Richard Browne Jr. (abt. 1629 - abt. 1687)

Born about 1629 in England

Husband of Hannah (King) Browne — married about 1649 in England

Descendants

Died about 1687 at about age 58 in Southold, Suffolk, New York Colony

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Unknown Parentage

There is no record or source that specifically proves the parentage of this Richard Browne. See Research Notes

Biography

Birth

"RICHARD BROWNE, known as Lieutenant, was born in England about 1629^[1] and had a home lot in Southold, L. I., March 15, 1659, located at the east end of the Town Street, which he sold in 1665 to Elnathan Topping and removed to Oyster Ponds now Orient where and his son Richard built a large double house. When this house was repaired there was a weathervane put on the peak of the roof marked with the date 1691. The house stood for about one hundred and fifty years being torn down in 1837 when Noah G. Beebe erected a house on the same spot. It went out of the family in 1829.

"He became the first and sole owner of the whole of the southwest end of Oyster Ponds now Orient, which included the site of the old cemetery. It is difficult to compute with accuracy his land possessions but he must have owned at least one thousand acres, deeds of which many without dates, are recorded between the years of 1662 and 1674.

"In 1662 he was a freeman of Connecticut, Southold at the period being under the jurisdiction of that Colony and in 1675 he was the richest man in town. In 1670 he was Sergeant and on June 13, 1685 he was made Ensign and on Oct. 8, 1686 he is listed as Lieutenant of a Foot Troop of Suffolk County Militia. (Frost, Josephine C. "Yates-Terry Genealogy", Film#1020788, pg. 18)^[2]

Marriage

"He married before 1651, Hannah daughter of William and Dorothy King, of Salem, Mass.,^[1] who outlived him. On Feb 11, 1686, he placed all his property in trust, into the hands of his son-in-law John Tuthill, stipulating that he and his wife should continue to reside in the old home for life. He died shortly after this deed was made and unquestionably he and his wife are buried in the old cemetery at Orient,which today is difficult to find, but which contains stones of imported slate erected to the memory of many of his descendants. No stones to himself or his wife, or children are standing but many are piled in a heap and evidently part of the cemetery has been taken and the stone wall bordering one side of it might upon investigation give up some of the mutilated stones. (Frost, Josephine C. "Yates-Terry Genealogy", Film#1020788, pg. 18)^[2]

All their children were residents of the Town of Southold, their order is not known, they were:^[1]

1. Ensign Richard, oldest son, who d. 11 July, 1701.
2. Jonathan, 2nd son, d. doubtless 19 Aug. 1710.
3. William, 3rd son, b. 23 June 1659.
4. Walter, 4th son, letters to his widow Jane, 1 May 1711.
5. Hannah, m. probably about 1678, is named in the will of Ensign Richard Brown, dated 6 July, 1701, as "my sister Hannah, the late wife of John Reeve."
6. Abigail, b. about 1667, d. 27 May 1716, aged 49 years. She was the 1st wife of William 3 Kinge (Samuel 2, William 1) of Southold, b. 10 Jan. 1661-2, m. 17 Jan. 1686-7, d. 12 May 1740.
7. Mary, doubtless the youngest daughter, named by her father, 11 Feb. 1686-7, with his "other daughters already married," in his deed of trust to John Tuthill.

In 1686 Richard Brown, Sr., had four males and four females in his family.^[3]

Death

He died in 1687 or 1688, stated as "was living at Southold on 11 Feb. 1686-7. He is described as the "late deceased" on 27 April, 1688."^[1]

• Richard Browne "was living at Southold on 11 Feb. 1686-7" in a land transaction to his sons Richard, Jonathan and Walter^[4]
• Richard Browne "late deceased" in a land record of his son Richard Browne dated 27 April 1688^[4]

Research Notes

Parentage of Richard Browne:

Item 1: "He named his mother in a deed dated 16 Oct., 1665"^[1]

• In a Southold Town record he referred to his mother, not by name:
• Southold October 16, 1665 Richard and Hannah Browne sell property to Elnathan Topping "Keepe harmeles the said Elnathan Topping his heares, executors, administrators or assignes from any clame mad by his wife Hannah Browne or his mother to any part or parcell thereof ^[5]

Item 2: The Silver Cup referenced in "A Brief Account of the Family of Lt. Richard Browne, of Southold" has added speculation to parentage:

• "a silver cup, three and a half inches high, made in London in 1724. It was once the property of Richard and Hannah (Hawk) Brown, whose joint initials it bears. During the American Revolution it was stolen from the Browne homestead in Southold Town by a Hessian soldier, but was restored to the family by his superior officer." (p. 65)^[1]
• Richard Brown, great-grandson of this Richard Browne, and his wife Hannah Hawke are the referenced owners of the silver cup. (p. 169)^[1]
• Their initials were said to be on the cup - not their full names of Richard Brown and Hannah Brown, certainly not her maiden name of Hannah Hawke.
• The silver cup, stated as made in London in 1724, if that that date is correct, predated the marriage of that Richard Brown and Hannah Hawke in December 1730, found in The Salmon Records on page 82. (p. 169)^[1]
• In 1724, great-grandson Richard at about 16 years of age would not have sourced the silver cup from England. His father Richard Browne at age 40 would be the likely person sourcing the cup, since his father Richard Browne died in 1701.
• The initials on the cup as "R B and H B" may have been added for great-grandson Richard and his wife after their marriage. Alternately, the initials may have been meant to reference Richard Browne and Hannah (King) Brown - the first known ancestors of this family.
• Conclusion of this analysis:

• A combination of the silver cup referenced in both the first Richard Browne section of the source (p. 65) - and the great-grandson Richard Brown section of the source (p. 169) - the Hannah name of both spouses - the maiden name Hawke for the younger spouse - created an assumption that this Lieut. Richard Browne's parents were Richard Browne and Hannah Hawke

"198. Richard 7 and Susannah (Youngs) Brown had a daughter Zipporah Brown, who married Grant Bradley Rackett. Doubtless the Rackett family at Orient can furnish further particulars, as they possess quite a full family tree. Richard 7 Brown, named above, was of early Colonial ancestry. His progenitors were: Richard 1 Brown, who died in 1655 (the name of his wife is unknown); Lieut. Richard 2 and Hannah (Kinge) Brown;Ensign Richard 3 and Dorothy (King) Brown; Capt. Richard 4 and Anna (Youngs) Brown; Richard 5 and Hannah (Hawk) Brown; Richard 6 and Zipporah (Tuthill) Brown. A.D.D." (The Long Island Traveler, Fiche #6016168, pg 69).

"The military commission of Richard Brown, Sr., as Ensign (under Capt. Issac Arnold), for the Town of Southold, during pleasure, was dated June15, 1685 (From 2nd Annual Report of N.Y. State Historian, 1807, pg. 393). This Richard 2 was the son of Richard,1 who died in 1655..." (The Long Island Traveler, Fiche #6016168, pg 83.)

Note 6. "John Tuthill was a man of great enterprise, energy and will, controlled and guided by strong common sense, honesty of purpose, and religious principle. No man had, perhaps, to so great an extent, the confidence of the community, as the record trusts of Richard Brown, Abraham Whitehere and others bear ample testimony. Many parcels of land in Oysterponds and Southold, at Corchaug and Occabauk, stand in his name upon the Town Records. He was a trusty public officer and a worthy private citizen." 'J.W.C.' in Southold Town Records.^[5]

"John Tuthill's first wife was Deliverance Kinge (William 1). Her sister Hannah married Lieut. Richard 2 Brown (Richard 1).

"John Tuthill, Richard Brown and Samuel Kinge (brother of Deliverance and Hannah) formed a remarkable trio, being no less noted for their steady friendship for each other, than for their sterling integrity.

"Samuel Kinge is buried in the old Orient Cemetery.

"Are the last resting places of John Tuthill or of Richard Brown known?

"Richard Brown appears to have owned the ground which is now the cemetery. It would be a happy thing could we know that the three friends were sleeping the last sleep, side by side. A Tuthill Descendant" (The Long Island Traveler, Fiche #6016168, pg 101.)

"Note 269. Students of Long Island Genealogy will be glad to learn that a history of the Brown Family of Southold is now in course of publication in the 'New York Genealogical Biographical Record', beginning with number for April, 1900.

"Richard Brown, born probably in and about 1629, was the first of family at Southold; he had a house lot ____in 1659 and was living 11 Feb.,___7;he is described as 'late deceased' 27 April, 1688.

"Needless to say that there were many early marriages of the Browns in the families of Havens, King, Tuthill, Reeve, Young and other Southold____.

"Miss Akerly, has brought a comprehensive knowledge of the subject to the task, and the work is marked by an unusual degree of care in the direction of accurate statement and reference to authorities..."

"Note 504. It would seem as if the origin of the Browns of Southold might be discovered at Salem, Mass., as Lieutenant Richard Browne doubtless married Hannah Kinge at Salem, before coming to Long Island.

"It is a curious coincidence that William Browne, of Salem (whose tombstone in the Charter St. Burial Ground in that town bears a heraldic device), married first May Young, doubtless sister of the Rev. John Young, of Southold.

"The said William Browne was born 1 March 1607/8, and was son of Francis Browne, of Brandon, Co., Suffolk, who was second son of Thomas and Margaret Browne, of Brandon, and grandson of Simon Browne, of Browne Hall, Co. Lancaster, England.

"The tombstone of William Browne, a low alter tomb, is no longer legible,but William died the 20 Jan., 1687, age 79 years.

"Mrs. Sarah (Smith) Browne, his second wife, was buried near him.

"The arms seem to have been, _____...

"The children of William Browne were William, Benjamin, Joseph, who married Mehitable, daughter of Governor Brenton, and probably died without issue; Sarah, wife of Waitstill Winthrop, besides three sons who died young.

"William Brown, the son, was member of Gov. Andros' Council, and married first Hannah, daughter of George Curwen, and had issue, Samuel, John, and Mary, who married Benjamin Lynde.

"William, Joseph, and Mary were names found in the early Browne generations in Southold." (The Long Island Traveler, Fiche #6016168, pg 477).

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} A Brief Account of the Family of Lt. Richard Browne, of Southold, on the Island of Nassau, or Long Island, N. Y., by Lucy D. Akerly (New York Genealogical and Biographical Record: New York, NY, April 1900, pp. 65-70; July 1900, pp. 166-170) p. 65: Archive.org
   • Richard Browne, of Southold, N. Y., b. probably in England, (in 1629?)
   • was living at Southold on 11 Feb., 1686-7. He is described as the "late deceased" on 27 April, 1688.
   • He named his mother in a deed dated 16 Oct., 1665, implying that she was then alive.
   • a silver cup, three and a half inches high, made in London in 1724. It was once the property of Richard and Hannah (Hawk) Brown, whose joint initials it bears.
   • p. 66: Richard Browne had married as early as 1650-1, Hannah, da. of William and Dorothy Kinge of Salem, Mass., b. in England in 1629. She outlived her husband. All their children were residents of the Town of Southold, their order is not known Archive.org
   • p. 169: Richard 4 Brown (Capt. Richard 3, Ensign Richard 2, Lieut. Richard 1), of Southold, b. 4 Nov., 1708, d. 23 Sept., 1776. He m. on 24 Dec., 1730, Hannah Hawke, . . . Richard and Hannah were the owners of the cup, of which an illustration is given in this article. Archive.org
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Yates-Terry Genealogy - Only fifty copies of this book have been printed and the type distributed - Ancestors of James Wilson Yates and his wife Nancy Davis Terry, compiled for their daughter Irene Yates Shaffer, by Josephine C. Frost, New York 1926 - p. 18: RICHARD BROWN Archive.org
3. ↑ 1686 Census of Southold, New York, published in The New York genealogical and biographical record, Vol 30; (New York, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, April 1899), pages 120-122.[Archive.org]
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Southold Town Records copied and Explanatory Notes added by J. Wickham Case, printed by order of the Towns of Southold and Riverhead, 1884, Vol. 2, Liber C
   • P. 78: I, Richard Brown Senr of the Towne of Southold, Know ye, that in consideration of ye naturall affection which I bear for my third son Wm Brown . . . Witness my hand and scale this 20th January 1686/7 Archive.org
   • p. 79: I Richard Brown eldest son of Richard Brown late deceased doe assigne and make over all my right, title and intrest in the within mentioned bill of Sale to my brother William Brown. Witness my hand and scale this 27th April 1688 Archive.org
   • pp. 159-163: Know Ye. that I the sd Richard Brown, being in perfect memory, doe give devise, grant and confirme . . . And upon further trust and confidence in case my sons, Richard, Jonathan and Walter shall not agree upon the equal division of the lands and meadows, befor mentioned . . . In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 11th day of February 1686/7 Archive.org
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Southold Town Records copied and Explanatory Notes added by J. Wickham Case, printed by order of the Towns of Southold and Riverhead, 1882, Vol. 1, Liber A & B
   • p. 51: footnotes - John Tuthill HathiTrust.org
   • pp. 165-166: Southold October 16, 1665 Richard and Hannah Browne sell property to Elnathan Topping "Keepe harmeles the said Elnathan Topping his heares, executors,
   administrators or assignes from any clame mad by his wife Hannah Browne or his mother to any part or parcell thereof HathiTrust.org

• William and Dorothy King, of Salem, Mass., and Three Generations of Their Long Island Descendants, by Lucy D. Akerly, Vol. 33, Page 73 (New York Genealogical & Biographical Record: New York, NY, April, 1902) https://archive.org/details/newyorkgenealogi1902gree/page/n165/mode/2up

• Southold Town Records copied and explanatory notes added by J. Wickham Case 1882 - Vol. 1 Liber A & B - (Liber A page 36) Source pages 84-85 - March 15, 1659 Richard Browne home lot HathiTrust.org

• Southold Town Records copied and explanatory notes added by J. Wickham Case 1882 - Vol. 1 Liber A & B - (Liber B page 78) Source pages 417-418 - May 28, 1683 Richard Brown Senr. purchased of his brother in law Samuel King one first lott in Occabauck and parcels in Corchaug HathiTrust.org

• Genealogies of Long Island Families, Vol. 1 Author: Hoff, Henry B; Publication: from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Page: 495; Text: "Hannah, b in England about 1629, m. Lieut Richard Brown; he was of Southold, L. I., as early as 1658, and one of the largest landowners there. "Two of the children of Lieut. Brown, Ensign Richard Brown, and Abigail Brown, m. respectively Dorothy, and William King, children of Samuel King, see beyond." (Taken from "William and Dorothy King, of Salem, Mass., and Three Generations of Their Long Island Descendants" by Lucy D. Akerly, NYGBR 1902 Vol. 33, Page 73)

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Katherine E., Corinne Pierson, Mike Walton and all who contributed to this profile.