Mary BROWNE

Notes:

Name:
She was buried "by her father Mr. John Browne, and other relations upon a little hill in Swansey" in Little Neck Cemetery, Riverside. her husband survived her, married a second time, died in August 1674, and was buried by her side.


At the graves of Thomas Willett and Mary Willett are stones inscribed as follows:

1674
Here lyeth ye body of ye
Wor. Thomas Willett,
esqr., who died Aug. 4,
in ye 64th year of his anno.

Footstone
Who was the first May.
of New York and twice
did sustain ye place.

1669
Here lyeth ye body of ye
virtuous Mary Willett,
wife of Thomas Willett,
esqr., who died, January
ye 8th, about ye 55th
year of her anno.

Footstone
daughter of Worf. John
Browne Esq. deceased.

Mary married Capt Thomas WILLETT on 6 Jul 1636. Thomas was born in Aug 1605 in Hertfordshire, England; died on 4 Aug 1674 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts; was buried in Ancient Little Neck Cemetery, East Providence, Providence Co.,Rhode Island. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mary WILLETT was born on 10 Nov 1637 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts; died on 24 Jun 1712 in Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; was buried in East Norwalk Historical Cemetery, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
2. John WILLET was born on 21 Aug 1641; died on 2 Feb 1663/4.

Notes:

Name:
John Browne and his wife Dorothy came from London on the Elizabeth in 1635. (Hotten 68) He was first at Plymouth, then at Taunton by 1643, and finally at Rehoboth by 1647.

He should not be confused with another John Brown (of Watertown,MA), who also had a wife named Dorothy.

Among Plymouth's early residents, who varied widely in social standing, John Browne came with a great deal of respectability. Almost immediately upon his arrival in the New World, he was appointed Assistant to the governor of Plymouth Colony and went on to serve in a number of prestigious leadership positions. His full biography can be found in Anderson's Great Migration series, Vol I [1999], pp.420-429.

Children: James Brown, John Brown Jr, and Mary Brown Willet.

His will was dated Apr 7,1662, and proved Apr 19,1662. He died less than two weeks after the death of his son John Browne Jr. In John Sr's will are mentioned wife Dorothy, son James, daughter Mary(wife of Thomas Willett), and grandchildren John Browne, Joseph Browne, Nathaniel Browne, Lydia Brown, and Hannah[sic - Anna] Brown. Also mentioned is a granddaughter Martha Saffin, wife of John Saffin. John Browne Sr was a very wealthy man, evidenced by the fact that he left one grandson alone over 700 acres of land.


The Great Migration:

ORIGIN: London
MIGRATION: 1635 on the ELIZABETH
FIRST RESIDENCE: Plymouth
REMOVES: Taunton by 1643, Rehoboth by 1647
RETURN TRIPS: England 1656 (probably), and return to new England by 1660
OCCUPATION: Baker (in England). Magistrate
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Morton speaks in general terms of John Brown's religious activities (Morton 171-72)
FREEMAN: 5 January 1635/6. In lists of 7 March 1636/7 (as "gen.") and of 1639 (as Assistant)In Rehoboth section of 1658 list of Plymouth Colony freemen
EDUCATION: His inventory included "a parcel of books" valued at L412s. His wife signed her will by mark. Her inventory included "a parcel of books" as one item in a group of items values at L712s.
OFFICES: Plymouth Colony Assistant, Plymouth Council of War, Commissioner from Plymouth to the United Colonies.....


BIRTH: By about 1591 based on estimated date of marriage
DEATH: Rehoboth 10 April 1662
MARRIAGE: By about 1616 Dorothy (?). She died at Swansea 27 January 1673/4 and was buried there 29 January 1673/4 ("Mrs. Dororthy (sic) Brown the wife of Mr. John Brown Senior deceased the twenty seventh day of january 1673 being the ninety and eighth year of her age or thereabouts and was buried upon the 29 of January 1673"

ASSOCIATIONS: On 17 April 1635, "Jo(hn) Browne," aged 40, was enrolled at London as a passenger for New England on the ELIZABETH (Hotten 68). On 15 April 1635, "James Walker 15 years & Sarra Walker 17 years servants to John Browne a baker & to one W(illia)m Brasey linendraper in Cheapside" were enrolled at London as passengers for New England on the ELIZABETH (Hotten61).

The deed of 23 November 1655 tells us that John Brown of Rehoboth was uncle to the above James and Sarah Walker, which makes it likely that he was identical with the "Ho(h)n Browne a baker" who was in 1635 master of James Walker. Furthermore, since we known that John Brown of Rehoboth was not in New England until 1635, the probability is hight that the "Jo(h)n Browne", aged 40, who boarded the same ship with James and Sarah Walker on 17 April 1635 is the same man. If this identification is correct it would appear that John Brown travelled separately from his wife and children.

James and Sarah Walker may have been children of the widow Walker who appeared at Rehoboth with her son Phillip Walker some years later (Early Rehoboth 3:26-27), which would make John Brown or his wife sibling to widow Walker or her husband.

John married Dorothy ?. Dorothy was born in 1583 in England; died on 27 Jan 1673 in Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; was buried in Little Neck Cemetery, Barrington, Rhode Island. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Excerpt from "John Brown, Gentleman, of Plymouth": The following entry appears upon the record, "Mistres Dorrithy Browne, the wife of Mr. John Browne senr. deceased Jan. 27, being in the 90th year of her age or thereabouts, and was buried on the 29th of January, 1673."

From this record we learn she was born in 1583.

From Find A Grave:
Children: James Brown, John Brown Jr, and Mary Brown Willet.

Dorothy Browne's will was written on Dec 17,1668 and proved on Mar 29,1674. It names daughter Mary Willett, deceased granddaughter Sarah Elliot, son James Browne, grandsons John Browne, Joseph Browne, and Nathaniel Browne, granddaughter Dorothy Browne, daughters-in-law Dorothy Browne and Lydia Browne, and granddaughters Lydia Browne and Anna Browne.

Dorothy's death and burial are recorded in Plymouth Colony Recprds (Mayflower Descendant 19:22). Her will is found in Mayflower Descendant 18:94-95).

Some sources incorrectly attribute to this couple a daughter Hannah (Browne) Mead, wife of John Mead. But this is based on a supposed, and unproven, remarriage of Dorothy to a William Potter. William Potter acquired the share of the property of a John Brown (of Watertown,MA) who died in 1636, not the John Browne Sr who died in 1662 who was the husband of this Dorothy. Therefore, Hannah Brown Mead is the daughter of a different John Brown, one that was of Watertown,MA and who also had a wife named Dorothy.

Some internet entries give her maiden name as Beauchamp, but this needs confirmation. A Dorythie Beachamp and John Browne were married on Dec 22,1611 at Saint James, Clerkenwell, London, England.