Daniel Browning

First name not known by this source:

Genealogy of the Brownings in America from 1621 to 1908:

Mrs. Elizabeth Browning, of London, England, was born probably about 1597, and married Mr. Browning about 1615. We find her name mentioned as being in London, Eng., in 1619. They had two children, Samuel Browning, born about 1616, and Nathaniel, born about 1618. After the death of her first husband, she married John Palmer, who was a merchant in silk and woolen goods in London. We may infer that Mrs. Elizabeth Browning and her husband were pious people as they gave both of their children Biblical names. Her second husband, Mr. John Palmer, was also a pious man, and a Puritan or Non-Conformist, as appears from his will, dated Nov. 1, 1631, and proved Feb. 12, 1632, showing that he died in the year 1632. His will directs his three executors to bring up his two sons-in-law, or as we would call them"step-sons," Samuel Browning and Nathaniel Browning, "In the fear of the Lord." After providing for the maintenance of his two step-sons and his widow, he also leaves money that his widow should support silenced ministers, as she had been accustomed to do. This indicates that Mrs. Elizabeth Browning and both her husbands were Non-Conformists, and shows also that persecutions were rife at that time. This probably was the inducing cause which led Nathaniel Browning to embark for America soon after be became of age, or in the year 1640, when he was about 22 years old. He landed in Boston, and from there went to Portsmouth, R. I. The reason for his going there is probably due to the fact that his subsequent father-in-law, William Freeborn, was also a Puritan or Non-Conformist and had sailed from Ipswich, Eng., in the year 1634, when he was 40 years old, his wife Mary 35 years old, and his daughter Mary 7 years old, his son John Thomas was 14 years old, and his second daughter, Sarah, was two years old.