Thomas Brooks

Notes:

Captain Thomas Brooks (1) was the emigrant ancestor of
Walter Frederic Brooks, of Worcester, Massachusetts,
and a large part of the Brooks families in this
country. It is claimed by some authority he came
from Suffolk, England. He settled first at Water-
town, where he had a lot assigned him in 1631. He
was admitted a freeman December 7, 1636, but very
soon afterward removed to Concord and settled. In
Watertown he was one of "the townsmen then inhabiting"
to whom the general court granted certain
plow lands along Beaver brook in 1636.
He was elected by the general court constable
of Concord, December 4, 1638. He was a deputy to
the general court seven years, representing the town
of Concord. He was captain of the Concord company.
He held various other offices. He was an
assessor, or "appraiser of horses, cattle, etc., for
the purpose of taxing." He was appointed a special
officer to prevent drunkenness among the Indians.
He purchased of the general court the right to carry
on the fur trade at Concord for the sum of five
pounds. In his day he was a leading citizen, both
in civil affairs and in the military.
His wife Grace died May 12, 1664. He died intestate,
May 21, 1667. An agreement among his
heirs on file at the probate office made June 17,
1667, was signed by the eldest son, Joshua Brooks,
Captain Timothy Wheeler, husband of Mary Brooks,
Caleb Brooks and Gershom Brooks, also sons of
Captain Thomas. The children of Captain Thomas
Brooks were: 1. Mary, married Captain Timothy
Wheeler, of Concord, He died July 10, 1687; she
died October 4, 1693. 2. Hannah, married, December
13, 1647, Thomas Fox. 3. Joshua, of whom later.
4. Caleb, born 1632, married, April 10, 1660, Susannah
Atkinson (daughter of Thomas Atkinson), born
1641 and died 1669; married (second) Hannah,
sister of his first wife, born 1643 ; removed from
Concord to Medford in 1670. 5. Gershom, married,
March 12, 1666-7, Hannah Eckles, daughter of Richard
and Marj' Eckles, of Cambridge, had sons Daniel
and Joseph, and four daughters. There may have
been other children of Captain Thomas Brooks.

Thomas married Grace Wheeler on 21 May 1627 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Grace (daughter of Thomas Wheeler and Rebecca Sayre) was born in 1594 in Haverhill, Essex, England; died on 12 May 1664 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Gersham Brooks was born in 1632 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA; died in 1686 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA.
2. Mary Brooks was born in 1636 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 4 Oct 1693 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA.
3. Joshua Brooks was born on 23 Sep 1636 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 10 Oct 1698 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA.

Hugh married Dorothy Preston in 1612 in , , , England. Dorothy was born in 1595 in Glastonbury, Somerset, England; died in 1637. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Edward married Florence Brandbridge. Florence was born in 1540 in Barrow Gurney, Somerset, England; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]