John Winchester, Jr. (1644-1718), was a prominent man in the early history of Brookline. By occupation he was a mason and a farmer. Being a neighbor of Samuel Sewall, he was one of the first to sign the petition drawn up by him for the separation of Muddy River from the parent town of Boston, which petition was granted in November, 1705, and from that date Muddy River took the name of Brookline. John Winchester, Jr., was the first representative of Brookline to the colonial assembly of Massachusetts in 1709 and 17Ï0. He was also constable, commissioner, and selectman, and one of the founders of the Brookline church, in 1717. In the King Philip's Indian war he was a soldier and is mentioned as stationed at the garrison of Punkapaugue (now Canton, Mass.), Apr. 24, 1676. He died in 17l8, leaving an estate as per Will and Inventory dated January 29, 1717, of £l,006 9s, and mentions sons, John, Henry, Stephen, and Benjamin; daughters, Joanna Stevens and Mehitable Parsons; sons-in-law, Jos. Stevens, and Thos. Trowbridge; granddaughters, Sarah, Joanna, Mary, and Abigail Stevens, and grandsons, John and Joshua Trowbridge. In the Cambridge proprietors' records, May 18, 1699, mention is made of a highway to be laid out, partly through the land of John Winchester, in Cambridge.
