of Woburn, claimed Isaac's share of land granted by the General Court to soldiers of the expedition, "in right of his kinsman, Isaac Brooks," attested by Joseph Reed.⁷