William Browne (abt. 1608 - 1676)

Born about 1608 in Lavenham, Suffolk, England

Husband of Mary (Bisbee) Brown — married 15 Nov 1641 in Sudbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 1676 at about age 68 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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William Browne migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 46 #4) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

When William Browne was probably born about 1608 in England. He married Mary (Besbeech or Bisby) on November 15, 1641, in Sudbury, Massachusetts. They had seven children in 16 years. He died sometime in 1676 in Sudbury, Massachusetts, having lived 68 years and most likely buried in Sudbury but not located.

Children of Mary and Wm, all born in Sudbury, Mass; Mary, Thomas, William, Edmund, Hopestill, Susanna & Elizabeth.

It has been claimed that his father was Edmund Browne and his mother was Anne, but there seems to be no proof of such.

Emigration

Emigration:

Date: 1638/39

Place: Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA

Note: Thus, while the plan of the settlement of Sudbury originated at Watertown, and some of the settlers came from there, yet largely, as we have said, it was settled by emigration direct from England. Most or all of the names of the earlier settlers have been preserved, and are repeatedly given in connection with land divisions prior to the close of 1640.

From the town records we have compiled the following list of the early grantees or settlers, who went to the Sudbury Plantation about 1638 or 1639:

William Browne^[1]

Event

Event:

Type: Biography

Place: Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA

Note: The profiles of Brown-8591 and this Browne-3132 are the same as the spouse's names and the list of children are the same. The bios appear to match although the Brown-8591's bio is extensive and apparently credible. The Brown(e) last name at birth appears to be used primarily in England and as they were early immigrants the (e) followed as noted in "Third Supplement to Torrey´s New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg. 39". Most of the decendents dropped the (e).

Event:

Type: Biography

Place: Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA

Note: William Brown, Bond says in his history of Watertown, has been thought to be of the lineage of Christopher Brown of Hawkedon, of the Parish of Bury St. Edmunds, County of Suffolk, Eng.; but no evidence of it has been discovered. Probably William, Thomas and Edmund Brown were relatives, if not brothers, and all perhaps arrived at Sudbury at or about the same time. William Brown was assigned a house-lot on the south street of the settlement, the fourth east of the first meeting-house, adjoining that of Edmund Goonow. He eventually settled near Nobscot, on a tract of land of two hundred acres, which was granted him by the General Court in answer to a petition presented by him in 1649. (Colonial Records, Vol. III., p.155) He was a freeman June 2, 1641, and became a prominent man at the plantation, and at one time captain of the militia. He was the first deacon of the church at Sudbury, and a representative under the new charter in 1692. About 1643, he "was chsen and sworne surveyor of the armes of Sudbury." He was married Nov. 15, 1641, to Mary, daughter of Thomas Berbeck or Bisby. (See sketch of Thomas Bisby.) He had seven children, Mary, Thomas, William, Edmund, Hopestill, Susanna and Elizabeth. ....original William Brown homestead at Sudbury was probably at, or not far from, the spot where the house now occupied by Hubbard Brown formerly stood, which was by a large buttonwood tree on the hillside, a short distance to the westward of its present location. A short distance southerly, at or near the edge of the plain, is still visible the site of another building. Either of these may be the spot where William Brown erected the first house on his grant of two hundred acres at Nobscot. The Brown family has been numerous in Sudbury, living for the most part on the west side of the river. Members of the family have never ceased to dwell, and occupy land, in the neightobhood of Nobscot. In the old homestead located there the three brothers, John, Isreal How and Edward, were born; and on the ancestral estate Everett and Hubbard, two sons of Edeard still live. A third son is Dr. Frank Brown of Reading, a graduate of Amherst College, and surgeon in the Union army in the civil war.^[2]

Event:

Type: Biography

Note: "Gentleman." Was one of the original grantees and settlers of Sudbury in 1639. Had a grant of 200 acres of land there, in that part which is now the town of Maynard. He married Nov. 15, 1641, Mary, daughter of Thomas Besbedge. In 1643 he "was chosen and sworn survryor of the armes of Sudbury." Was first deacon of the church at Sudbury, of which the Rev. Edmund Brown, who was also one of the original grantees of Sudbury, was first minister. Was Captain of militia. He died in Boston Sept. 30, 1676, and was probably buried in the King's Chapel burial ground, Boston, where the remains of his son, Thomas, were laid 33 years later. He left a considerable estate, including interest in houses and land in the parishes of Hetcorne and Frittingden, Kent co., Eng., given to him by his father-in-law Besbedge, which he left to his wife Mary.

The Browns and some others of the earliest Sudbury settlers probably came from Sudbury, Eng., or adjacent parts, and gave the name to the new town in the Massachusetts Bay colony. The Brown family took an active part in the affairs of the Massachusetts Bay company both in England and America.^[3]

Event:

Type: Biography

Note: William, gentleman, Sudbury, propr. 1639; frm. June 2, 1641. He petitioned the Gen. Court in 1649 for 200 acres of land due for 25 li. put into joint stock by his aunt Mrs. Ann Harvey, who authorized his application. Land laid out to him in Sudbury. Sold land in 1653. He m. 15 (9) 1641, "Mary Bisby of Duxbury;" ch. Mary b. 18 (3) 1643, Thomas b. 22 (3) 1645, Edmund b. 27 (9) 1643 [8?], Susanna b. 4 (12) 1646.

Will dated 20 May, prob. 25 Oct. 1676, beg. to his wife Mary his whole interest in the lands given to her by her father Beesbech at Hetcorne and Frittingden in co. Kent, Eng.; to sons Thomas, William, Edmund and Hopestill; to dau. Mary, wife of Benjamin Rice, and her son Ebenezer; to daus. Elizabeth and Sarah B.; to gr. ch. Mary, Thankful, Patience and Sarah B.^[4]

Religion

Religion: In 1640 a church was organized, which was Congregational in government and Calvinistic in creed or faith. A copy of its covenant is still preserved. The church called to its pastorate Rev. Edmund Brown, and elected Mr. William Brown deacon.

Date: 1640

Place: Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA^[5]

Occupation

Occupation: There is a record of a contract made with William Brown and Edmund Goodnow for making a pound. It was to be six feet or six and a half from the ground to the top of the upper rail, the posts a foot square, with seven rails, the upper rail pinned at each end. In 1664 Joseph Noyes was to keep the pound, and to have "four pence for every particular man's cattle every time they are impounded." The only pound, so far as we know, that within a few years belonged to the town of Sudbury,w as situated at the northeast corner of the Sudbury Centre old burying-ground.

Date: BEF 1664

Place: Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA^[6]

Research Notes

From GM Directory: Brown, William: Unknown; 1639; Sudbury [SuTR 3; MBCR 1:378; NEHGR 52:336-37; MPR Case #3233].

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S163 Page: p.25-26
2. ↑ Source: #S163 Page: p.35-36
3. ↑ Source: #S552 Page: p. 13 - 14
4. ↑ Source: #S64 Page: p. 75
5. ↑ Source: #S163 Page: p.98
6. ↑ Source: #S163 Page: p.130

• Marriage to Mary: "Third Supplement to Torrey´s New England Marriages Prior to 1700": http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3824

• Marriage: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2495&h=81361343&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ywm4356&_phstart=successSource

• Ancestry public member tree: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/110546422/person/220143997082/facts

• Family Search.com: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/LZLB-KPQ/details?spouse=96X2-84C

• History of Sudbury; pp. 36: https://archive.org/stream/historyofsudbury00huds#page/36/

• "The Freeman Genealogy": http://family.drumhop.com/getperson.php?personID=I51275&tree=1

• Source: S163 Title: History of Sudbury, Massachusetts. 1638-1889, The Abbreviation: History of Sudbury 1889 Author: Hudson, Alfred Sereno Publication: R.H. Blodgett, Boston, 1889 Repository: #R18
• Repository: R18 Name: Allen County Public Library Address: City: Ft Wayne State: IN
• Source: S552 Title: Who Begot Thee? Abbreviation: Who Begot Thee? Author: Gilbert O. Bent
• Source: S64 Title: Pioneers of Massachusetts Abbreviation: MA, Pioneers of Author: Pope Publication: 1900