Thomas Brown (1645 - 1709)

Born 22 May 1645 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Patience (Foster) Brown — married 29 Sep 1667 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 7 May 1709 at age 63 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Son of William. Born May 22, 1645. Was adopted as son by his maternal grandfather Thomas Besbedge. He married Sept. 29, 1667, Patience, daughter of Hopestill Foster. He married on March 1, 1704, Mary, daughter of Deputy-Governor Thomas Danforth and widow of Solomon Phipps of Cambridge. He was representative from Sudbury for several successive terms. Commanded a company of horse in Indian war. The "old Browne garrison" at Sudbury was probably built by him. He died May 7, 1709. Judge Sewall writes: "Monday May 9, 1709. Major Thomas Brown Esqre. of Sudbury was buried in the old burying place (King's Chapel burial ground, Boston); bearers, Cook, Sewall; Eliakim; Hutchinson, Townsend; Jer. Dummer, Paul Dudley. Scarves and gloves." The will of Thomas Brown made his grandson, Jonathan Willard, his heir, and, among other bequests, gave his lands and tenements in England to be divided equally among his seven daughters: Mary Willard, thankful Hubbard, Patience Ricke, Elizabeth Bent, Silence Herds, Hannah Brown and Eunice Brown.^[1]

Thomas Brown, Jr.^[2]

Event

ABT 1700 Lived at Sudbury, Middlesex, MA

These records show that a variety and abundance of territory was at the disposal of the town as late as towards the last of the seventeenth century; but years after the town had ceased to apportion undivided lands to the inhabitants, and the original grantees were all or nearly all dead, there existed a portion of territory owned and controlled by parties who were called in their record book "ye Proprietors of ye Common and undivided land in Sudbury." These proprietors based their claim to this property on the transferred ownership and right of the original grantees. These proprietors met at times far along into the eighteenth century. They kept a record of their meeitngs, transacted business in an orderly way, and determined matters by majority vote. By their records we learn that they sold and gave away lands, discontinued and laid out highways, and allowed territory to the town for public purposes. About the beginning of the eighteenth century the persons making up this proprietary, as given in their records, are as follows:

'...Thomas, born May 22, 1645, known as Maj. Thomas Brown, was a man of considerable prominence, because of his public position and services. He married, in 1667, Patience Foster, who died August, 1706, aged fifty-two. He married for his second wife Mary Phipps of Cambridge, widow of Solomon Phipps, Jr., and daughter of Dep. Gov. Thomas Danforth. His daughter Mary married, Jan. 8, 1691, Jonathon Willard of Roxbury. Major Brown was a man much engaged in town business, a representative for successive years, and commanded a company of horse in the Indian war. In 1701 he was allowed by the General Court compensation for a hors lost in pursuit of the Indians in 1697. He died May 7, 1709, and the following note is found concerning him in the diary of Judge Seqall: 'Maj. Thomas Brown, Esq., of Sudbury, was buried in the Old Burying-place.' We consider it quite probable that the 'Old Brown Garrison' in Sudbury was bilt by Major Brown....'^[3]

'Their son, Major Thomas Browne was a man of considerable influence; married Patience Foster in 1667. She died in August 1706, at about 52 years of age. Thomas was married again, this time to Mary Pipps, daughter of Deputy Governor Thomas Danforth and widow of Solomon Pipps, Jr.

'Major Browne was much engaged in the business of the town; a Representative for a succession of years and commander of a company of horse in the Indian Wars.

'In 1701 he was allowed compensation by the General Court for a horse lost in pursuit of Indians in 1697. Thomas Browne died 7 May 1709. It is recorded in the diary of Judge Sewall as follows:

'Major Browne was buried in the old burying place.' The tombs of Hopestill Browne (d.1731) contain descendants up to the last burial in 1852. Of the several vaults at Wayland and also at Sudbury, none were marked 'Browne,' but several had the names obliterated.'

'The first church was built in 1649, and stood on the westerly part of the old burying ground at Sudbury. The site is marked by a slight embankment and has a Tercentenary marker placed there in 1930. Just south of this and about fifty feet distant is a small grave stone, th eonly one remaining in a considerable space. This stone was well preserved and buried quite deeply. The inscription reads, 'Here lies ye body of Mrs. Patience Browne, wife of Major Thomas Browne aged about 59 years. Died Aug. ye 15th 1706.' In this cemetery are two very old flat markers in excellent condition and marked 'Goodnough.'^[4]

Children

1. Elizab[eth], ch. Tho[mas] and Patience, Mar. 17, [16]77.

2. Eunice, d. Thomas and Patience, Feb. 28, [16]83.

3. Experience, d. Capt. Tho[mas] and Patience, Sept. 7, 1690.

4. Hannah, ch. Tho[mas] and Patience, Nov. 9 [1679].

5. Silence, ch. Tho[mas] and Patience, Sept. 15, 1681.

6. Tho[mas], s. Tho[mas] and Patience, --- [16]74.

7. Mary, d. Thomas and Patience, Nov. 25, 1668.

8. Patience, d. Thomas and Patience, Feb. 26, 1671.

9. Thankful, d. Thomas and Patience, July 21, 1670.^[5]

Marriage

29 SEP 1667 Sudbury, Middlesex, MA

Wife: Patience Foster

Child: Elizabeth Brown

p. 299 shows an unnamed wife of Major Brown died on 15 Aug. 1703.

p. 196. Foster, Patience and Thomas Browne, Sept. 29, [1667].^[6]

01 MAR 1703/4 Cambridge, Middlesex, MA

Mrs. Mary Phipps of Cambridge and Major Thomas Brown Esq. married 1 Mar 1703/4 in Cambridge.^[7]

Burial

09 MAY 1709 Kings Chapel Burying Ground, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts

In Sewall's Diary is the following entry: "Monday, may 9th, 1709. Major Thomas Brown Esq. of Sudbury was buried in the old Burying place. Bearers, Cook, Sewall, Hutchingson, Townsend, Jas Dummer, Dudley, Scarves and Gloves." "the old Burying place" was that of King's Chapel, Boston. The wife of Major Thomas Brown was buried in the East Side Burying ground, Sudbury. If Major Brown was not buried with his wife, but it was considered important that his remains should be taken to Boston for interment, the same may have been the case with Edmund Browne.^[8]

Will

1709 Middlesex, MA

Will recorded in Middlesex, MA. Record #3213

Sources

1. ↑ #S552 Page: p. 13 - 14
2. ↑ #S163 Page: p.117
3. ↑ #S163 Page: p.36
4. ↑ #S167 Page: p.21
5. ↑ #S161
6. ↑ #S161 Page: p.299
7. ↑ #S161 Page: p.251
8. ↑ #S163 Page: p.261

• S161: Sudbury Vital Records Abbreviation: Sudbury vital record Author: NEHGS Publication: NEHGS, Boston MA
• S163: History of Sudbury, Massachusetts. 1638-1889, The Abbreviation: History of Sudbury 1889 Author: Hudson, Alfred Sereno Publication: R.H. Blodgett, Boston, 1889 Repository: #R18
• S167: Genealogy of the Bisbee family : Descendants of Thomas Besbeech (Bisbee) of Scituate, Duxbury and Sudbury, Massachusetts Abbreviation: Besbeech gen. 1956 Author: Frank J. Bisbee Publication: Otter Brook Press, 1956 Repository: #R18
• S552: Who Begot Thee? Abbreviation: Who Begot Thee? Author: Gilbert O. Bent
• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Thomas_Brown_(212)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #33441921 Citing Kings Chapel Burying Ground, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Kevin Avery (contributor 47024642) .