Nathaniel Brown, I

• Nathaniel Brown - Find A Grave -MEMORIAL ID 125112338 He married Mary Wheeler on June 4, 1685.
• THE BROWN GENEALOGY, Vol. 2, by Cyrus Henry Brown, pp. 408.

   He sold his homestead in Rowley to the brother of his wife, Jonathan Wheeler, 29 Jun 1707. He and his wife, Mary, were dismissed from the church in Rowley to the church in Groton CT 29 June 1707; in Essex deeds it is stated, Jan 8, 1707/8, as of Groton CT late of Rowley. He is first mentioned in Groton land records in 1709. In 1712 he was made an inhabitant of Groton.

   July 1, 1712, his name appears among those who owned lots at "Nawayank" (Lot 3, probably Noank). Feb. 28, 1709, he bought of Gershom Rice, of Sudbury, MA "a certain tract of upland and swamp" in Groton, located on the west side of the "Great Brook that runneth into Popuonock Cove," originally part of the two hundred acres of land owned by Daniel Lane, of New London CT. In his will he bequeaths his homestead to his sons Benjamin, Abner and William. To Benjamin he gave the dwellinghouse, William sold his portion to Benjamin; it was located "near a small ledge of rocks, 190 rods to the Great Brook."

   He owned land on Fort Hill, Long Hill by the ferry, and by "Nawayank." His homestead farm on a portion of it is now owned by George Miner, of Groton.

   page 409, Will of Nathaniel Brown.

   In the Name of God Amen the 19th day of April A.D. 1731. I Nathaniel Brown of Groton in the county of New London & Colony of Connecticut being week in body, but of perfect mind and menory, Calling unto mind the morality of my body & knowing that it is appointed for all me once to Die. Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament That is to say principally and first of all I give & Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it, and my body I Recommend to the Earth to be buried in Decent Christian burial at the descretion of my Executors not doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such a Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in the Life I Give Demise and Dispose of the same in the following manner and form, after my just Depts are paid.

   Imprimis: I Give and Bequeath to Mary my Loving Wife one third part of all my Moveable Estate and a good maintainance out of my Estate so long as she remain my widow.

   Item: I give to my son Greshom Brown's children twenty shillings which with what I have already given my son Gershom is their full portion.

   Item: I give to my daughter Mary Hodskin five shillings which with what I have already given her is her full portion.

   Item: I give to my daughter Martha Hartwell five shillings which with what I have already given her is her full portion.

   Item: I give to my son Nathaniel Brown five shillings which with what I have already given him is his full portion.

   Item: I give to my son Benjamin Brown thirty acres of Land lying across the North end of my Farm with my Dwelling house and all the appurtenances thereunto belonging, he well maintaining his mother so long as she shall continue my widow, and also paying to my daughter Sarah Brown Forty pounds to be paid to her within two years after my decease and to allow her a Room in the house and the keeping of a Cow a long as she remain unmarried.

   Item: I give to my daughter Sarah Brown Fourty pounds and the Liberty of a room in my house and the keeping of a Cow as long as she remain unmarried.

   Item: I give to my daughter Mehitable Woodworth three pounds which with what I have already given her is her full portion.

   Item: I give to my daughter Ruth Woodworth Ten pounds which with what I have already given her is her full portion.

   All the above s'd Legacies to be paid within two years after my deceased by my exector.

   Item: I give to my son William Brown Thirty seven Acres of Land Lying across my farm next to the land I gave to Benjamin, to him his heirs and assigns forever he paying to my daughter Ruth Woodworth Ten pounds within two years after my deceased.

   Item: I give to my son Abner Brown all the remaining part of my farm Lying South of the Land I gave to William to him his heirs and assigns forever and also half my Right in the Sequestered Land and all the Remaining part of my Estate which I have not above disposed of I give to my son Benjamin Brown with the thirty acres of Land aforementioned and half my Rights in the Sequestered Land to him his heirs and assigns forever. And I do hereby make and obdain my son Benjamin Brown my sole Executor of this my Last Will & Testament and I do hereby utterly Revoke and Disanul all other and former Wills and Testaments Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Lans Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and seal the day and year above written.

                                  his

                          Nathaniel (N) Brown.

                                  mark

   Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the s'd Nathaniel Brown as his Last Will & Testament in presence of

Christopher Avery

Peter Lester Witness

Jeremiah Smith

   Witnesses took oath May 26, 1731 before James Morgan Justice of Peace.

   The above will was exhibited in court, proved and ordered to be recorded June 24, 1731.

   Recorded in the 6th book of Wills for New London County, folios 80, 81, May 10, 1732.

                            Rich'd Christophers, Clerk Inventory of Estate, 519 pounds 17 shillings 3 pence.

   Note. - Ledyard, as now known, was called No. Groton.

 Source: Brown Genealogy, v2; O'Keeffe.

 BG: Nathaniel Brown, born 20 May 1731, Rowley, MA. Will probated 16 May 1731 at Groton. Married Mary Wheeler. [Error on birth year. It would be

after the deaths of his parents. 1731 was his death date.]

 O'Keeffe: Nathaniel Brown, born 20 May 1660 and died May 1731 in Groton, New London, Conn. Married Mary Wheeler in Rowley 4 June 1685, daughter of David Wheeler and Sarah Wise (From Brown genealogy, Vol. 2). Had 11 children besides Nathaniel.

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• Genealogical and family history of the state of Connecticut : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation (1911) Vol. 1
• https://archive.org/details/genealogicalfami001cutt
• https://archive.org/stream/genealogicalfami001cutt#page/591/mode/1up
• Pg.591
  • BROWNE
• Charles Browne, immigrant ancestor, was born in England and became an early settler in Rowley, Massachusetts. He had a house lot there in 1647 and other lands, to which he added later. That he was a man of education is proven by the fact that he was for a time the town's school-master. In 1661 he was granted a lot, "to beate the drum for the benefit of the towne." His name appears in a list of freeholders of Rowley, January 28, 1677. It is also recorded as "Br Browne" among the church members in full communion, and "Goodwife Browne" united March 7, 1671. The wife of Charles Browne was Mary, daughter of William and Margaret Acy. Their marriage occurred 14-8mo.- 1647, in Rowley. Charles Browne died in 1687, and was buried December 16. His wife died December 12, 1683. They had eight sons and one daughter.
• (II) Nathaniel Brown, son of Charles Browne, was born in Rowley, Massachusetts, May 20, 1660. He shared in the distribution of his father's estate and received various grants of land. On June 29, 1707, he sold his homestead to Jonathan Wheeler, of Newbury, and soon thereafter removed to Groton, Connecticut. A deed of land in Groton, January 8, 1707-08, expressly states that he was "late of Rowley," and he and his wife were dismissed from the Rowley church to Groton, June 29, 1707. He purchased lands in Groton and was soon made an inhabitant. His home was at Poquonock Cove, where he bought two hundred acres of Gershom Rice. The town called upon him for service in various capacities and he was an honored townsman. In his will, proved June 24, 1731, he mentions sons and daughters, among them his son Nathaniel. His wife, whom he married in Rowley, June 4, 1685, was the daughter of David and Sarah (Wise) Wheeler. David Wheeler was the son of John Wheeler, and was born about 1625, in England, coming to New England in the ship "Confidence," in 1638. Sarah Wise was the daughter of Humphrey Wise, of Ipswich.
• (III) Nathaniel (2), son of Nathaniel (I) and Mary (Wheeler) Brown, was baptized in Rowley in September, 1690, and was aged seventeen when his father removed to Groton. On May 30, 1717, after his marriage to Anna Haynes, which occurred July 11, 1715, he bought land at Poquonock Cove, but, March 30, 1722, he bought a one-third interest in a tract of two hundred acres in the north part of Groton (Ledyard). In his subsequent life he bought and sold lands quite extensively, acquiring finally a large tract, which he bequeathed to his decendants. His homestead was on the road from Mystic to Norwich, about three-quarters of a mile north of where the "Church Hill meeting house" once stood. He was probably identified with the Separatist movement and his son Nathaniel was ordained a minister of that sect in 1751. Nathaniel Brown died in July, 1770, aged eighty years, and his wife shortly afterwards. She was the daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth (Starke) Haynes, and was born November 3, 1696, in Groton. They had six sons and two daughters.
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• WHEELER, Mary
• b. 4 SEP 1670 Rowley, Essex, Mass.
• Family:
• Marriage: 4 JUN 1685 Rowley, Essex, Mass.
• Spouse: BROWN, Nathaniel
• b. 20 MAY 1660 Rowley, Essex, Mass.
• d. MAY 1731
• Parents:
• Father: BROWN, Charles
• Mother: ACIE, Mary
• Children:
  • BROWN, Gershom
  • BROWN, Nathaniel b. 15 MAY 1688 Rowley, Essex, Mass. d. 1689
  • BROWN, Nathaniel
  • BROWN, Mary d. OCT 1692 Rowley, Essex, Mass. d. ABT 1692
  • BROWN, Mary
  • BROWN, Martha b. 12 OCT 1695 Rowley, Essex, Mass.
  • BROWN, Sarah b. JUN 1697 Rowley, Essex, Mass. d. 7 APR 1699 Rowley, Essex, Mass.
  • BROWN, Benjamin b. 13 NOV 1698 Rowley, Essex, Mass. d. 1782 New London, New London, CT.
  • BROWN, Sarah b. SEP 1700 Rowley, Essex, Mass. d. 1731
  • BROWN, Mehitable
  • BROWN, Ruth
  • BROWN, William b. OCT 1705 Rowley, Essex, Mass.
• From: http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_b6.htm#41
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