Person:Henry Brooks (9)

Origins

His parentage, place of origins and date/ship of arrival remain unascertained.

Life in New England

He-- presumably with his first wife and mother of all his children-- arrived in Concord by 14 March 1638 when he was made Freeman.

About 1649: his first wife probably died. He moves to Woburn

1649-1657: Appears on the Woburn Tax Lists

20 Dec 1650: purchased 178 acres, including a framehouse at Horn Pond, Woburn (which stayed in the family at least until 1798).

27 March 1651: married (2nd) Susanna Bradford, widow of Ezekiel Richardson.

7 June 1651, he purchased from Edward Converse 7 acres in Woburn.

10 January 1652: he was a proprietor of land near horn Pond, Woburn, MA

1654, he purchased from Thomas Rand 37 acres in Woburn

1658 (Dec): testified that he was about 66 years old.

13 December 1659, Henry and Susanna "Brookes" of Woburn, in accordance with an award of the court, resigned one-half of Ezekiel Richardson's house and lands, deeding the property to Theophilus Richardson, Ezekiel's and Susanna's son.

1668 Henry "Broockes" and his sons John and Isaac signed a petition in support of Thomas Dutton, who had sued Michael Bacon Jr. for calling him a thief.

1669, 1671, 1672: Selectman in Woburn.

2 March 2, 1670, Henry "Brook" testified before Deputy Governor Willoughby that he witnessed a deformed child born to the wife of Joseph Wright.

15 Sept 1681: wife Susannah died in Woburn.

12 Jul 1682: m3. Annis Jordon, widow of Abraham Jacquith

Legacy

18 Jul 1682: wrote will

12 April 1683 died

Children

Will mentions wife Annis, son-in-law John Moussal, sons John, Timothy and Isaac and duaghters Sarah and [Hannah] Lestor.

Other children likely to have included:

1. Martha, b. abt 1626; m. THomas Bateman; d. 3 Aug 1665 (therefore, before her father's will)

2. Mary Brooks, d. 24 Feb 1671/2 (also before her father's will)

3. Possibly Joseph, b. 21 April 1641 in Concord; if so, probably died before his father's will.

Another person lists his children as:

• John (1 Jan 1623/4 - 29 Sep 1691) m1. Eunice Mousall, m2. Mary Champney
• Martha (abt 1626 - 3 Aug 1665) m. Thomas Bateman
• Hannah (bet 1620 and 1629 - 29 SEP 1691) m1. Thomas Fox m2. Andrew Lester, m3. Isaac Willey
• Timothy (1629/1634 - bef 7 Oct 1712) m1. Mary Russell m2. Mehitabel/Mehitable Mowr(e)y
• Mary (abt 1630 - 24 Feb 1671/2) m. Richard Norcross
• Sarah (1632 - bef Sep 1705) m. John Mousall, Jr.
• Joseph (12 Apr 1641 - bef 18 Jul 1682)
• Isaac (1 JAN 1642/3 - 8 Sep 1686) m. Miriam Daniels

Last Will & Testament

    His will was written in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachussetts, on July 18, 1682 [CUT, JO2]. In it he describes himself as a clothier. He names his last wife "Annes", his son-in-law, John Mousall, his sons John, Timothy and Isaac, and his daughters, Sarah and Hannah "Lestor". He also names the children of his son Isaac - Isaac, Henry, and Miriam. His son and trusted friend Isaac was made his executor with Lieut. William Johnson as overseer. To his daughter Hannah he gave only 5 shillings as 'she hath received her portion already', presumably when she married her first husband [JO2].

Here is (most of) the full text:

(Henry Brooks, "cloathyer … stricken in years and may expect every day my change," dated his will 18 Jul 1682, signing by mark with an "H.")

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. To son John, the £10 owed for a yoke of oxen and one third of the wearing apparel, "but he hath had his portion already." To son Timothy, one third of the wearing apparel and confirmation of all that land I gave him; "he hath [Received] his portion already." For son-in-law John Mousall, he forgave a bond (note) of £50 for land and housing held jointly with his son John Brooks, and his wife my daughter Sarah may have the disposing of £20 of the said fifty. To son Isaac, all my land on the east side of the highway except 8 acres reserved for Isaac's sons Isack and Henery, half my herbage and woodlots, and all my plowland lots except my great lot which I give to his daughter Miriam. To daughter Lestor, five shillings and no more because she hath received her portion already as will appear by a receipt in her hand. To his grandchildren Isaac and Henry, all his lands west of the highway leading to Charlestown, a piece of land on the west side of James Convers, the previously mentioned 8 acres in the meadow on the east side, half my woodlots and half my herbage, "the little playne," and passage for their catoll [cattle] to and from the Common. To granddaughter Miriam, daughter of Isaac, my great lot. To reverend pastors Thomas Carter and Jabez Fox, twenty shillings apiece. He appointed his son Isaac sole executor and residuary legatee, and his trusted friend Lieut. William Johnson overseer to see the will performed, for which in token of my love I give him twenty shillings in silver: the which I have payd alredy. Finally he desired that his two grandchildren not alienate (sell) any of the land he gave them during their father's lifetime. Witnesses were Jabez Fox, Daniel Green and Peter ffowle.3,26

    Henry Brooks died at Woburn 12 Apr 1683.27 His inventory, returned 17 Apr 1683 by James Convers Junr and another whose signature eludes decipherment, was as follows:

• Imprims, about twenty acres of upland on the est side of the highwaye att 20-00-00
• and seven acres of Meddow adjoyning to the said land 26-00-00
• Item, for eaight acres of Meddow In forty pound meddow given to the children of Isack Brooks att 32-00-00
• Item, for about eaighty acres of upland on the west side of the highway on both sides the river Given to the 2: sonns

         of Isack Brookes att 90-00-00

• Item for the greatt Lott In Woburne Coman Given to Meriam the daughter of Isack Brookes, forty too acres 10-10-00
• Item for three small Lotts in Wooburne Coman amounting to, about fiveteen acres att 07-00-00
• Item for a division of Woodland In Wooburne comman land the one half Given to the 2: Sonns of Isack Brooks att 12-00-00
• Item for six acres of Meddowland In Shredvine Meddow att 20-00-00
• Item for the Towne priviledge in herbidg [herbage] the one half given to the too sonns of Isack Brooks att 02-00-00
• Item for five acres ¼ of swamp Botum att 02-12-00
• Item for three Cows att 09-00-00
• Item for nine Sheep att 03-00-00
• Item for one Barne att 12-00-00
• Item In Silver 07-12-00
• Item for fivety pounds In the hands of John Brooks due by bill: 50-00-00
• Item for a bill In the hands of John Brooks for a pair of oxen 10-00-00
• Item for a fetherbedd and furniture att 08-00-00
• Item for a flock bed bedsted and beding att 02-10-00
• Item for other beding att 04-10-00
• Item for his wareing Cloaths att 09-00-00
• Item for 17 yards of linen Cloth att 02-00-00
• Item for one cubard [cupboard] and table Linen att 02-05-00
• Item for brass and pewter att 04-00-00
• Item for axes crow [colter?] and other old oyron [iron] att 00-15-00
• Item for and oyrons [andirons] and Spitt att 00-10-00
• Item for a bed pann 00-08-00
• Item for 4 old bags and tenn bushels of Indian corn 02-05-00
• Item for seals & waights 00-01-00
• Item for an old lumb [Loom] and old geers for a weaver and combs 01-02-00
• Item for three chests barils and tubbs and lumber 01-12-00
• Item for too barils of Silver 01-00-00

    (TOTAL:) £355-15-00.28

(Added by jillaine 09:45, 2 December 2008 (EST))

Inventory of Estate

The inventory of his estate lists the following lots of land [JO1]:

• about 20 acres of upland on the east side of the highway with 7 acres of meadow, adjoining it
• about 80 acres of upland on west side of the highway on both sides of the river. (This land was inherited by the two sons of Isaac Brooks)
• 8 acres of meadow in Forty Pound Meadow. (This land was inherited by the children of Isaac Brooks)
• 42 acres in Woburn. (This land was inherited by Miriam, daughter of Isaac Brooks)
• 3 small lots in Woburn amounting to about 15 acres
• 6 acres of meadow land in Shred Pine Meadow
• 5¼ acres of swamp bottom
• 15 acres of land by Mount Discovery

    His desire was that the sons of Isaac Brooks would not alienate any of the land he gave them during their father's life.

External Links

1. Christopher Hapgood Brooks, Tributaries - http://www.tributaries.us

1.   Cutter, William R., and Arthur G. Loring. The Brooks Family of Woburn, Mass. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jan, Apr 1904)
   3.

   Henry Brooks was in Concord in 1639, with wife and children, came to Woburn about 1650, m. bef. 27 Mar 1651 Susanna, widow of Ezekiel Richardson, m. (3) 12 Jul 1682 Annes Jaquith. He d. 12 Apr 1683. Will dated 18 Jul 1682, names wife Annes; son-in-law John Mousall; sons John, Timothy and Isaac; daughters Sarah and Lester; grandchildren Isaac, Henry and Miriam, children of Isaac.

2. ↑ Johnson, Edward F. Woburn Records of Births, Deaths, and Marriages . (Woburn, Massachusetts: Andrews, Cutler & Co., 1890-1919)
   2:20.

   Brooks, Henry, s. of ---, April 12, 1683.

3. ↑ Cutter, William R., and Arthur G. Loring. The Brooks family of Woburn, Mass. (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1904)
   NEHGR 29:153; 58:48.
4.   Sewall, Samuel. The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Mass. : from the Grant of Its Territory to Charlestown, in 1640, to the Year 1860; with a Memorial Sketch of the Author. (Boston: Wiggin and Lunt Publishers, 1868)
   p. 594.

   BROOKS. Henry, of Woburn, may have been the same as Henry Brooks of Concord, made freeman 14 March 1639(a). He is noticed in the Town Records as an inhabitant of Woburn, and a proprietor of land there, near Horn Pond, 10 Jan. 1652(b). He was on the Selectman, 1668. His wife, Susanna, dying 15 Sept. 1681, he married Annis Jaquith, (a sister of Abraham Jaquith?) 12 July, 1682; and died 12 Apr, 1683. In his Will, dated 18 July, 1682, he names wife Annis, and children John, Timothy, who was of Billerica, Isaac, and Sarah, wife of John Mousall, who were then living.