John Mousall Deacon

  General Notes:

Deacon John MOUSALL, a founder and much honored citizen of Woburn, the erector of one of the first houses, died Mar 27, 1665, leaving a widow Joanna; a son, John MOUSALL; and daughter Eunice, wife of John BROOKS.

The will of the senior John MOUSALL (19th of the 4th month, 1660) makes his two sons, John MOUSALL and John BROOKS, joint executors; gives to his son BROOKS's three children, and to his grandchild, Sarah BROOKS, and to his grandchild, Eunice BROOKS; to his son, John BROOKS (in whose house John MOUSALL, Sr.'s, widow was to have a peaceable living); gives also to his grandchild, Joanna BROOKS; and certain residue of his lands to his two sons [John MOUSALL, and son-in-law John BROOKS]. John MOUSALL, Jr.'s wife being the sister of John BROOKS, this relationship of the son is more clearly understood. It was the case of being doubly brothers-in-law; BROOKS marrying the only sister of MOUSALL, and MOUSALL marrying a sister of BROOKS. From this circumstance arose a partial (not total) combination of the property of Deacon John MOUSALL and Henry BROOKS, of which more is said in an article by one of the present writers, in the Register, vol. xlvii., p. 462, et seq.

In his will, Deacon John Mousall gives his great meadow [at Woburn Center in the vicinity of Prospect Street, a tract now covered with buildings] to his two sons equally, but in case the son, John Mousall, died without children, then he (John Mousall, Jr.) could give his share to his wife, for use during her life, and after the decease of John Mousall, the said son, and his wife leaving no heir, the share was to return to the son [in-law] John Brooks's children. ⁹⁵⁴

John married Joanna.