Christopher Browne
Birth 1492 Hawkedon, St Edmundsbury Borough, Suffolk, England
Death 3 Jul 1538 Hawkedon, St Edmundsbury Borough, Suffolk, England
Burial St Mary Churchyard Hawkedon, St Edmundsbury Borough, Suffolk, England
[no photograph]
Parents: Christopher Browne 1450–1516; Agnes Bedingfield Browne 1478–1519
Spouse: Anne Browne 1494 – unknown
Children: Christopher Browne 1522–1574
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*John Browne, of Burrough BROWN Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, was chief magistrate of the city, I 376-1377.
*John Browne (2), son of John, lived in Stamford and had children.
*John Browne (3), son of John (2), was a draper and merchant at Calais, was alderman, chief magistrate of the city, and on his death in 1442 was buried in All Saints' Church, which he built for the parish at his own cost.
*John Browne (4), son of John Browne and Margaret his wife, was born in Stamford, about 1410, and was a draper and merchant, alderman three years, and died before 1470. His wife was Agnes.
*Christopher Browne (5), son of John Browne (4), was born in Stamford, lived there and at Tolthorpe. He married first, Grace Pinchbeck; second, Agnes, of Bedingfield, Norfolk; third, Elizabeth .
*Christopher Browne (6), son of Christopher, was born about 1460-70, and lived at Swan Hall, Hawkedon parish, Suffolk, England, and was church warden, 1564.
*Christopher Browne (7), son of Christopher, was born at Swan Hall, about 1490, was church warden there in 1564, and his children were born there.
*Thomas Browne (8), son of Christopher, was born at Swan Hall, about 1510-20, and married Joan.
*(I) Abraham Browne, the immigrant, son of Thomas (8) and Joan, was born at Swan Hall about 1590, and was one of the first planters at Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1631-2. where he was selectman 1636-43. In 1634 he and Robert Selley were appointed to survey all the lots that were granted, and they were made conservators of all the timber trees, none of which could be cut without their consent.
He was one of seven freeman who in 1635 were appointed "to divide every man his property of meadow and upland that is ploughable, the rest to be commoan." He was highway surveyor the same year, and laid out many of the highways, some of which are still in use. He was appointed, October 7, 1641, on a committee to lay out a thousand acres granted to the military company of Boston at its organization. His will was proved October 1, 1650.
His first homestall was east of Mt. Vernon, between the present town of Watertown and Harvard Square. His second homestall was bounded by the present Harvard street, Main street and Pleasant street, and was lately and may be now the only case where land granted to the first settlers in Watertown is still held by lineal descendants. There is an engraving of the old house published in Bond's Watertown history.
His widow Lydia married, November 27, 1659, Andrew Hodges, of Ipswich. She died at Watertown September 27, 1686.
Children of Abraham and Lydia Brown: 1. Sarah, born in England, married December 16, 1643, George Parkhurst, Jr. 2. Mary, born in England: married April 10, 1650, John Lewis, of Charlestown and Malden. 3. Lydia, born at Watertown, March 22, 1632-3; married Lieutenant William Lakin, Jr., of Groton. 4. Jonathan, born Watertown, October 15, 1635. 5. Hannah, born Watertown, died March 5, 1638-9, an infant. 6. Abraham, born March 6, 1639-40, died 1667: bought land at Groton; married February 5, 1662-3, Mary Dix, who married second, in 1668, after Abraham's death, Samuel Rice, of Sudbury.
*(II) Jonathan Brown, son of Abraham Browne, was born October 15,1635, at Watertown, Massachusetts. He married, February 11, 1661-2, Mary Shattuck, daughter of the immigrant, William Shattuck, of Watertown. She was born August 25, 1645, and died October 23, 1732, aged eighty-seven years. She is buried in the Waltham graveyard. His will was dated February 19, 1690-91, and proved April 7, 1691.
Up to this generation Bond says that the name generally was spelled with the final "e." The sons of Jonathan dropped this letter. Children of Jonathan and Mary Brown: 1. Mary, born October 5, 1662:. married May 22, 1682-3, John Warren; married second, Samuel Harrington. 2. Elizabeth, born September 19, 1664; married March 25, 1687. Daniel Benjamin. 3. Jonathan, born October 25, 1666, died young. 4. Patience, born March 6, 1668-9; married March 5, 1686-7, James Bigelow. 5. Abraham, born August 26, 1671.
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of ..., Volume 4
edited by William Richard Cutter
