Abraham Browne

- Abt 1650

• Name	Abraham Browne  [1]
  Born	Swan Hall, Hawkedon, County Suffolk, England
  Gender	Male
  Anecdote	The following is from Family Memorials of Watertown: ABRAHAM BROWNE, a younger brother, or & nephew of the Elder, Richard Browne. [See note 7.] He was a very early settler_ perhaps one of the first of Watertown, and was admitted freeman. March 6th, 1631-2. He was a land surveyor, and, a» in manifest from the records, in the early municipal transactions of the town, he received important appointment, and trusts more numerous than were conferred upon any other person. No two men were more respected and confided in, than he and his relative, Richard Browne. The records of the town do not embrace the transactions of the first four years after the settlement. They commence in 1634, extend to Nov. 28, 1643, when there occurs a hiatus of four years, and recommence Nov. 8, 1647. He was selectman from 1636 to 1643, inclusive. In 1634, he was appointed, in conjunction with Robert Seeley, to survey all the lots that are granted; and they were also appointed conservators of timber trees—none to be cut down without their assent. In 1635, he was one of the seven freemen appointed to divide every man "his propriety" of meadow and upland, that is ploughable, and the rest to lie common. In the same year, he was appointed, with John Warren, to lay out all highways, and to see that they are repaired. Also, to survey the lots granted by the selectmen. In 1638, ordered that all lots, both of freemen and foreigners, shall be measured and bounded by Abraham Browne, who shall give & note of each survey to be enrolled in the town books. In the same year, he and Thomas Bartlett were appointed to measure and lay out the remote meadows, according to their best judgment. He was also appointed, with four others, to lay out the farms as they are ordered, and they were authorized to include any rock or swamp in any survey, not counting it in the number of acres. In 1639, the highway from Dorchester Field to the Flats, as Abraham Browne laid it out was confirmed forever. Also, the highway leading from Robert Jennison's to the river, betwixt the lands of John Barnard and Jeremiah Nororoes, together with about half an acre of land on the river, for the landing of goods, was ordered to remain forever, as laid out by Abraham Browne, Ap. 30, 1839. Also, that when Ab. Brown shall lay out any whole squadron of the great lots, they to whom the Land belongs shall make him present pay. In 1640, Abraham Browne, “ Surveyor of the Town,” was directed to survey the subdivisions of the Hither and Farther Plains; and the next year (1641), ho was directed to do the same. Also, it was ordered that he have 4d, the acre for surveying the two plains and the remote meadows. Also, he was empowered, 1643, to warn trespassers on public timber, and to have one-fourth of the fines. Oct. 7, 1641, the General Court appointed him one of the committee for laying out the 1000 acres of land granted to the Artillery Company at its first organization. The Court Records of Middlesex County, show that Oct. 1, 1850, his Will and Inventory were "accepted at court." And an order of court, made Oct. 6, 1691, respecting the final settlement of his estate, recites of him as “ deceased in the year 1650." These dates indicate, it is thought, satisfactorily, the year of his decease ; though there are some circumstances that favor the belief that ne died between the close of 1643 and 1648. The latest mention of his name in the Town Records, is Nov. 28, 1643, which is the latest date previous to the before-mentioned hiatus of four years. It is, therefore, unknown when his public services terminated. And his name does not occur in the Records between Nov. 8, 1647, when they recommence, and 1650, the supposed date of his decease, it is that ill health or body infirmity had compelled him to withdraw from his very large participation in public business. No original Will of Abraham Browne has been discovered, but in the files of the County Court for 1670, is found the following, which, by the concluding certificate, purports to be a copy of it. "The last Will and Testament of Abraham Browne, of Watertowne, dec’d being of good and perfect memory but Weake, as is witnessed by us whose names are here under written. Impr. : after the decease of his wife, he gave and bequeathed onto his two sones, Jonathan and Abraham Browne, his house and lands ; but giving liberty to his wife, that if shee had need shee might sell some parcels of it. Also, he gave and bequeathed onto his two daughters, Sarah Browne and Mary Browne, each of them one ewe sheep, having each of them one before, as was testified. The rest of his goods and estate he gave onto Lydea, his wife, making her his sole executrix to perform this, his Will and Teatament. Witnesses Richard Browne, John Whitney. Entered out of the original on file with the Register, at Cambridge, in the County of Midd., in New England, and is a true coppie, being compared and examined by Tbomas Danforth, Recorder," This instrument resembles a synopsis, more than a literal copy of an original Will. It is not improbable that it was a nuncupative Will, and the above a copy of the declaration by the witnesses of its provisions. There was mcch delay and probably some difficulty in settling his estate, and the settlement seems to have been made finally in entire disregard of the provisions of the Will. On the 6th Oct., 1691, the Court ordered the parties concerned in the estate of Abraham Browne, of Watertown, deceased in the year 1650, be sent for, to attend the adjournment of the Court, in order to a settlement of said estate ; and they appointed a committee, consisting of John Ward, Jonathan Remington, and Thomas Greenwood, to make proposals for said settlment. The claimants were, 1. The heirs of Jonathan Browne, deceased. the eldest son. 2. George Woodward, in right of his wife, only dr. of Abraham Browne, Jr., deceased. 3. John Parkharet, son of one of the daughters of said Abraham Browne, Senr. 4. The heirs of (T) Isaac Lewis, deceased, who were children of another dr. of said Abraham Browne. 5. William Lakin, in right of his wife, youngest daughter of said Abraham Browne. Owing, as they said, to a change in the government of the Colony, by the coming over of a new Charter, the committee did not report until Jan. 22, 1693-4. They assigned 2/6 (a double portion) of the estate to the heirs of Jonathan, and the other 4/6 to the other four claimants. At the same time they recommended that these four claimants should sell their shares to Abraham Browne, eldest son of Jonathan, deceased, who was then ready to purchase ; and in that manner the estate was settled. It appears from the schedules of possessions, that, besides a pond of one acre, 11 lots of Land were granted to Abraham Browne, the town surveyor, and that previous to 1642, he bad purchased 4 other lots, amounting to 39 A , one of which, a 30 A. lot in the Great Dividends, had been granted to his kinsman, John Browne. Two of the lots granted to him were homestalls. The first, upon which he probably settled at first, contained 10 A., and was at the east of Mount Auburn. His second homestall of 28 A., to which he is supposed to have removed very early, was bounded on the E. by the way to the Little Plain (now Howard Street) ; N. by Sudbury Road (now Main Street) ; S. by the way to Beaver Plains, sometimes called the way betwixt lots (now Pleasant Street) ; W. by his own land. Two other lots granted to him, one of 10 A. and the other of 6 A., were contiguous to the homestall on the West, and in the schedule of 1642, they were deemed parts of the homestall, which was then enrolled as 40 A. He must have purchased other adjoining lands not long afterwards, as in the final settlement of his estate in 1694, his homestall contained 60 acres. The Committee, appointed by the Court to settle the estate, made an Inventory, in 1694 (of lands only), amounting to £187; viz.: homestall 60 A. £100; remote meadow,10 A., £12; salt marsh, 4 A., £20; farm land, 107 A., £15; lot on Charles River, 10 A. £10. This is probably the only instance (unless the grant to Deacon Simon Stone be an exception), where an original grant has remained in the possession of the direct descendants of a grantee to the present time. As above stated, this property passed by inheritance and purchase, to his grandson, Capt. Abraham Browne. Although it is stated, in the report of the committee for settling the estate, that Abraham " was ready to purchase” the shires of the other claimants, subsequent transactions render it probable that he acted in behalf of the widow and other heirs of his father, and that he never became the proprietor of the whole homestall of 60 acres. From Capt Abraham B., a part of the land belonging to him passed by Will to his son Samuel, who occupied a part of his house. After his death his son Samuel, about 1739, moved to Leicester, and not long after this, the property was mortgaged to Capt John Homans, who probably occupied it only a few years, when tho mortgage was cancelled by Jonathan eldest son of Capt Abraham. From Jonathan it passed to his son Jonathan, Jr.. Esq. From him it passed to his son Major Adam Brown, and it is now, at least a part of it, in the occupancy of his heirs. (This was written in 1855.) The dwelling-house, now standing, on this ancient homestall, is probably, with the exception of the ancient " Nathaniel Bright house,1' considerably older than any other in the town. The "new part,” next the road, was built and occupied by Capt. Abraham B., when be relinquished the old or south part to the use of his son Samuel. The accompanying out is a view of this house, as at present seen from the northeast. (The book includes a drawing of the house.) His wid., Lydia, m., Nov. 27, 1659, Andrew Hodges, of Ipswich (proprietor of Ipswich in 1639, where his wife, Ann, d. Nov. 15, 1658). He died Dec. 1665, and his wid. Returned to Wal., where she d. Sept. 27, 1686. By wife LYDIA, he (A. B.) had 6 chil., of whom, at least one, and probably tow were b. in England. The earliest record of a birth in Wal. Was that of his dr. Lydia.
  Immigration	Massachusetts
  Will	No original Will of Abraham Browne has been discovered, but in the files of the County Court for 1670, is found the following, which, by the concluding certificate, purports to be a copy of it. "The last Will and Testament of Abraham Browne, of Watertowne, dec’d being of good and perfect memory but Weake, as is witnessed by us whose names are here under written. Impr. : after the decease of his wife, he gave and bequeathed onto his two sones, Jonathan and Abraham Browne, his house and lands ; but giving liberty to his wife, that if shee had need shee might sell some parcels of it. Also, he gave and bequeathed onto his two daughters, Sarah Browne and Mary Browne, each of them one ewe sheep, having each of them one before, as was testified. The rest of his goods and estate he gave onto Lydea, his wife, making her his sole executrix to perform this, his Will and Teatament. Witnesses Richard Browne, John Whitney. Entered out of the original on file with the Register, at Cambridge, in the County of Midd., in New England, and is a true coppie, being compared and examined by Tbomas Danforth, Recorder," This instrument resembles a synopsis, more than a literal copy of an original Will. It is not improbable that it was a nuncupative Will, and the above a copy of the declaration by the witnesses of its provisions.
  Died	Abt 1650	Waltham, Massachusetts
  Person ID	I2151	Our Family
  Last Modified	27 Sep 2016

  
  

  Father	Thomas Browne,   b. Abt 1515, Swan Hall, Hawkedon, County Suffolk, England ,   d. Abt Dec 1590  (Age ~ 75 years)
  Mother	Joan
  Married	Y  [1]
  Family ID	F848	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Lydia,   b. England ,   d. 27 Sep 1686, Waltham, Massachusetts
  Married	Yes, date unknown
  Children	1. Lydia Browne,   b. 22 Mar 1632/33, Wailtham, Massachusetts   2. Jonathan Browne,   b. 15 Oct 1635,   d. Mar 1691  (Age 55 years)   3. Mary Browne   4. Sarah Browne,   b. England   5. Hannah Browne,   b. Mar 1638/39,   d. Mar 1638/39  (Age ~ 0 years)   6. Abraham Browne,   b. 5 Mar 1639/40,   d. 1667  (Age 26 years)
  Last Modified	18 Dec 2016
  Family ID	F752	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

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  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S291] Watertown, MA.