Pane-Joyce Genealogy
Wm. Brooks family (53)

359. William Brooks. Born ca 1615 in England. William died bet 7 Jul 1680 and 24 Jan 1682/3 in Scituate, MA.5 Occupation: husbandman.

William came to New England on the Blessing, 1635, aged 20. He first settled in Scituate, then removed to Marshfield by 1643, and back to Scituate by 1657. He took the oath of fidelity at Scituate in 1657, and was admitted freeman of Plymouth Colony 1 Jun 1658.12

From Deane’s History of Scituate:6
    "William Brooks was a householder in 1644. His farm was south of Till's creek, latterly called Dwelley's creek, and his house near that of Capt. William Brooks, his descendant of the sixth generation. The spot seems to have been selected on account of the sweet spring of water near it. His wife was widow Susanna Dunham of Plymouth. His children were Hannah born 1645, Nathaniel 1646, (who married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Curtis, 1678, and succeeded to his father's residence), Mary born 1647, Sarah born 1650, (who married Joseph Studley), Meriam born 1652, (who married John Curtis, son of Richard Curtis), Deborah born 1654, (who married Robert Stetson, jr. son of the Cornet), Thomas born 1657, who married Hannah Bisby 1687, and Joanna born 1659.
    "The people of this name in Scituate have all descended from Nathaniel. His sons were William, Gilbert and Nathaniel. William's posterity remain on the ancient seat of the family. The late Capt. William, who deceased 1821, on the paternal spot, was his grandson, (and son of William, who married Mary Braman 1737). His children are Capt. William, who lives on the paternal fram, Sarah, (wife of Dea. Loring of Duxbury), Philenda, (wife of Capt. Luthor Tilden), Temperance, (wife of Capt. Reuben Drew of Duxbury), Betsey, (second wife of Capt. Jotham Tilden), Gilbert of Medford, Lucy, Seth and Nathan of Duxbury. Their mother Betsy Stodder.} Gilbert had a son William, born 1714, (who removed or died early), Gilbert 1718, and Benjamin 1720. Nath'l, 2d. married Mary Taylor 1717, and purchased lands of Michael Wanton, a half mile west of Hoop-pole hill, where the fifth Nathaniel Brooks now resides. His children are of the seventh generation. Nathiel, 3d. married Elizabeth Benson 1744, nathaniel, 4th. married Deboral Brooks 1783, and Nathaniel 5th. married Charlotte Lapham 1821.
    "Thomas, the son of William, sen. had one son Thomas, born 1688, and a daughter Joanna born 1695. Thomas had no family. Joanna married John Ruggles, who succeeded to the farm of Thomas Brooks. It lies a half mile east of the residence of William above described. It was the farm of William Richards 1640."

bef 1644 William first married [Brooks]. died bet 1659 and 1665 in Scituate, MA.12

(Savage2 makes an error in saying the William’s wife was widow Susanna Dunham of Plymouth.12)

Their children include:
824 i. Hannah Brooks (ca Sep 1645-)
825 ii. Nathaniel Brooks (ca Mar 1646-6 Jan 1716/7)
826 iii. Mary Brooks (ca Nov 1647-)
827 iv. Sarah Brooks (ca May 1650-)
828 v. Miriam Brooks (ca Jun 1652-)
829 vi. Deborah Brooks (ca Mar 1654-)
830 vii. Thomas Brooks (ca Jun 1657-30 May 1733)
831 viii. Joanna Brooks (ca Oct 1659-17 Aug 1726)

by 1665 William second married Susanna Hanford (5045) , daughter of Jeffrey Hanford (ca 1585-May 1626) & Eglin Hatherly (1372) (ca 1586-1666).5

360. Gilbert Brooks. Born ca 1621 in England. Gilbert died on 13 Jun 1695 in Rehoboth, MA.12

Gilbert came to New England on the Blessing in 1635 at age 14. He is almost certainly a brother to William Brooks since they came on the Blessing together, and their names appear together on the 1643 list of men able to bear arms, on admission to freemanship in 1658, and on the 1658 list of freemen. Gilbert settled in Scituate, removed to Marshfield by 1643, back to Scituate by 1646, and to Rehoboth by 1662.12

“Gilbert Brooks was a brother of William Brooks, sen. and came into Scituate at the same time. His residence was on the south of Colman’s hills. He sold his house to Robert Crossman of Taunton, 1652. It was afterward the residnece of Joseph Otis, Esq. The earliest notice which we have seen of him, is , that he was in the family of Mr William Vassall 1638. He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Gov. Edward Winslow. He had sons Gilbert and John, probably born in Marshfield. ... In 1675, he kept a garrison at Gov. Josiah Winslow’s house in Marshfield. We observe that John, son of Gilbert Brooks, had a legacy in the will of his uncle, Gov. Josiah Winslow.”6

Gilbert first married Elizabeth [Gilbert]. Elizabeth died in Jul 1687. Buried on 17 Jul 1687 in Rehoboth, MA.12

Deane6 claimed that Gilbert Brooks ‘married Elizabeth, the daughter of Gov. Edward Winslow.’ But Anderson12 explains that Robert Brooks married Edward Winslow’s daughter Elizabeth. Also, Deane said Gilbert Brooks had ‘sons Gilbert and John, probably born in Marshfield,’ which, if true, the records don’t verify.

It has been suggested that Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth (Nash) Simmons of Scituate.

Their children include:
832 i. Elizabeth Brooks (ca 1646-4 Mar 1674/5)
833 ii. Sarah Brooks (ca 1646-)
834 iii. Mary Brooks (ca 1649-)
835 iv. Rachel Brooks (ca 1650-)
836 v. Phebe Brooks (ca 1652-)
837 vi. Bathsheba Brooks (ca 1655-)
838 vii. Rebecca Brooks (ca 1657-)
839 viii. Hannah Brooks (ca 1659-2 Oct 1762)
840 ix. Bethia Brooks (29 Apr 1662-)

On 18 Jan 1687[/8] Gilbert second married Sarah Redway, daughter of James Redway, in Rehoboth, MA.12 Born ca 1642 in Prob. Hingham, MA.29

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