Thomas BRIGHAM (1576 – 1632) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather; one of 4,096 in this generation of the Miller line.

Thomas Brigham was born 21 May 1576 in Holme-on-Spaulding-Moor, East Riding Yorkshire, England. His parents were Richard BRIGHAM and Gillian TWELISON (Chillian, Tryelinson, Trevlin, Twelson, or Tryelinson) He had four brothers and a sister, named John, William, Richard, Robert and Elizabeth. He was the third oldest of the six children. He married Isabel WATSON 4 Feb 1600/01 in Holme On Spaulding Moor, Yorkshire, England. Thomas died 19 Mar 1632 in Holme On Spaulding Moor, Yorkshire, England

Isabel Watson was born 21 Feb 1561 in Holme On Spaulding Moor, Yorkshire, England. Her parents were James WATSON and Margaret [__?__]. She is mentioned in the wills of her father, James Watson, dated 10 July, 1615, her sister Isabel Brigham dated 8 June, 1634, and her brother-in-law Robert5 Brigham, dated 5 Sept., 1640. (P. and E. York Wills, vol. 34, fol. 95, vol. 42, fol. 281, and original will for 1640.) Isabelle had two brothers and eleven sisters, named William, Christopher, Dorothy, Daughter, Miss, Miss, Daughter, Daughter, Prudence, Constance, Katharine, Miss and Daughter. She first married Richard Ellithorpe 27 Oct 1582 in Holme-On Spaulding-Moor, Yorkshire, England. Isabel died 25 Jun 1634 in Holme On Spaulding Moor, Yorkshire, England.

Richard Ellithorpe was born 1560 in Holme On Spaulding Moor, Yorkshire, England. Richard died 1597 in Holme On Spalding Moor, Yorkshire, England.

Thomas  and Isabel Brigham  may be buried at the Church on Spaulding Moor

Children of Thomas and Isabel:

Thomas’ brother John married Isabel’s sister Constance. John Brigham married Constance Watson 30 Sep 1599 in Holme on Spalding Moor. Their son Thomas Brigham (1603-1653) accompanied his own-cousin Anne (Brigham) Crosby, wife of Simon Crosby, to New England in the ship Susan and Ellen in April 1635. Thomas lived in Cambridge, Mass.

Parents and Ancestors

Thomas’ grandparents were Thomas BRIGHAM and Jennet MILLINGTON  

Isabel’s grandparents were James WATSON and Margaret SOTHERN.

Children

1. Constance BRIGHAM (See Robert CROSBY‘s page)

2. Anne Brigham

Anne’s husband Simon Crosby was born 1608 in Holme On Spalding Moor, Yorkshire, England. His parents were Thomas Crosby and Jane Sotheron. Simon died Sep 1639 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Mass.

Anne’s second husband Rev. William Tompson was born 1598 in Lancashire, England.  His parents were William Thompson and Phillis [__?__]. He first married about 1625 in England to Abigail Collins (b. 17 Oct 1591 in Bramford, Suffolk, England – d. 1 Jan 1642 in Braintree). William died 10 Dec 1666 in Braintree, Norfolk, Mass.

William Tompson matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford University, England, 28 Jan 1619-20, aged 22, where he received the degree of B.A. 28 Feb 1621/22. He was curate at Winwick, but being persecuted for non-conformity he immigrate to New England in 1636. He was engaged first at Kittery or York, Maine, but after the church was institituted at Braintree 17 Sep 1639, was ordained there along with Rev. Henry Flint 19 Nov 1639

Freeman 13 May 1640 and received grant of 120 acres. In 1645 he was Chaplain for a quota of 200 men raised for campaign against Indians.  Wrote book “An Answer to Mr. Charles Herle” published in 1644 & 1650.

A modest & brotherly ansvver to Mr. Charles Herle his book against the independency of churches : wherein his foure arguments for the government of synods over particular congregations, are friendly examined and clearly answered : together with Christian and loving animadversions upon sundry other observable passages in the said booke : all tending to declare the true use of synods, and the power of congregationall churches in the points of electing and ordaining their owne officers and censuring their offendors

Author: Richard Mather; William Tompson
Publisher: London : Printed for Henry Overton …, 1644.

An heart-melting exhortation together with a cordiall consolation : presented in a letter from New-England to their dear countrymen of Lancashire : which may as well concern all others in these suffering times Author: Richard Mather; William Tompso Publisher: London : Printed by A.M. for I. Rothwell …, 1650.

In 1642 went as Missionary to Virginia but came back in 2 years. His wife died while he was absent on a mission with Rev. John Knowles and Thomas James to Virginia.

He was afflicted with melancholy in later years and died insane. He ‘fell into the Devil’s bath.’ as Cotton Mather’s Magnalia. III. cap. IVII. calls his state of melancholy.  He gave up his public ministry seven years.

William Tompson Gravestone — Hancock Cemetery, Quincy, Norfolk County, Mass.

Anne and Simon emigrated to New England on the Susan and Ellyn in the spring of 1635 to Cambridge Mass.   After Simon died, she married Rev. William Tompson of Braintree MA in 1645.  Anne died 11 Oct 1675 in Braintree, Mass.  Her grave is in the old Hancock burying ground in Quincy Mass.

Simon’s Parents – Thomas Crosby was born about 1575 in County York, England in either Holme-on-Spalding-Moor or Bubwith. He was the second child and only son of Anthony and Alison (Blanchard) Crosby.   Thomas’ father Anthony died in 1599 and Thomas inherited a hundred-acre farm in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor.  Thomas and Jane were married in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor on October 19, 1600. The couple had four sons:

i. Anthony Crosby, born about 1602
ii. Thomas Crosby, born about 1604
iii. William Crosby, born about 1606
iv. Simon Crosby, born about 1608

Tax records and other documents suggest that the family led a fairly well-to-do life.

Relatively late in life, Thomas and Jane emigrated to New England, possibly in the autumn of 1638 with a group of Reverend Ezekiel Rogers’ followers, but in any event prior to 1640. They may have lived with the widow of their son Simon in Cambridge, Massachusetts until she remarried in 1645 — at about that time, Thomas purchased a house in Cambridge. After a few years, he sold his holdings in Cambridge and the couple relocated, for the last time, to Rowley, Massachusetts. Thomas lived to over 85 years of age and died in Rowley in 1661, buried on May 6. Jane died the following year and was buried in Rowley on May 2, 1662.

Jane Sotheron, baptized in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor on March 4, 1581/82, was the daughter of William and Constance (Lambert) Sotheron. 1609 tax records indicate that William Sotheron was the wealthiest resident of the parish.

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Sources:

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=29915238&st=1

http://dustyhills.net/b8.htm#P1225