The Reed and Berbach Families of New York State - Person Sheet
The Reed and Berbach Families of New York State - Person Sheet
BirthYorkshire, England693
Occupation“planter” or farmer693
FatherRobert BROWNELL (1576-)
MotherMary WILSON
Spouses
Deathaft 6 Nov 1665, Probably Portsmouth, Rhode Island692
FatherRichard BOURNE (ACCEPTED, BUT NOT CONFIRMED) (-1632)
Notes for Thomas BROWNELL
“Thomas and his older brother George had left Yorkshire at some point and moved to London, where they worked as drapers (dealers in cloth or clothing and dry goods) probably for their uncle, Thomas Wilson. Thomas, the brother of Mary (Wilson) Brownell, was a prosperous cloth worker or fabric merchant in London...”693
1638:
"Thomas and Anne Brownell lived for a time in London in St. Mary Cole Parish. In 1638 they sailed from London to America on the ship WHALE. They arrived at Braintree, Massachusetts, and then went on to settle at Portsmouth, Rhode Island."677
“Thomas and Anne Brownell of London, England, arrived in Boston in 1638 on the ship Whale.”693
Thomas "embarked on the WHALE and came to America, settling in Braintree, Mass. and moving later to Portsmouth, RI, sometimes known as Aquidneck, RI.”695
“Thomas and Anne settled first in Braintree, Massachusetts, where he was a ‘planter,’ or farmer.”693
“Mary, the eldest of Thomas and Anne Brownell’s nine children, was probably born during the time they lived in Braintree.”693
1640:
“While there are no records which state that the Brownells moved to Portsmouth in 1640, the record of the sale of their house in Braintree in 1640 would make that a logical conclusion.”696
1647-1648:
"In 1647 Thomas the immigrant was living in Aquidneck, RI, having followed Ann Hutchinson there in search of religious freedom. His land lay on the west side of the north-west end of RI, extended to the water and looked on Narragansett Bay. It was not far from the Old Coal Mine and his neighbors were Walker and Freeborn. (Note: his daughter Sarah married Gideon Freeborn.) "697
On 20 May 1647683or 10 Jul 1648696 Thomas was appointed Water Bailey.
1655:
In 1655 his name appeared on a list as Freeman683 (”He had probably been a Freeman since shortly after moving to Portsmouth and at the latest by 1648. It is unlikely that he would have been elected to an office such as water bailey had he not been a Freeman, i.e. able to vote and to participate in the local government.”).696
On 5 May1655, he was chosen to be one of six Commissioners to represent Portsmouth at the General Court.696
On 4 Jun 1655, he was elected one of three constables for the town of Portsmouth.696
1661:
In 1661, he wass again a member of Court of Commissioners.683
1662:
On 29 Sep 1662, he was again chosen to be General Court Commissioner.696
Also in 1662, he was chosen to be on the Grand Jury for the Court of Trials in Warwick.696
1663:
In 1663, he was again a member of Court of Commissioners.683
1664:
On 27 Apr 1664, he was again chosen to be General Court Commissioner.696
This same year, he was a Deputy in General Assembly.683
“On the afternoon of 24 September 1664, Thomas Brownell was killed in an accident while on his way from his home at the northwest end of Rhode Island to Portsmouth. Brownell, aged 56, left behind a wife, Anne, and nine children, ranging in age from nine to twenty-five years.”698
Thomas Brownell, was killed during an impromptu horse race with 21-year-old Daniel Lawton. He either hit a tree or was thrown off the horse into the tree.698
The cause of death was "fall from a horse."677
Thomas Brownell died without a will. Ann, his wife, was appointed Executor of Thomas’ estate by the Town Council of Portsmouth, 16 Sep 1665. A will and an inventory was made by the Town Council of Portsmouth on this date. 699
1638:
"Thomas and Anne Brownell lived for a time in London in St. Mary Cole Parish. In 1638 they sailed from London to America on the ship WHALE. They arrived at Braintree, Massachusetts, and then went on to settle at Portsmouth, Rhode Island."677
“Thomas and Anne Brownell of London, England, arrived in Boston in 1638 on the ship Whale.”693
Thomas "embarked on the WHALE and came to America, settling in Braintree, Mass. and moving later to Portsmouth, RI, sometimes known as Aquidneck, RI.”695
“Thomas and Anne settled first in Braintree, Massachusetts, where he was a ‘planter,’ or farmer.”693
“Mary, the eldest of Thomas and Anne Brownell’s nine children, was probably born during the time they lived in Braintree.”693
1640:
“While there are no records which state that the Brownells moved to Portsmouth in 1640, the record of the sale of their house in Braintree in 1640 would make that a logical conclusion.”696
1647-1648:
"In 1647 Thomas the immigrant was living in Aquidneck, RI, having followed Ann Hutchinson there in search of religious freedom. His land lay on the west side of the north-west end of RI, extended to the water and looked on Narragansett Bay. It was not far from the Old Coal Mine and his neighbors were Walker and Freeborn. (Note: his daughter Sarah married Gideon Freeborn.) "697
On 20 May 1647683or 10 Jul 1648696 Thomas was appointed Water Bailey.
1655:
In 1655 his name appeared on a list as Freeman683 (”He had probably been a Freeman since shortly after moving to Portsmouth and at the latest by 1648. It is unlikely that he would have been elected to an office such as water bailey had he not been a Freeman, i.e. able to vote and to participate in the local government.”).696
On 5 May1655, he was chosen to be one of six Commissioners to represent Portsmouth at the General Court.696
On 4 Jun 1655, he was elected one of three constables for the town of Portsmouth.696
1661:
In 1661, he wass again a member of Court of Commissioners.683
1662:
On 29 Sep 1662, he was again chosen to be General Court Commissioner.696
Also in 1662, he was chosen to be on the Grand Jury for the Court of Trials in Warwick.696
1663:
In 1663, he was again a member of Court of Commissioners.683
1664:
On 27 Apr 1664, he was again chosen to be General Court Commissioner.696
This same year, he was a Deputy in General Assembly.683
“On the afternoon of 24 September 1664, Thomas Brownell was killed in an accident while on his way from his home at the northwest end of Rhode Island to Portsmouth. Brownell, aged 56, left behind a wife, Anne, and nine children, ranging in age from nine to twenty-five years.”698
Thomas Brownell, was killed during an impromptu horse race with 21-year-old Daniel Lawton. He either hit a tree or was thrown off the horse into the tree.698
The cause of death was "fall from a horse."677
Thomas Brownell died without a will. Ann, his wife, was appointed Executor of Thomas’ estate by the Town Council of Portsmouth, 16 Sep 1665. A will and an inventory was made by the Town Council of Portsmouth on this date. 699