John Browne1,2,3,4

M, b. 1585, d. 10 April 1662
Ancient Little Neck Cemetery [Courtesy of Find a Grave]
     John was born in 1585 in England. It is not certain where John was born or where he was raised; from the respect he was shown and from various records, it would seem that he was a man of more than an ordinary education and from a background of some amount of wealth and stature in English society. John married Dorothy (?) before 1610 in England. He and Dorothy were blessed with chldren & posssibly others. He is known to have spent time in Holland and the Low Countries of Europe and while traveling there, made acquaintance with Rev. Robinson, the beloved Pilgrim pastor, and many of the Reverend's friends and fellow Pilgrims. These travels were around the years 1616 and beyond, in the years just prior to the first immigration of the Pilgrims to New England. The first records of John in the New World are involving land transactions in what is now the state of Maine. In 1625, he received a deed from the Indians, the first for an Englishman, for land that is now in the area of Bristol Maine. The following year, he was involved in a transaction with Edward Winslow where he is described as a Bristol (England) merchant. In March of 1627, the New England council approved a patent which was then obtained as a royal charter 4 March 1628; John was one of several patentees who were to become well known public figures in the colonies. It then is apparent that John was in New England at least by 1625, and from the descriptions, as a merchant and possibly as an investor in land. There is a record showing that a John Brown, owner and master of the ship, “Speedwell”, arrived in Bristol, England from Morocco in the year 1629. This could very well be the same John Brown that was in Maine in earlier years and came back to America directly after arriving in Bristol, England, as he was noted as the owner of the “Speedwell” in later years. Having already formed a relationship with some of the influential members of the Pilgrim congregation, when he returned to New England in 1629, this time intending to settle and probably engaging in business here, he was soon appointed to a position of substantial responsibility in line with the respect and high regard they had for him. Throughout the remainder of his life in New England, John was elected or appointed to offices nearly on a yearly basis. As well as holding positions of influence, John was also involved in establishing new settlements throughout his life. In 1637, he and Myles Standish laid out the settlement of Cohannet which would eventually be incorporated as the town of Taunton. He moved there by 1639 and became a proprietor of the town along with Standish and others. In 1641, again with Standish, he laid out Barnstable and Yarmouth and still later partnered with John Winthrop Jr. in Stonington, Connecticut. Also in 1641, he and Edward Winslow purchased what was to be Rehoboth which at that time included what would become several other communities. Eventually, he was part of the establishment of Swansea, where he lived in his retirement. In conducting his affairs and those of the colony, John had at many times, contact with the chiefs and leaders of the various Indian tribes, and had actually been befriended by them, they recognizing his honesty and trustworthiness. This friendship would one day save the life of his son. In 1655, John returned to England to administer the estate of Henry Vane and while there stayed at the home of the widow. While there he met Cotton Mather, who remarked on this meeting in one of his papers. John's son also made a trip to England during his stay there. John made his will on 7 April 1662 at Swansea Township, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Know all men to whom this shall Come and that I John Browne of Rehoboth in the Jurisdiction of Plymouth being weake in body but my understanding feirme and stable as in any part of my life heretofore Doe appoint this for my last Will and Testament as followeth first I doe give unto Mary my daughter the wife of Thomas Willett the sume of twelve pence to be payed att the end of every yeare During her life for a memorial unto her; and it shalbee in full of all filliall protion which shee or any in her behalfe shall Claime; I Doe give unto my grandchild Martha Saffin the wife of John Saffin twenty pounds; I do give unto John Browne my grandchild the house that his father Died in with six acres of land adjoining to it; to make an orchyard and other Conveniences; and I Doe give fim halfe the lott that Thomas Willett bought of Experience Michell for mee; and I Doe give him seaven hundred acres of land lying in the Narragansett Countrey three hundred and fifty of it lyeth in the great neck; and the other three hundred fifty is to bee Chosen where they shall think fit; and I Doe give unto my grandchild Joseph Browne and Nathaniel each of them five hundred acres of land lying in the Narragansett Countrey; and their unkell James to Dispose of it for them to raise them portions for all the rest of the lands and whole estate not yet Disposed of I Doe give unto my wife and my son James Browne whom I Doe make Joynt exequirtors of this my last Will and Testament; my full Intent is that my exequitors shall have the ordering of the Children as full as my selfe
Signed Sealed and Delivered
In the presence of us John Browne
John Allin And a (seale)
Richard Bullocke
Sampson Mason

Wee Testify that mr Browne in his full understanding Did add those two lines Concerning the Children with his own hand;
Roger Williams John Allin

The following order to bee endorsed on the Will of mr John Browne senior:
Least any things mencioned in this will in reference to mistris Mary Willett the wife of Capt: Thomas Wilett might bee by any mis Construed to the prejudice of of the said mistris Willett; wee thinke it meet to Declare that out of the longe experience of her Dutefull and tender respect to her said father form time to time expressed there hath never appeered to us the least ground of any such thinge to this present.5,6

John departed this life on Monday, 10 April 1662 in Swansea Township, Bristol County, Massachusetts. This was just tow weeks after the death of his son, John, who had left him responsible for his childreen. Stephen Paine, Thomas Cooper & Peter Hunt valued his estate as £655, 1 shilling, 2 pence.7,8 His will was probated on 3 October 1662.

Additional Notes: Researchers have John having immigrating at various times. One date that is widely documented is a John Brown who came on the Lyon in 1632. At least one source has his family listed as coming with him. It has been disputed as to whether the family was actually listed in the original ship list. There is a John Browne noted in Leyden who was a worker in cloth. Two tax lists of Plymouth between 1633 and 1635 show a John Brown, a poor man, as his tax was the lowest on the list. There is also a record of a John Browne in Plymouth who was a weaver. It is likely that these are all the same John Browne and not our John Brown, father-in-law of Thomas Willett. It is apparent that our John Browne was a man of means, a man who in all likelyhood had made several trips to New England with his own ship before bringing his family and settling here. He likely came with his family in 1629. There is no certain documentation as to his actual arrival.9

Family

Dorothy (?) b. c 1584, d. 27 Jan 1674
Children

Citations

  1. [S115] Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Showing Three Generations Of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, On The Basis Of Farmer's Registar, Volume I: pages 268-270.
  2. [S1312] Early Families of Taunton Massachusetts: John Browne Brown, of Worcester, was associated with the Pilgrims at Plymouth. While he was traveling in his youth he became acquainted with Rev. John Robinson, pastor of the Pilgrims, and through him met many of his people in the same way that Governor Winslow and Captain Miles Standish came to join the Pilgrims. He did not come in the "Mayflower," however. It was not until March, 1629, that he reached New England. He landed at Salem. Two years earlier, however, March 19, 1627, the council for New England approved a patent for trade soil and planting on which a Royal charter was obtained March 4, 1628, to certain patentees and their associates, among whom were John Browne, John Saltonstall, and others who became well known in the colonies. He was elected to Governor John Endicott's council, April 3, 1629, with Francis Higginson, Samuel Skelton, Francis Bright, Samuel Browne, Thomas Graves and Samuel Sharp. He went from Salem to Plymouth and later to Taunton with his son, James. In 1643 John Brown and his sons, John and James, were residents of Taunton, but next year they settled at Rehoboth, Massachusetts. There John Browne, Sr., and John Brown, Jr., stayed and were among the first settlers, but James Browne being a Baptist was forced to leave town in 1663 and with others of his sect founded the town of Swansey, Massachusetts. The designation Mr. given him in the records always shows that he was counted among the gentry. His sons and grandsons were leaders in civic, judicial and military affairs. John Brown was appointed one of the townsmen (an office) in Rehoboth, March 16, 1645, and again in 1650-51. He served the town on important commissions. He was on the prudential committee. He was for seventeen years from 1636 to 1653 0ne of the governor's assistants or magistrates. In 1638 the following were the governor's assistants: William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Captain Miles Standish, John Alden, John Jenny and John Browne. He was one of the commissioners of the United Colonies of New England (which foreshadowed the later confederation) from 1644 to 1655. In the governor's court June 4, 1652, he won a notable suit for damages for defamation against Samuel Newman, the judgment being for one hundred pounds and costs. Mr. Browne waived the judgment, however, and let Newman off on payment of the costs. Mr. Browne was a friend of Massasoit, and the proof of their friendship was shown when the life of his son James was spared by King Philip, son of Massasoit, when he came on a mission from the governor to the Indians. Colonel Church in his narrative says: "that the Indians would have killed Mr. Browne, who with Mr. Samuel Gorton and two other men bore the letter, but Philip prevented them, saying that his father had charged him to show kindness to Mr. Browne." It is said in his honor that he was the first magistrate to raise his voice against the coercive support of the ministry, taking the stand that all church support should be voluntary and backed his precepts by liberal example. He was a man of abilities, intellect, piety and patriotism, and was buried with civic and military honors in 1662. His wife Dorothy died in 1674. His eldest son died the same year as he (1662). His other son, James, was afterwards in the magistracy. His grandson, John Browne, became useful and eminent. In 1685 John Browne was one of the first associate justices of the court of common pleas in the county of Bristol. In 16gg, during the administration of Lord Bellamont, Vve was again appointed a justice. John Browne, Sr., was born in 1595 and died April 10, 1662. His wife died at Swansey, Massachusetts, January 27, 1673. The children of John Browne (I) were: Ensign John, Jr., born in England, died last of March, 1662; (settled in Rehoboth and had these children: John, born last Friday in September, 1650; Lydia, August 5 or 6, 1656; Annah, January 29, 1657; Joseph, April 9, 1658; Nathaniel, June 9, 1661; Major James, of Swansey, born in England 1623, died 1710; Mary, born in England, married, July 6, 1636, Captain Thomas Willett, of Plymouth, the first English mayor of New York city, who was twice elected to that office. William, resided in Salem, not mentioned in will and not proved to be son of John Browne (I).
    (II) Major James Brown, son of John Browne
    (1) , born in England in 1623, was in Taunton in 1643 with his father, the assistant, and went with him to Swansea, Massachusetts. He was said to be a Baptist and preacher. He was chosen an assistant in 1665. He married Lydia Howland, daughter of John Howland, who came over in the "Mayflower," and all his descendants are likewise descended from Mayflower ancestry. He died October 29, 1710, aged eighty-seven years. Their children were: James, born at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, May 4,' 1655, died at Barrington, Rhode Island, 1725; Dorothy, born at Swansey, Massachusetts, August 29, 1666, married —;— Kent; Jabez, born July 9, 1668, at Swansey, Massachusetts. - www.geni.com/projects/Early-Families-of-Taunton-Massachusetts/3745.
  3. [S1313] BROWN OF PLYMOUTH AND WANNAMOISETT: Note - We have a copy of this paper if you can not find the url. -KLM - http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/…
  4. [S169] Jr. Albert James Willett, The Willett Families of North America, Volume 1, page 2 - The Brown family of Swansea, England and Leyden, Holland played a large part in the life of Thomas Willett It is unlikely that he knew the Brown family when they lived in Swansea, England or in Cambridge. He most likely met them for the first time in Leyden.
    page 5 - Thomas Willett’s experiences were more pleasant in that year. On July 6, 1636, he married Mary, the daughter of Worshipful John Brown (b 1584 in England; d. April 10, 1662, at Swansea, Massachusetts), the son of Thomas Browne, Peter Brown, the uncle of John Browne had come over on the original Mayflower, and he and the elder Thomas Browne were sons of Thomas Browne, Senior. The Browns were form Swansea, England, and his wife Dorothy (nee Beauchamp) had immigrated from Cambridge, England, to Holland, and then followed the Puritans to Massachusetts. Governor Winthrop performed the ceremony. The Browns had been of the last of the Green Gate Pilgrims to leave Holland for the new world. They were old friends of the Willett family.
  5. [S1277] Mr. Justin Winsor, Abstract of Earliest Wills in the Probate Office, Plymouth, page 94 - Will of John Brown dated: 07 April 1662.
  6. [S1310] Wills of John Brown Senior and John Browne Junior, pages 18-19 - The Last Will and Testament of Mr John Browne senior: exhibited to the Court held at Plymouth the third of October 1662 on the oath of John Allin
    Aprill the seaventh 1662.
  7. [S1277] Mr. Justin Winsor, Abstract of Earliest Wills in the Probate Office, Plymouth, page 94.
  8. [S1310] Wills of John Brown Senior and John Browne Junior, page 19 - An Inventory of the estate of mr John Browne senior: Deceased; exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the third Day of October 1662 on the oath Dorathy Browne; and on the oath of mr James Browne in respect unto soe much as was in ptenorship betwixt his fater viz mr John Browne abovesaid and him;.
  9. [S1311] Charles Edward Banks, New England Migration - The Collected Works of Charles Edward Banks

    , The Planters of the Commonwealth: pages 99-100 - left 22 Jun 1632 0n the Lyon - mastered by Captain William Peirce, leaving from London for New England - Listed among the passengers were: John Browne, Mrs. Dorothy Browne, Mary Browne, John Browne, James Browne, and William Browne as well as Thomas Willett of Yarmouth, County Norfolk. They arrived at Boston on 16 September 1632.