THE HOLBROOK FAMILY OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT COMPILED BY MARY LOUISE HOLBROOK THE TUTTLE, MOREHOUSE & TAYLOR COMPANY NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 1932 This book is dedicated to my mother, Dothia E. Kimberly Holbrook, who:se interest and encouragement were the reasons for my co1npiling this genealogy. PREFACE From the General Register of descendants of the Early Planters of Sherbon, Hollister and Med,vay, lVIassachusetts, by Reverend Abner Morse, A.M. "Name of Holbrook is ancient and distinguished. In the Eng­ lish world has long since attained wide range. It does not, how­ ever, occur in Dooms Book or Rheimin Foedera. Yet as early as the reign of Richard II one of the name was advanced to the order of Knighthood. "Others with equal claim to distinction must have attained to the same honor, for in books of Heraldry, I find the name dis­ tinguished by nine other coats of arms. Richard Holbrook knighted-coat of arms. Chev. between three Martlets." These badges have their use in an historical point of view as indicating the original and early seats of race. In the mother country they must have been men of character and consideration. Many Holbrooks were early in New England not descending from Thomas of Weymouth. I have succeeded in my own view in reducing them to descendants from a common father, whose name was probably John. They were probably from Weymouth, eight miles from Dor­ chester, England, from whence came the planters of our Dorches­ ter, Massachusetts. Not remote from these towns was a place, a small farm, long afterwards and perhaps still called Holbrook. (1855). In 1644 Dorchester, Massachusetts, was called Rehoboth, now called Milton. ARMS OF HOLBROOK FAMILIES BURKE'S GENEALOGY ARMORY 1. Holbroake gu. a chev. between ten crosses ; crosslet or. 2. Holbrokes Or, a fease between six crosslets gu·. 3. Holbrook ( Co. Suffolk) Au., a chev. between ten crosses; cross let gu. ; crest, a lion pass. guard tail extended ppr. 4. Holbrook Or, a chev. between ten crosses ; crosslet gu. 5. Holbrooke (Newington Co., Kent) Az., a cross or fetty of the first, between four mullets of the second. 6. Holbrooke ( Co. Suffolk) Or, a chev. gu. surmounted with a cross formee fitcher at the foot of the second., Crest, a lion's head erased sa. charged with a chev. or, as in the . Arms . 7. Holbrooke ( Co. Suffolk) Or, consily gu. a bend of the second. 8. Holbrooke (Co. Suffolk) Au., a chev. between three crosses; crosslet gu. 9. Holbrook Richard, knighted; chev. between three Martlets. THE HOLBROOK FAMILY OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT FIRST GENERATION 1. RICHARD HOLBROOK, probably the son of John, I find first mentioned as living in Dorchester, Mass., also brothers Thomas, b. about 1627, John, Daniel, Samuel, and Natha_.niel, and sister Mary. May 10, 1648, Richard with William and Daniel Holbrook of Dorchester, took freeman's oath at Springfield, Mass. Apr. 8, 1653, Richard with Robert Williams and Daniel Whithead pur­ chased the first lot of land from the Indians at Huntington, Long Island, near Oyster Bay. There he built the first house and there his son Abel was born, the first white child to be born at Hunting­ ton, Long Island. Feb. 6, 1657 or 58, he moved to Milford where he died 1670. His wife, Agnes, survived him a few years. He had five sons ~nd four daughters, John, Daniel, Israel, Abel, Pelitiah, Abigail, Mary, Hannah, and Patience. By his will I 2 2 find that John , Daniel2, and Abigail were married before his death as he states they had had their portions of his possessions. 2 He was a weaver by trade. I find no mention of No. 2, John , and No. 3, Daniel2, in Milford records. From Dorchester records I find that No. 2, John, b. ---, married Elizabeth Heminway Sept. 24, 1663. Had a son John, b. July 21, 1664. John was a tanner in Roxbury, M~ss., 1667. Living in Dorchester 1671, and d. at Roxbury, Dec. 25, 1678. Children: 4. Abigail2, bapt. 1648; mar. Joseph Hawkins, Apr. 8, 1668, and came to live in Derby, Conn. 5. Israel2, mar. Mary Welch, N.ov. 20, 1677. 6. Mary, b. at Dorchester, Mar. 17, 1650; mar. Ephraim Wheeler, Sept. 8, 1678. 7. Abel2, b. 1653; mar. Hannah Merwin, Nov. 20, 1683; settled in Derby, Conn. 2 The Holbrook Family of Derby, Conn. 2 8. Hannah , b. ab.out 1656; mar. Ebenezer Johnson, Nov. 23, 1676. Moved to Derby, Conn. 9. Patience2, b. Dec. 19, 1658; mar. Joseph Wheeler, June 1678: 10. Pelitiah2, b. Apr. 5, 1661; mar. Martha Sanford. SECOND GENERATION 2 4. ABIGAIL HoLBROOK , dau. of Richard and Agnes Holbrook, bapt. Mar. 26, 1648, at Dorchester, Mass.; mar. Joseph Hawkins, Apr. 8, 1668. They settled in Derby, Conn. Children (Hawkins): 3 Joseph , b. Feb. 14, 1669; mar. Elizabeth Gunn, Aug. 9, 1693. Eleazer3, b. Dec. 12, 1670. 3 Abigail , b. Feb. 2, 1672. Robert3, b. July 4, 1675; d. July 18, 1675. Mary3, b. June 10, 1677; mar. David Wooster. 3 John , b. Sept. 28, 1678; d. Dec. 9, 1691. 3 Lois , b. Nov. 6, 1681; mar. (1st) Ebenezer Riggs; (2d) Samuel Wheeler; ( 3d) Abraham Tomlinson. 3 Agnes , b. Nov. 6, 1681; mar. Abel Gunn, May 24, 1704. See "History of Derby" for descendants. 2 5. ISRAEL HoLBROOK , son of Richard and Agnes Holbrook, b. --; mar. M~ry Welch, Nov. 20, 1677. Israel d. Dec. 29, 1680. Mary mar. John Merwin, Sr., Apr. 12, 1683. Israel and Mary 3 had one daughter, Mary , b. Apr. 7, 1679; mar. Stephen Miles, Mar. 1697. 2 6. MARY HoLBROOK , dau. of Richard and Agnes Holbrook, b. Mar. 17, 1650, at Dorchester, Mass.; mar. Sept. 8, 1678, in Milford, Conn., Ephraim Wheeler. Children (Wheeler) : 3 Ephraim , b. Jan. 5, 1681. Abigail3, b. Feb. 8, 1683. 3 Hannah , b. -- Mary'1, b. --; mar. Eliphalet Gillett. See "Seymour P. & P." for children. Second Generation 3 2 7. ABEL HoLBROOK , son of Richard and Agnes Holbrook, b. 1653, the first white child born in Huntington, Long Island. He came to settle in Derby, Conn., Apr. 1675. Was given a grant of land May 13, 1675, situated on Sentinel Hill on what was later known as the Swift farm near the Derby Reservoir. This house stood a little south of the Swift house, on a road long since abandoned as having too steep a grade for comfortable travel, although the distance was shorter and more direct to join the main thoroughfare to Milford. It joined the main road about opposite the gate to Mt. St. Peter's cemetery. His family was one of the first twenty-three to settle in Derby. In 1704 he was granted the privilege of keeping an ordinary or tavern, the first of its kind in Derby, which he kept until 1716. Mar. 20, 1756, a tract of land, one hundred acres on Great Hill, considered unde­ sirable as no one desired to settle upon it, was divided among the original proprietors, as the first settlers were called. This was where his grandson, John's children and grandchildren lived until a few years ago when the land was bought by the Derby Water Company. He attended Church in Milford, going back and forth by horseback until the Church at Derby was started in 1680. Abel Holbrook and Isaac Nichols were chosen the first deacons of the Church. He had a mill for grindjng corn. The millstone now stands on the grounds of the Derby Library as a sundial. He mar. Nov. 20, 1683, Hannah Merwin, b. Nov. 15, 1667, dau. of Miles Merwin, Sr.; and (2d) Sarah (Platt) Beach. Abel, d. May 30, 1747; Hannah, d. Oct. 20, 1740. Children: 3 Richard , b. Dec. 24, 1684; mar. Esther Nichols, June 9, 1708; d. May 3, 1709. No children. Israel3, bapt. May 29, 1692; d. Mar. 11, 1693. AbigaiI3, b. Nov. 25, 1694; d. May 5, 1709. 3 11. John , b. Oct. 19, 1699; mar. Abigail Gunn, Aug. 27, 1723. 12. Abe13, b. 1701; mar. Tabitha Wooster, Jan. 29, 1723. 13. Daniel3, b. 1704; mar. Elizabeth Riggs, Jan. 22, 1729. 14. Ruth3, b. --; mar. Thomas Piersons, Feb. 1727 or 28. Lived in Norwalk, Conn. 2 8. HANNAH HoLBROOK , dau. of Richard and Agnes Holbrook, b. about 1656; mar. Ebenezer Johnson, Nov. 23, 1676. Hannah, d. 89 years old. 4 The Holbrook Family of De~y, Conn. -\ Children (Johnson) : f • Eunice3, b. Aug. 22, 1678; mar':-::-Strong. 3 Hannah , b. Dec. 6, 1680; mar. Curtis. · Peter3, b. Oct. 9, 1684; mar. (1st) Martha A.; . (2d) Mary. Ebenezer3, b. Feb. 22, 1686; mar. Elizabeth Hine, Feo: ·19, 1719. Israel3, b. Apr. 13, 1689; d. Jan. 3, 1712. Timothy3, b. Dec. 23, 1693; mar. Abigail Brewster, Feb. 21, 1725. 3 Charles , b. Dec. 29, 1696; mar. Sarah Wooster, Aug. 16, 1726. See "History of Derby" for descendants. 2 9. PATIENCE HoLBROOK , dau. of Richard and Agnes Holbrook, b. in Milford, Dec. 19, 1658; mar. Joseph Wheeler, June 1678. Children (Wheeler) : 3 Patience , b. June 7, 1679. Anna3, b. Feb. 20, 1681. 3 Joseph , b. Dec. 1, 1683. 2 10. PELATIAH HoLBROOK , son of Richard and Agnes Hol­ brook, bapt. Apr. S, 1661 ; mar. Martha Sanford, dau. of Andrew Sanford. Pelaticµi was a carpenter by trade. He d. 1707. Martha mar. --- Arnold. Children: 15. Abigai13, bapt. Apr. 23, 1699; mar. Samuel Sanford3, May 11, 1721. 16. Nathan3, bapt. Apr. 23, 1699. 17. Hannah~\ bapt. May 18, 1701. 18. Daniel3, bapt. May 20, 1705; mar. Priscilla Collins. I find recorded on records of First Church of Milford William Holbrook and wife of Dorchester, Mass., dismissed fr.om Dor­ chester Church to join Milford Church, Feb.