Francis BROWN  I (ca. 1632 – 1691) was Alex’s 10th Great Grandfather, one of 2,048 in this generation of the Shaw line and one of 2,048  in the Miller line.  (See his grandson Thomas BROWNE for details of the double ancestors)

We have five separate Brown lines and seven different Brown immigrant ancestors, by far the most of any surname.  When the surname is of English origin it is derived from a nickname concerning the complexion of an individual, or the colour of their hair. Brown is derived from the Old English brun, brūn; Middle English brun, broun; or Old French brun.

1. John BROWNE Sr. (Swansea). (1583 Hawkedon, Suffolk  – 1662 Swansea, Mass)

John BROWN Jr.  (1620 -1662 Rehoboth, Mass)

2. John BROWN (Hampton) (1589 London – 1677 Salem, Mass)

3.  Nicholas BROWN (1601 Inkberrow, Worcester – 1694 Reading, Mass)

4. James BROWNE (1605 Southhampton, Hampshire  -1676 Salem, Mass.)

5. Thomas BROWNE (1607 Christian Malford, Wiltshire – 1687 Newbury, Mass.)

Francis BROWN I (1633  Christian Malford, Wiltshire – 1691  Newbury, Mass.)

Francis Brown was baptized 1 Jan 1633 in Chritian Malford, Wiltshire, England.  His parents were Thomas BROWN and Mary HEALY.  Alternatively, his mother’s maiden name was Mary Endoe.   Francis sailed with his parents  from Southampton 5 April 1635 on the ship James, William Cooper-Master, arriving in Boston on 3 June 1635. The manifest of the ship “James” shows only “Thomas Brown-Weaver”, but it is assumed that his wife Mary and their first born child, Francis, was with him on this journey.

Francis married Mary JOHNSON on 21 Nov 1653 in Newbury, Mass.  He married second, Mary Woodhouse, at Newbury on 31 Dec 1678. Francis died in 1691 in Newbury.  The appraised value of his estate was  £661, 17s so he was a successful investor in property.

Mary Johnson was born in 1638 in Andover, Mass.  Her parents were John JOHNSONand Susanna [__?__] Mary died 4 Apr 1678 in Newbury.

Mary Woodhouse was born on 14 Jan 1638/39 in Boston, Suffolk, Mass. Her parents were Richard Woodhouse and Mary [__?__]. She first married in 1659 to George Pierce.  After George died, she married in 1667 in Newbury, Essex Co, MA to Joseph Morse (b. 1634 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England – d. 15 Jan 1678 in Piscataqua, NH.) Joseph was the son of Anthony MORSE and Ann COX.    Finally, she married Francis Brown on 31 Dec 1678 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.  Mary died 30 Sep 1679 in Boston at the age of 40.

Children of John and Mary:

Modern day Turkey Hill Road, Newburyport view from Google Maps. The farm is less than half a mile from I95.    View Larger Map

7 May 1659 – Newbury General Town Meeting.

Francis Brown proposed to Exchang about an hundred acres of his farme that lyeth in or about the Owle swamp to be laid out upon the southwesterly part of Turkey hill. The Towne Granted it, and appointed Richard Knight. Archelaus Woodman. William Titcomb & John Bayley to veiw it and to lay it out so it be not prejuditiall for the Towne.

According to the order of the Towne May 7″‘ 1659 we have veiwed ffrancis Brownes land by Turkey hill, and we find at the Swamp called the Owle Swamp a parcell of land joyning to Georg Littles on the west and so Joyning unto the Co1iion on the other Quarters.

Which in Consideration of ffrancis Browne his resigning up into the Townes hands one hundred and three acres of Land in the place afore said, which he doth by these presents. We have laid out unto ffrancis Browne an hundred and three acres of land as followeth (that is to say): begining by a Marked tree by a stake on the side of Turkey hill and so rufling on a south west poynt unto a wall nut tree by a Brooke one hundred and twenty Rod, being in all on the Northwest poynt two hundred and twelve Rods, and from thence rufiing easterly an hundred and twelve rods unto an other marked tree, and from thenc rufiing Northerly eighty rods unto a white oak marked uppon a little Hill by the Birchen meadows, and from thenc runing over the meadow to the old bounds, and so rufiing to a poynt wher we began.

Richard Knight
Archelaus Woodman
W1ll1am Titcomb
John Bayley

Children

1. Elizabeth Brown

Elizabeth’s husband David Perkins was born 28 Feb 1653 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire. His parents were Abraham Perkins and Mary Wyeth. His grandparents were John PERKINS and Judith GATER. David died 1 Oct 1736, aged 88 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire.

David settled in Beverly about 1675.  His wife was admitted to the Church there 29th 5 mo 1683.     He was a blacksmith.  He bought lands in Beverly in 1677 and 1680, one parcel of which was an orchard, bought of John Smpson, bounded on land of Mr. Hale, and “Cow Lane,” south and west by land formerly Richard Haines, being eight rods below the “Great Rock.”  He was a juryman at Salem, 1688, and had sold the most of his lands in Beverly prior to that time. He Moved to Bridgewater (South) in 1688, and bought lands of the sons of Solomon Leonard.  In 1694 he built the mill in Bridgewater (South).  This mill was situated where Lazell, Perkins & Company’s mill was in 1840.

He was a man of great influence and high character, and in his time the most noted man of the town.  He was the first Representative from Bridgewater to the General Court of Massachusetts, after the union of the two Colonies, 1692, 1694, and from 1704 to 1707.  His wife Elisabeth was dismissed from the church in 1735, aged 80 (g.s.).

In his will of June 17,1736, he names sons David, Abraham, Thomas sole executor, and Nathan deceased; grandsons David and Jonathan, Nathan, Timothy, James and Solomon, and granddaughters Martha and Silence.”.

4. Mary Brown

Mary’s husband William Elliott was born 1 Jan 1655 in East Coker, Somerset, England. His parents were Andrew Eliot and Grace Woodier. William died 19 Feb 1721 in Beverly, Mass

5. Sarah Brown

Sarah’s husband Hugh Pike was born 1657 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. After Sarah died, he married 19 Dec 1692 in Salisbury, Essex, Mass. to Mary Pierce (b. 20 Jun 1660 in Boston, Suffolk, Mass. – d. 1717 in Newbury) Hugh died 22 Dec 1727 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.

Hugh seemed to have acquired both land and goods. He had an interest in a sloop called “Hopewell,” of which he bequeathed to each of his children a fifth part of his interest; besides which he gives his son Hugh “his biggest gun, half his wearing apparel, and one hundred acres of land at Cock’s Hall, so called.”

Hugh was carpenter or housewright.  Soldier in King Philip’s War, in 1676. He was at the defence of Hatfield in April, and at Hadley in September of the same year; took oath of allegiance and fidelity in 1676, aged twenty-one, showing him to have been a foreigner and a mere youth when he went to help fight the Indians in 1676.

He signed a will on 10 Jun 1694:

To son Joseph, his least gun, one hundred acres of land at Cock’s Hall and half his wearing apparel.

Gives son Solomon one-half of all his housings and land in Newbury; he to pay daughter (grandaughter ?) Nancy Springer, and Sarah French, twenty shillings in bills of credit, within six months.

Gives son Joshua Pike the one-half of housings and lands in Newbury; he to pay son Solomon one-half of what Solomon has paid out on same within four years in bills of credit, etc.

Gives daughter Mary French half his household stuff not disposed of elsewhere, one-half of all provisions in the house and half his swine.

Gives daughter Hannah Springer same as Mary French, also a cow.

Gives granddaughter Nancy Pike one feather bed with bedding and furniture belonging thereto.

Gives grandchildrern one hundred acres of land at Cock’s Hall, to be equally divided between them.

The three hundred acres at Cock’s Hall appears to have been purchased by him for a valuable sum (not named) from one John Burnham, “being part of a tract of land which myself and divers others purchased of Mr. Harlakenden Symonds, of Ipswich, which tract of land is six miles in length and four in breadth, known by the name of Cock’s Hall, in ye County of Yorkshire, in ye Province of Maine.” This is the present town of Lyman, Maine, about twelve miles from Saco.)

6. John BROWN (See his page)

8. Joseph Brown

Joseph’s wife Sarah [__?__]

Sources:

http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/b_b.htm

http://stanleyhistory.net/descnarratives/ThomasBrowne.htm

http://www.bereanonline.com/ipb.htm#Brown

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~colby/colbyfam/b78.html

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=10660158&st=1