Thomas Brownell (bef. 1608 - 1664)

Born before 5 Jun 1608 in Rawmarsh Parish, Ryecroft, Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Anne (Bourne) Brownell — married 20 Mar 1638 in St. Benet Paul's Wharf, City of London, England

Descendants

Died 24 Sep 1664 after age 56 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, New England, Colony of England

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

Biography

Thomas Brownell was born in England.

Thomas Brownell was son of Robert & Mary (Wilson) Brownell who were married 1605 at Sheffield in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Thomas Brownell, baptized 5 June 1608 at Rawmarsh Co. York, England.

Sponsors: Thomas Wright, Thomas Dyson Johanes Waynewright.^[1][2]

[Sister?:]

Ann Brownell, 28 July 1611 at Rawmarsh.

Sponsors: Ant. Goodwyn, An Goodwyn, An Wright.

Thomas Brownell was apprenticed to his uncle Thomas Wilson:

On 24 July 1629 Thomas Brownell of Yorkshire, son of Robert Brownell, farmer, of Rawe Marsh, Yorkshire was apprenticed to Thomas Wilson of the Company of Clothworkers for a term of 7 years.^[3]

Thomas Brownell m. Anne Bourne at St. Benets & St. Peters, Paul's Wharf, London March 20,1637/38^[4] and came to New England about 1640. (Transcript - Mar.16,1640) (see published registers).

Thomas and Anne Brownell were the first members of the Brownell family to emigrate to America. Most Brownells in the United States and Canada are descended from them. They arrived in New England in 1638, on board the ship Whale. According to the ship's passenger list, they had lived in the London parish of St. Mary Colechurch before making the journey to America.

Thomas and Anne Brownell settled first in Mt. Wollaston (later known as Braintree) Massachusetts, where Thomas was a "planter" or farmer. The first record of him there is in the notebook or legal memoranda of Thomas Lechford. He sold "a house, a garden and six acres of arable land in Braintree" to Deodatus Curtis. The deed is undated, but occurs between entries of 26 May and 11 June 1640.

Sometime between 1639 and 1641, Thomas and Anne moved to the settlement of Portsmouth on Rhode Island (currently known as Aquidneck Island) . Since their first child, Mary, was born in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1639, and their second child, Sarah, was born in Rhode Island in 1641, the timeframe seems plausible. See below for more about early Rhode Island.

It was among these "heretics" that Thomas and Anne chose to make their permanent home in America. While there are no records which state that the Brownells moved to Portsmouth in 1640, the record of the sale of their house in Braintree in 1640 would make that a logical conclusion. Their remaining eight children are said to have been born in Portsmouth; although, as in Braintree, there are no records to substantiate this.

He is called cousin, of Portsmouth, R.I. in the will of Thomas Wilson the elder, citizen & cloth worker of London but now resident of Rycroft in the parish of Rawmarsh, Co. of York, dated 25 Feb.1657, proved 14 Feb.1658(9), by which he and his children were given L 20 - (Register Vol.46 p.454-5).^[5]

Death

On the afternoon of 24 September 1664, Thomas Brownell, then age 56, was killed in an accident while on his way from his farm at the northwest end of Rhode Island to Portsmouth. (The Brownells, as was typical of most settlers at that time, probably did not live on their farm. They would also have had a small lot in Portsmouth where they built their home and lived, going to their farm during the day to work.) Thomas left behind a wife, Anne, and nine children, ranging in age from nine to twenty-five years.

According to the testimony of Daniel Lawton, Brownell had stopped at the home of Lawton's father, Thomas Lawton, and upon leaving, invited Daniel, aged 21, to ride with him the rest of the way to Portsmouth. The ride soon became a race when Thomas put his horse to a gallop as they came down the hill near William Wodel's property, located about halfway between the Brownell farm and the town of Portsmouth. The younger man soon caught up with and passed Thomas.

As he continued the race to Portsmouth, Lawton looked back to see where Brownell was. Seeing his riderless horse running towards a swamp he immediately turned his horse around and caught Brownell's horse.

He then retraced his way until he came upon Brownell lying on the ground near a tree. He called out to him, but received no response and so dismounted to check on him. Taking him by the arms and seeing the great amount of blood on the ground, Lawton realized that Thomas Brownell was dead.

The following day a coroner's jury, with Samuel Wilbur as foreman, made an inquest into the accident. Testimony was taken from Daniel Lawton and details about the scene of the accident were given.

The jury's conclusion was that Brownell, riding furiously down the hill, was either thrown against or hit the tree. The broken reins of his bridle had been found next to the body and there was blood and hair sticking to the tree. His skull was broken and his "brains came out," thus causing his death.

(The above narrative is based on the following records found in Rhode Island Historical Society Collections, Vol. XXV [July 1932], "The Lands of Portsmouth, RI, and a Glimpse of Its People," by Edward H. West, pp. 77-78 Internet Archive, as well as in the E.E. Brownell Collection.).

Inquest Into The Death of Thomas Brownell

The testimony of Daniel Lawton aged about twenty-one years or thereabouts being according to law upon oath engaged testifieth that yesterday in the afternoon Mr. Brownell being at the deponents fathers house, Mr. Brownell asked the deponent wither he would ride towards Portsmouth town along with him, the deponent answered he would so they both ride together, and when they were come down the hill at the head of William Wodels ground, Mr. Brownell put his horse on a gallop afore the deponent, whereupon this deponent also put on his horse and presently out run Mr. Brownell and got afore him, and so continued on his gallop some distance of way afore he lookt back but at length looking back to see where Mr. Brownell was he spied his horse running alone out of the way into a swamp whereupon this deponent forth with, not mistrusting eminent danger to the man ran and turned horse and brought him into the way where presently he saw Mr. Brownell lying on the ground, and the deponent called but none answering he let horse go and went up to him and took him by the arms, whereby and also by the efusion of very much blood from him on the ground he perceived the sayd Mr. Brownell was dead. This deponent doth testify the above written.

Before us the 25th of September 1664

William Baulston, Asst.

John Sanford, Asst.

These to the Coroner Mr. William Baulston Assistant - We of the Inquest being apointed and Engaged to Sit on the Body or Corpse of Thomas Brownell of Portsmouth; who was found dead on the high way against the upper end of the land of William Wodell yesterday being the 24th of this instant month.

This is our Return judgement and since thereon, We find by Evident Signs and apearances, as a very great Efusion of Blood, and the Raines of his bridle being broken and lying near by him, as also an apparent signs of a Stroke on a tree near to where he lay and some blood and hair sticking on the Sayd tree That the Sayd Brownell came by his death thus he Riding furiously with his horse down hill was throwne or dashed against the sayd tree, and his Skull Broke and to our understanding his Brains came out This we find was the Cause of his death.

Signed with the full agreement and Consent of the rest of the Jury, the 25th Sept 1664

Samuel Wilbure, forman.

Estate

On 9-16-1665, c. 1 year after Thomas’s death, Portsmouth’s Town Council, acting as a Probate Court, awarded his widow Anne a life estate in half of the intestate decedent’s realty (the widow to choose her half) and awarded to eldest son George the remainder interest plus the other half of the realty, said half to vest when he came of age (in about 2 years). ^[6] This division followed applicable law of intestate succession except that a widow’s right of dower was a life estate in one-third, not one-half, of her husband’s realty. The Council’s Order appointed the widow administrator of Thomas’s estate and imposed on her the obligation to pay legacies of 10 shillings to her two married daughters Mary and Sarah and 20 pounds to each of her 6 other children (see “Children” below) except George when they married (or attained age 21 if male). The Order required Anne to post a bond of 200 pounds to secure her performance of those obligations.

There is no record of any inventory of the estate. However, the amounts of the legacies suggest the estate’s total value was substantial.

The Council’s Order directed the administrator to honor a contract made before Thomas’s death. It also provided for various contingencies, e.g., an heir’s death before that heir’s interest had vested or the widow’s death before her obligations imposed by the Order were satisfied.

The Town Council’s Order proves the identity of the 9 Brownell children named including Susanna who was not found among some genealogical lists of Thomas’s children. The order in which the male heirs were listed in said Order (George, Robert, William, Thomas) suggests the 3 younger sons were born in that order, not the order in which they are listed in some family histories.

Several transcripts of this document (decree of the Town Council of Portsmouth?) are incomplete because of the condition of the original. The document had been folded in half twice and the words at each fold are rather difficult to make out. By enlarging a photocopy of the document, the wording becomes more clear and thus we are able to get a complete and accurate transcript of the document. The original is on file at the Portsmouth Town Hall.

Children

Unsourced birth years range from 1639 to 1655 (Birthdates are unknown - - no birth records. Following are their dates of death. WHAT IS THE SOURCE FOR DATES OF DEATH?

1. Mary Brownell-11, d. 28 Jan 1739
2. Sarah Brownell-164, d. 6 Sep 1676
3. Martha Brownell-13, d. 15 Feb 1743/44
4. George Brownell-1520, d. 20 Apr 1718
5. Ann Brownell-27, d. 21 Apr 1747
6. William Brownell-119, d.1 Aug 1715
7. Thomas Brownell-133, d. 18 May 1732
8. Robert Brownell-103, d. 12 Jul 1728
9. Susanna Brownell-99, d. after 27 Apr 1709 -- disputed

About Early Rhode Island

In 1638, Portsmouth was settled by a group of supporters of Anne Hutchinson who had been banished from Boston after excommunication from the Boston Church. With the help of Roger Williams the Island of Aquidneck was purchased from the Indians and a settlement was established at an area called Pocasset. The name was changed to Portsmouth the following year.

The settlements of Newport and Portsmouth were situated on what is commonly called Aquidneck Island today, but it was called Rhode Island in Colonial times. Providence Plantation was the name of the colony founded by Roger Williams in the area now known as the city of Providence. This was adjoined by the settlement of Warwick; hence the plural Providence Plantations.

In 1644, Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport united for their common independence as the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, governed by an elected council and "president".^{[citation needed]}

Sources

1. ↑ According to RAWMARSH: The Baptism Registers for Rawmarsh, 1600-1609 (http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Rawmarsh/RawmarshBaptisms1600-1609) he was baptized on June 5, 1608, with Thomas Wright, Thomas Dyson, and Johanna Wainwright as guardians (godparents?)
2. ↑ Image: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9FC-Y7MY?cc=4319956&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3A6823-H3JP
3. ↑ https://www.londonroll.org/event/?company=clw&event_id=CLLL22064
4. ↑ Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1624/images/31281_a101170-00052?pId=5557581). London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database on-line], City of London, St Benet Paul's Wharf, 1619-1732, image 50. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data:Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1812. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives. (Free image by Ancestry.com: https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/26125966?h=028470&utm_campaign=bandido-webparts&utm_source=post-share-modal&utm_medium=copy-url) Record is on the right hand side of the book about a third of the way down.
5. ↑ Will of Thomas Wilson Henry Fitz-Gilbert Waters's "Genealogical Gleanings in England," Vol 1 p 646
6. ↑ Brownell, Bill, ed., “The Brownell Chronicle” Vol. 1 #3 (1994)

See also:

• Samuel A. Bates, ed., Records of the Town of Braintree, MA, 1640 to 1793, 1886, p. 628.

• Charles E. Banks, Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England, 1620-1650, [Baltimore, 1981] p.109.

• The Registers of St. Benet's and St. Peter's, Paul's Wharf, on microfilm at the London Guildhall Library.

• Transcript of Parish Registers, St. Mary's Rawmarsh Parish Church, South Yorkshire. Vol. !, Baptism 1558 - 1637, On deposit at Sheffield City Libraries. Transcribed by Wath & Mexborough Archives, 1987, p.53. Hereafter Rawmarsh Register, Vol. 1.

• Carl Boyer, Ancestral Lines, Third Edition, Santa Clarita, California, 1998, pp. 178-179.

• Rawmarsh Register, Vol. 1, pp. 15 and 31.

• Note-Book Kept By Thomas Lechford, Esq., Cambridge, MA: John Wilson and Son, University Press, 1885, pp. 252-253.

• William Aspinwall's Notarial Record, cited in the Boston Evening Transcript, 28 October 1935, Comment on Note 2783.

Wilbur-403 11:16, 8 February 2017 (EST)

• Ruth Ellsworth Richardson, Samuel Richardson and Josiah Ellsworth: History and genealogy of the Richardson and Ellsworth families of Massachusetts, Private Publisher, 1974; Call Number: CS71.R52

• Devere Allen, The Allen Families and 83 Connected Families, Wilton, Connecticut, January 1947; Call Number: RI929.2

• Waldo Chamberlain Sprague, Genealogies of the Families of Braintree, Ma. 1640-1850,

• George Grant Brownell, Compiled Genealogy: Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Thomas Brownell, (Orig. pub. 1910, Jamestown, NY) Reprinted 1985 (Richardson Reprints: Grass Valley, CA). DPL 929.29073 B884YB

• The History and Antiquities of Colchester, in the County of Essex. Philip

• Benjamin Franklin Wilbour, Little Compton Families</i> (Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003) p 87; link

• http://brownellfamily.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ThomasDies.html [subscription required]

• Thomas Brownell on Find A Grave: Memorial #34694552 Retrieved 17:12, 11 March 2017 (EST).