Elder William BREWSTER

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Son of William Brewster and Mary Smythe
• Death: 16 Apr 1644, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
• Death: 20 Apr 1644

Notes:

Elder William was educated at Cambridge University and became an attach, in the suite of William Davidson the English Ambassador to the Court of Holland, and afterwards with him suffered the displeasure of Queen Elizabeth. After spending some time in Leyden, he came to America in the MAYFLOWER, which landed at Plymouth Rock on December 21, 1620. His wife's name was Mary and she was known as "Dame Brewster."
The following interesting account is from Governor Bradford's list of Mayflower passengers:
"The names of those which came over first in ye year 1620 and were (by the blessing of God) the first beginners and (in a sort) the foundation of all the plantations and Colonies in New England (and their families)."
"Mr. William Brewster, Mary his wife with 2 sons whose names were Love and Wrasling and a boy was put to him called Richard More and another of his brothers the rest of his children were left behind and came over afterwards."
Elder William Brewster was Chaplain of the first Military Company organized at Plymouth under command of Captain Myles Standish. He served in the Indian wars. His son Jonathan Brewster was a member of the same company and took part in the Pequot War.

Abstract of his will:

Letters of administration on the estate were granted to his sons, Jona, and Love, June 5, 1644
Wearing apparell, household utensils & appraised by Capt STANDISH and JOHN DONE. May 10, 1644
Articles at his house in Duxbury, by STANDISH & PRENCE, May 18.
His Latin books by MR. BRADFORD, MR. PRENCE and MR. REYNER, May 18, sixty three volumes
His English books by MR. BRADFORD and MR. PRENCE. Between three and four hundred volumes

Excerpt from "Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines": William Brewster, son of William and Prudence (--) Brewster of Scrooby, England, lived a life of amazing variety, of infinite loyalty to principle, of marvelous endurance, and of great meekness and righteousness. He was born about 1566-1567, probably at or near Crooby, where his family certainly lived by the time he was five years old. As a youth, having prepared himself by the study of Latin and Greek, he matriculated on December 3, 1580, at St. Peter's more commonly called Peterhouse, the oldest of the courteen colleges which at that time formed the University of Cambridge. He did not complete the course (which then required seven years, sometimes twelve, fourteen, or more), and, indeed, he probably left the university by 1583-4, for about that time he entered the employ of William Davison, then an ambassador for, and later Secretary of State to, Queen Elizabeth. Inregard to this relation, it is said of William Brewster that Davison "trusted him above all other that were aboute him, and only imployed him in all matters of greatest trust and secrecie. He esteemed him rather as a sonne then a servante...... With Davison, William Brewster went into Holland in August, 1585, on a diplomatic mission, returning soon after January 22, 1585-6. Davision was presently deliberately and wrongfully accused by the Queen with responsibility for the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and in consequence was, on February 14, 1586-7, thrown into the Tower. Wiolliam Brewster remained near for some time to comfort and, if possible, to aid his friend and patron, but this occurrence definitely colsed his career in the political or diplomatic field. "Afterwards he wente and lived in ye country....," which doubtless meant at Scrooby.
It is recorded of him that "He did much good in ye countrie where he lived, in promoting and furthering religion, not only by his practiss & examply, and provoking and incouraging of others, but by procuring of good preachers to ye places theraboute, and drawing on of others to assiste & help forward in such a worke; he him selfe most comonly depest in ye charge, & some times above his abilities... After they were joyned togither in communion, he was a spetiall stay & help unto them. They ordinarily mett at his house (Scrooby) on ye Lords day, (which was a manor of ye bishops,) and with great love he entertained them when they came, making provission for them to his great charge." It seems, therefore, to have been the income from his interests and services at Scrooby which enabled William Brewster to entertain and aid the Separatists as he did.

William married Mary ? about 1590 in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England. Mary was born between 1565 and 1569 in England; died on 17 Apr 1627 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Burial Hill, Plymouth, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Became a Dutch citizen
• Military Service: 1637; Military Commissioner in the Pequot War
• Occupation: 1639; Served as deputy of General Court of Plymouth Colony
• Occupation: 1641; Served as deputy of General Court of Plymouth Colony
• Military Service: 1643; Member of Captain Myles Standish's Duxbury Company
• Occupation: 1644; Served as deputy of General Court of Plymouth Colony

Notes:

Jonathan came in the ship Fortune in November, 1621. He married Lucretia. She was probable a sister of John Oldham, who came to Plymouth on his 'perticular', about 1623, and who was called 'brother' by Jonathan. About 1630 Jonathan removed his family to Duxbury, from which place he was deputy to the General Court, Plymouth Colony, 1639, 1641-1644. He then removed to New London, Conn., about 1649, and settled in that part which later established as Norwich, his farm lying in both towns. Here he was deputy to the General Court of the Colony of Connecticut, 1650, 1655-1658.

In 1637 he was a military commissioner in the Pequot War; a member of the Duxbury Committee to raise forces in the Narragansett Alarm of 1642, and a member of Captain Myles Standish's Duxbury Company in the military enrollment of 1643.
REF: Winsor's Hist. Duxbury, p. 90; Peirce's Col. Lists p. 75 and 84 and Genl. Reg. Soc. Col. War, 1899-1902, pg 576

The descendants erected in the Brewster Cemetery, in 1855, a plain granite shaft about eight feet high, to the memory of Jonathan and his wife, Lucretia. A part of the inscription on the monument, referring to Jonahtan Brewster, says: "History speaks of his act," and to Lucretia Brewster there is the following: "A noble specimen of an enlightened, heroic Christian gentlewoman."

The Brewster Cemetery is at Brewster's Neck, between Poquetanuck Cove and the Thames River, in Connecticut. It contains about one square acre and is surrounded by a substantial stone wall, which was rebuilt in 1903.

Notes from William Brewster of the Mayflower and His Descendants for 4 Generations:
1. One of the men who undertook to discharge the debts of Plymouth Colony.
2. A freeman in 1633, he was active in the settlement of the town of Duxbury, Mass., incorporated June 7,1637.
3. Served as a surveyor, laid out highways, practiced as an attorney, and was styled "gentleman".
4. In 1638, established a ferry service to transport men and cattle across the North River. But sold this in 1641 to Messrs. Barker, Howell and others.

Jonathan married Lucretia OLDHAM on 10 Apr 1624 in Plymouth, Conn.. Lucretia (daughter of William OLDHAM and Phillipa SOWTER) was born in Derby, England; died between 04 Mar 1678 and 1679 in Brewster's Neck, Preston, New London, Conn.; was buried in Brewster Cemetery, Montville, CT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Patience arrived in the "Anne" about July 10, 1623 with Fear Brewster.

Patience married Gov. Thomas PRENCE on 05 Aug 1624 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Thomas (son of Thomas PRENCE and Elizabeth TODLERBY) was born before 1600 in Probable near Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England; died on 29 Mar 1673 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts; was buried on 08 Apr 1673. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Death: 01 Dec 1634, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Notes:

Fear married as his second wife, Isaac Allerton, The Pilgrim and had Isaac. born about 1630.

Fear married Isaac ALLERTON about 1626. Isaac (son of Bartholomew ALLERTON and Mary ?) was born about 1587 in Probably Suffolk Co., England; died on 12 Feb 1659 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Admitted a Freeman of the Colony
• Fact 1: Served on the grand jury from Duxbury
• Military Service: 1637; Served as a Pequot War volunteer
• Military Service: 1643; Member of Captain Myles Standish's Duxbury Company

Notes:

Love and Sarah had 4 children: Sarah m. Benjamin Bartlett, Nathaniel m. Sarah, William m. Lydia Partridge and Wrestling m. Mary.

Abstracts of the Earliest Wills:

LOVE BREWSTER (Duxbury)

Will dated October 1, 1650, and exhibited at Court, March 4, 1650. To children, NATHANIEL, the heir apparent, the estate in Duxbury; WILLIAM, WRESTLING, and SARAH. And to his three sons jointly "all such land as is of right due to mee by purchase and first coming into the land, which was in the yeare, 1620." His wife SARAH, executrix. Witness by MYLES STANDISH.
Invemtory (including books to the number of 30 volumes) taken January 31, 1650, by WILLIAM COLLIER and CAPT. STANDISH. Amount, L97.7.1.

A Passenger of the "Mayflower".

Love married Sarah COLLIER on 15 May 1634 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Sarah (daughter of William COLLIER and Jane YATES) was christened on 30 Apr 1616 in St. Olave's Parish, Southwark, Surrey; died on 26 Apr 1691 in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Wrestling married Emla STORY in 1630. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]