Joshua Brooks (abt. 1629 - bef. 1697)

[Note: DOB unknown, 1629 estimated from testimony given in 1679 aged about 50]

[Note: DOD unknown, prior to August 24, 1697, from a deed recorded on that date.]

[Note: TAG vol. 53, has corrections to the children listed in the Bond/Gates. There was no son named John. Daughter Elizabeth married Samuel Dakin, not Ebenezer Merriam. Noah's wife is confirmed as Dorothy Potter (not Wright)]

Biography

Joshua was born about 1629, likely in England, ^[1]son of Thomas and Grace Brooks who came to Watertown, Massachusetts. ^[2] On December 16, 1679, Joshua Brooks aged about 50 years and Noah Brooks aged 23 years, testified in a court case between Samuel Buttrick and Richard Rice. ^{[3] [1]}

Joshua was a tanner, a trade that he is thought to have learned from his father-in-law Hugh Mason. ^{[2] [1]}

He served as Captain in the militia and as a Deacon in the church. ^[1]

He married Hannah Mason at Watertown on October 17, 1653. She was born at Watertown on September 23, 1636, the daughter of Captain Hugh and Hester (Wells) Mason. ^{[2] [4] [5] [1]}

Hugh Mason left bequests in his will to his children, including daughter Hannah Brooks. ^[5]

On November 11, 1695, Joshua sold his Concord lands to his four sons, Noah, Daniel, Joseph and Job, with the consent of his wife. ^[1]

By a deed dated August 24, 1697, the brothers Noah Brooks, Daniel Brooks Sen., Joseph Brooks Sen., Benjamin Pierce, Benjamin Whittemore, and Judah Potter, conveyed all the rights that Job Brooks had of the estate of his father Joshua Brooks, deceased, to their brother Hugh Brooks. ^{[2] [1]}

Children

1. Noah born about1656; ^[3]died on February 1, 1738 at Lincoln ^[2] ; married Dorothy Potter, daughter of Luke Potter and sister to Judah. ^[1]
2. Hannah born c1658 , aged 13 by deposition in 1671^[1]; married Benjamin Pierce on January 15, 1678 at Concord. ^{[2] [4]}
3. Grace born on March 10, 1660/1; died April 20, 1753; married Judah Potter on December 2, 1686. ^{[6] [2] [1]}
4. Daniel born on November 15, 1663 ^[6]; died on October 18, 1733; married Ann Meriam on August 9, 1692. ^{[2] [1]}
5. Thomas born on May 5, 1666; died on September 9, 1671. ^{[6] [2] [1]}
6. Esther born on July 4, 1668; died January 11, 1742/3; married Benjamin Whittemore on August 17, 1692. ^{[6] [2] [1]}
7. Joseph born c1670; died on July 11, 1746; married first Abigail Bateman on January 31, 1703/4; married second Rebecca Blodgett on June 26, 1706. ^{[2] [1]}
8. Elizabeth born on December 16, 1672 ^{[6] [2]}  ; married Simon Dakin about 1693, and resided briefly in South Carolina before returning to Concord. ^[1]
9. Job born on July 26, 1675; died on May 18, 1697. ^{[6] [2] [1]}
10. Hugh born on January 1, 1677 ^[1]; died on January 18, 1746; married Abigail Barker in 1701/2. ^{[6] [2]}

Court

On 3 Apr 1677, at Middlesex Co. Court held at Cambridge: Joshua Brooks complained against John Graves & Benjamin Chamberline. Verdict for the defendants. (No specifics mentioned).^[7]

Research notes

Watertown Births

• Mason, Hannah, d. Hugh and Ester, 23: 7m: 1636. (p. 4)

Watertown Marriages

• Brooks, Joshuah and Hannah Mason, 17: 8m: 1653. (p. 16)
• Brooks, Hannah and Benjamin Peirse, Jan. 15, 1678. (p. 45) ^[4]

Concord Births

• Brooks. Grace, d. Josuah and Hanna, Mar. 10, 1660-61. (p. 9)
• Brooks, Danill, s. Josuah and Hanna, Nov. 15, 1663. (p. 11)
• Brooks, Thomas, s. Josuah and Hanna, May 5, 1666. (p. 12)
• Brooks, Esther, d. Joshua and Hanna, July 4, 1668. (p. 14)
• Brooks. Elizabeth, d. Joshua and Hanna, Dec. 16, 1672. (p. 16)
• Brooks, Jobe, s. Joshua and Hanna, July 26, 1675. (p. 20)
• Brook, Hugh, s. Joshua and Hanna, Jan. 1, 1677. (p. 20)

Concord Marriages

• Brooke, Grace, and Judah Potter, Dec. 2, 1686. (p. 26)
• Brookes, Ester, and Benjamin Whittemore, Aug. 17, 1692. (p. 36)
• Brookes, Daniel, and Anne Miriam, Aug. 9, 1692. (p. 36)
• Brooks, Hugh, and Abegail Barker, ––– 9, 1701-2. (p. 54)
• Brookes, Joseph, and Abegail Bateman, Jan. 31, 1703. (p. 60)
• Brookes, Joseph, and Rebeckah Blodgit, June 26, 1706. (p. 66)

Concord Deaths

• Brooks. Thomas, s. Joshua and Hanna, Sept. 9, 1671. (p. 15)
• Brookes, Job, s. Joshua, May 18, 1697. (p. 57)
• Broks, Noah, h. Dorothy, Feb. 1, 1738-9, a. 83 y. (p. 143)
• Brooks, Hugh, Jan. 18, 1746 a. 70 y. (p. 171) ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16} Threlfall, John Brooks. Thomas Brooks of Watertown and Concord. in: The American Genealogist, Vol. 53, New Haven, Connecticut, 1977, p. 94-98 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .)
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13} Bond, Henry & Horatio Gates Jones. Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, Including Waltham and Weston: To which is Appended the Early History of the Town, NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1860 p. 720-1:
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Anderson, Robert C. Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2009 p. 55 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Land Grants and Possession, and the First Book and Supplement of Births, Deaths and Marriages, The Historical Society, Press of Fred G. Barker, Watertown, Massachusetts, 1894
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Anderson, Robert C. Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume V, M-P, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2007, p. 77-9 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010.)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7} Tolman, George compiler. Concord, Massachusetts Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850, Printed by the Town, T. Todd Printer, Beacon Press, Boston, Massachusetts, 1891
7. ↑ "Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8979-S92L?view=explore : Oct 11, 2025), image 111 of 203; Massachusetts. County Court (Middlesex County). Image Group Number: 007009675.

The best material on this family, including all of John Brooks Threlfall's material and an excellent biography of Joshua Brooks, was compiled by Christopher Hapgood Brooks and is maintained as part of his Tributaries: Genealogies of the Brooks Families of New England.

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of Shortened files.ged on 30 December 2010. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.
• This person was created through the import of Bishop Family Tree.ged on 18 February 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.
• This person was created through the import of Dickinson Family Tree.ged on 31 March 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.
• This person was created through the import of Bishop Family Tree.ged on 18 February 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.
• First-hand information as remembered by David Land, Saturday, May 24,
• WikiTree profile Brooks-1307 created through the import of Ancestors of PBHowe.ged on Jun 6, 2011 by Buck Howe. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Buck and others.

• Source: S-2109196318 Repository: #R-2144424333 Title: American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) Author: Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library.Original data: Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genea Note: APID: 1,3599::0

• Thank you to Ed Burke for creating WikiTree profile Brooks-3426 through the import of Burke Brooks Tree 2010.ged on Feb 18, 2013.