Henry Brooks

  General Notes:

Of Concord. Freeman, 14 Mar 1639. Henry BROOKS a resident of Concord in 1639, having a wife and children previous to his coming to Woburn about 1650, married after arrival here before Mar. 27, 1651, Susanna, the widow of Ezekiel RICHARDSON, She, in 1670, was described by an authority of that time as "an ancient and skillful woman, living at Woburn," famous for her attainments in medical science. She died Sept. 15, 1681; and Henry married, probably his third wife, Annes JAQUITH.

In his will, dated July 18, 1682 (six days after his last marriage),he names wife Annes; son-in-law, John MOUSALL; sons John, Timothy and Isaac; and daughters, Sarah and Lestor; also grandchildren, Isaac and Henry, sons of his son Isaac, and Miriam, their sister. All his children were probably by his first marriage.

William BRACKENBURY, of Charlestown, conveyed to Henry BROOKS six parcels of land in Woburn (178 acres) at a place commonly called Horn Pond, together with a house frame, Dec. 20, 1650. The homestead estate of Henry BROOKS is described in the Woburn Records, in 1678. The buildings were then located on what was called South Street (present lower Main Street.) In 1789 this homestead was owned by Capt. Nathaniel BROOKS, son of Nathaniel.

In a suit, Dec., 1658, Henry BROOKS testified he was then aged "about 66" years.

An abstract of his will is published in the Hon. Edward F. Johnson's "Abstracts of Early Woburn Deeds" p. 31. He described himself in the will as a clothier, and as "stricken in years" his age being then about ninety-one years.

The will describes his lands with some particularity; to his daughter, Lester, or Lestor, he gives and bequeaths 5 shillings, and no more, because "she hath received her portion alreadyd"; to his "Rev. pastors, Mr. Thomas CARTER and Mr. Jabez FOX," he gives 20 shillings apiece. Isaac, his son, was his sole executor, and his trusted friend, Lieut. William JOHNSON, he desired should be overseer, and he gave him 20 shillings. He made his executor his residuary legatee, and desired that his two grandchildren should not alienate any of the land he gave them during their father's life.

The inventory discloses about 20 acres of upland on the east side of the highway; 7 acres of meadow, adjoining to said land; 8 acres of meadow in Forty Pound Meadow, given to the children of Isaac BROOKS; about 80 acres of upland on west side of the highway on both sides of the river, given to the two sons of Isaac BROOKS; the great lot in Woburn Common, given to Miriam, daughter of Isaac BROOKS, 42 acres; 3 small lots in Woburn Common, amounting to about 15 acres; for a division of woodland in Woburn Common land, the half given to the two sons of Isaac BROOKS; 6 acres of meadow land in Shred Pine Meadow; for the town privilege in herbage, the half given to the two sons of Isaac BROOKS; 54 acres of swamp bottom; and 15 acres of land by Mount Discovery. These lands can be traced by deeds for three generations. (See _Early Woburn Deeds_, by Hon. Edward F. Johnson) Selectman Woburn 1667,1671, 1672 NEHGR, April, 1875, Volume 29, pp. 153-157. ^954,982

  Events

• Occupation. Clothier

Henry married [-?-]. ([-?-] was born about 1600 and died before 1650.)

Henry next married Susanna Bradford about 1651. (Susanna Bradford died 15 Sep 1681 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA ⁹⁷⁵.)

Henry next married Annes Jaquith 12 Jul 1682.