Genealogical and family history of the state of Connecticut, a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume IV, Part 50

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Clement, E. H. (Edward Henry), 1843- joint ed. cn; Hart, Samuel, 1845-1917, joint ed; Talcott, Mary Kingsbury, 1847-1917, joint ed; Bostwick, Frederick, 1852- , joint ed; Stearns, Ezra Scollay, 1838-1915, joint ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1178

USA > Connecticut > Genealogical and family history of the state of Connecticut, a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume IV > Part 50

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

(VIII) James, son of Edward Guy Hunt- ington, was born in the south parish of Cov- entry, Tolland county, Connecticut, June 4, 1833. He attended the public schools of his native town. the Wilbraham Academy and the Charlottesville Academy and was graduated from the State and National Law School at Poughkeepsie. New York, in 1857. He was a clerk in the law office of Waldo & Hyde in Tolland.

He was admitted to the bar in New York at the time of his graduation, and in Tol- land county, Connecticut, April 6, 1859. Since that date he has been in active and successful practice at Woodbury, Connecticut. Since 1883 he has been associated with Arthur D. Warner, in the firm of Huntington & Warner, attorneys. He was elected judge of probate for his district in 1871 and held the office by successive re-elections for a period of years. He was state's attorney for Litchfield county for twenty-two years. 1874 to 1896, and has been chairman of the Litchfield county bar and president of the Bar Library Association. In politics he is a Democrat. He was a mem- ber of the general assembly from his district in 1874-75 and state senator in 1877-78, serv- ing on important committees and taking a lead- ing part in the work of the legislature. He has been worshipful master of King Solomon's Lodge. Free and Accepted Masons, of Wood- bury, as well as secretary and treasurer.

He married (first) January 6. 1863. Rebec- ca Huntly Hurd, of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, daughter of Edward and Annistine ( Huntly ) Hurd. His wife died February 28, 1865, aged twenty-eight years. He married ( second ) June II, 1868. Helen Elizabeth. daughter of Norman and Ennice ( Thompson) Parker. Child of first wife: Rebecca Annistine. Chil- dren of second wife: Eunice Eliza. born July 19. 1873. Lucy Hammond, born June 21. 1875, died September 21, 1875.

The Chase family is of ancient CHASE English origin, the name being derived undoubtedly from the French word, Chasser, to hunt. The ances- tral seat of the branch of the family from which the American line is descended, was at Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, through which runs a rapidly flowing river, the Chess, which gives the name to the place. The Chase arms: Gules four crosses patence argent (two and two), on a canton azure a lion rampant or.

(I) Thomas Chase of Chesham was de- scended from an ancient family there.

(II) John Chase was also of Cheshamn.

(III) Matthew Chase was of Chesham : married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Bould. Children: Richard, married Mary Roberts ; Francis : John ; Matthew : Thomas, mentioned below ; Ralph ; William ; Bridget.

(IV) Thomas (2) Chase was of the Hund- rich. in parish Chesham. Children, born at Hundrich: John, baptized November 30, 1540; Richard, baptized August 3, 1542. men- tioned below; Agnes, baptized January 9, 1551 ; William : Christian.

( V) Richard Chase was born in Hundrich, Chesham, England, and baptized there, August 3, 1542 ; married. April 16, 1564, Joan Bishop. Children, born at Hundrich. baptis- mal dates: Robert, September 2, 1565 ; Hen- ry, August 10, 1567 : Lydia, October 4, 1573 : Ezekiel, April 2. 1575: Dorcas, March 2, 1578; Aquila, Angust 14, 1580, mentioned be- low : Jason, January 13. 1585; Thomas, July 18, 1586; Abigail, January 12. 1588; Morde- cai, July 31. 1591.

(VI) Aquila, son of Richard Chase, was baptized at Hundrich, Chesham, England, Au- gust 14. 1580. Children: Thomas: Aquila, born 1618. mentioned below.

(VII) Aquila (2), son of Aquila ( 1) Chase, was born in England in 1618, and was the American immigrant. He was a mariner, probably employed by his uncle or brother. Thomas Chase, who was in 1626, part owner of the ship "John and Francis." He was of Hampton. New Hampshire. as early as 1640: removed to Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1646, when he had four acres granted for a house lot, and six acres of marsh, on condition that he go to sea and do service in the town with a boat for four years. He and his wife, and David Wheeler were fined "for gathering pease on the Sabbath", but were a Imonished and the fine remitted in September, 1646. He was shipmaster, and died December 27. 1670, aged fifty-two. His will was dated Septem- ber 19. 1670. He married Anne, daughter of John Wheeler, and she married (second). June 14. 1672, Daniel Mussiloway. She died

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in May. 1688. Children: Sarah, married Charles Annis ; Anna, born July 6, 1647 : Pris- cilla, March 14. 1649; Mary, February 3. 1651 ; Thomas, July 25, 1654: John, Novem- ber 2. 1655: Elizabeth, September 13, 1657; Ruth, March 18, 1660; Daniel, December 9, 1661 ; Moses, December 24, 1663, mentioned below.

(VIII) Moses, son of Aquila (2) Chase, was born December 24, 1663, and married, (first), November 10, 1684. Ann Follansbee. He married (second), December 13, 1713, Sarah Jacobs. Children : Moses (twin), born September 20, 1685, died young; Daniel (twin), September 20, 1685, mentioned be- low; Moses, January 20, 1688; Samuel, May 13, 1690: Elizabeth, September 25, 1693; Ste- phen, August 29, 1696; Hannah, September 13. 1699: Joseph. September 9. 1703: Benoni.

(IX) Daniel, son of Moses and Ann (Fol- lansbee) Chase, was born September 20, 1685, and died May 28, 1769, aged eighty-four. He settled in Sutton, Worcester county, Mas- sachusetts, before March 26, 1733, when his corn mill is mentioned in the town records and he is said to have built the first corn mill at Pleasant Falls. He was usually called "Miller" Chase. He and his wife were ad- mitted to the church in 1736 by letter from the Littleton church. In 1751 he and his wife were among the Separatists from the Sut- ton church. His homestead was on the pres- ent site of the Sutton Manufacturing Com- pany property. He married Sarah March, who died December, 1771, aged eighty-eight years. Children: Samuel, born September 28, 1707, married Mary Dudley; Daniel Jr., September 18. 1709. mentioned below : Josh- ua, November 9, 1711: Ann, November 13, 1713, married. May 25. 1736. David Lilley ; Sarah, April 22, 1716; Nehemiah, June 27, 1718, died unmarried : Judith, September 7, 1720, married, September 15, 1737, Thomas Hall: Caleb, November 29. 1722, died Octo- ber 2, 1808: Moody, September 3. 1723, mar- ried, January 17, 1749. Elizabeth Hali; Mo- ses, March, 1726. married Hannah, daughter of Jonas Brown.

(X) Daniel (2), son of Daniel ( I) Chase, was born September 18, 1709, and died in May, 1799. He settled at Sutton with his par- ents. He married (first) Hannah Tuttle, of Littleton, Massachusetts, and (second), Jan- uary 24, 1-82, Martha Fletcher, of Grafton. Children, born at Sutton: Hannah, October 15. 1733, died December II, 1733: Paul, March 13. 1735, mentioned below : Hannalı, January 11, 1737, married, July 3, 1,50, Elia- kim Garfield; Lucy, January 30, 1739. mar- ried, November 15, 1764, Benjamin Garfield ;

Anne and Judith, twins, born May 1, 1741, Anne died November 1, 1745.

(XI) Paul, son of Daniel (2) Chase, was born in Sutton, March 13, 1735, and died in 1789. He married, at Sutton, April 17, 1758, Lucy Richardson. Children, born at Sutton : Joshua. November 26, 1760, mentioned below ; Thaddeus, February 10, 1763; Lucy, May 18, 1766, married Daniel Greenwood, Jr.

(XII) Joshua, son of Paul Chase. was born at Sutton, November 26, 1760. He married, August 23, 1787, Lydia Prentice, of Sutton. Children, born at Sutton: Nancy, February 15, 1780: Paul Cushing. March 6, 1790, men- tioned below ; Betty, February 22, 1792 ; Han- nalı Prentice, March 27, 1795.

(XIII) Paul (2) Cushing, son of Joshua Chase, was born March 6. 1790, at Sutton. He resided in Millbury, formerly part of Sut- ton. He was highway surveyor, assessor and selectman at various times, and often chair- man of the selectmen. He married, at Mill- bury. December 9, 1819, Sally, daughter of Aaron and Hannah Pierce. Children, born at Millbury : Leonard Pierce, September 5, 1820: George Cushing, September 18, 1724, died August 3, 1827; Lewis Stow, August 6, 1826: George Lewis, January 13, 1828, men- tioned below : Daniel Moody, July 25, 1832.

(XIV) George Lewis, son of Paul Cu-hi- ing Chase, was born in Millbury, January 13. 1828. He received his education at the Mill- bury academy, and when nineteen years old began his business career as agent of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Georgetown, Massachusetts, and was later elected a member of its board of directors. He worked at first through southern Massa- chusetts and eastern Connecticut, and within a short time his agency included four com- panies transacting business on the mutual plan, one of which, the Holyoke Mutual of Salem, remained in business many years. In 1848 he was appointed traveling agent for the . People's Insurance Company of Worcester. retaining the position until 1852. From that time until 1856 he was in the railroading busi- ness. In 1852 he was assistant superintend- ent of the Central Ohio Railway Company. and removed to Ohio, where he was later promoted to the office of general superintend- ent of the road. He was one of the organ- izers of the first association of railroad su- perintendents in the United States, the meet- ing for the purpose being held in Columbus, Ohio, in 1853. In 1860 Mr. Chase resumed the first insurance business as the Western general agent for the New England Fire In- surance Company of Hartford: in 1863 was assistant general agent of the Hartford Fire

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Insurance Company, and in 1867 he was elect- ed president of the company, succeeding Tim- othy C. Allyn. For forty-one years the man- agement of the business of the company was in his hands, and was most effectively han- dled, placing him in the front rank of insur- ance men of the country. The Hartford Fire Insurance Company is one of the oldest in the country : in its business of one hundred years it has had only six presidents, and Mr. Chase exceeded all in his length of service. When Mr. Chase became president, the office of the company was on Main street, in very limited quarters. At his suggestion a lot was pur- chased on the corner of Pearl and Trumbull streets, and a handsome granite building erect- ed. It was occupied by the company in 1870, and was equipped with every convenience and at that time was the finest insurance building in the city. In 1897 the building was enlarged by the erection of an addition which gave them double the accommodation. The busi- ness, in the meantime, had increased fivefold. Mr. Chase was the first to suggest the use of the telephone for communication between the Hartford. Aetna and Phoenix offices, which was found to be a great convenience, at a time when telephones were not in as general use as now, and when the instrument used was very crude. This was the first telephone serv- ice in Hartford, and Mr. Chase has in his of- fice the first telephone instrument used at this time. He was also the first to employ steno- graphic and typewriter service in the business.

In 1876 Mr. Chase was elected president of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, and served many years as chairman of the committee on legislation and taxation, a most important committee. He was also a trustee and vice president of the Society for Savings of Hartford, and trustee of the Connecticut Trust and Safe Deposit Company. and direc- tor of the American National Bank. He was a leading member of the Hartford Board of Trade. In 1892, on the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of his presidency. he was given a silver loving cup by his associates in the Hartford Fire Insurance Company, as a testimonial of their admiration and love for him. In June. 1808, the general and special agents of the company, located in various cit- ies in the United States, presented him with a Jurgensen watch. MIr. Chase was a mem- ber of the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, and had five times been chosen presi- dent of the Connecticut Congregational Club. He died January 7, 1908. He married three times, the name of only one wife being given. his third wife is still living. He married, January 8, 1851. Calista Mendall Taft, born

at Sutton, Massachusetts, May 10, 1826, died at Hartford, December 9, 1897, daughter of Judson and Sarah B. ( Keyes) Taft (see Taft VI). Children of George Lewis and Calista MI. (Taft) Chase: Sarah Isabel, born June 10, 1852, died December 23, 1893 : Charles Ed- ward, March 29, 1857, mentioned below ; Nel- lie Taft, November 27, 1859, died April 16, 1866.

( XV) Charles Edward., son of George Lewis Chase, was born in Dubuque, Iowa, March 29, 1857, and when about six years old removed with his parents to Chicago, Illi- nois, where he attended the Haven grammar school until 1867. From there they went to Hartford. Connecticut, and he attended the West Middle grammar school. and graduated from the Hartford high school in 1876, as president of his class. He then entered the local agency of the Hartford Fire Insurance- Company in 1877, and in 1880 entered the home office of the company in various cleri- cal positions until 1890. In July of that year, he was promoted to be second assistant sec- retary, and at once proved himself to be a valuable acquisition to the home office starf. Later he was elected vice-president and in 1908 was elected president of the company. From 1894 to 1907 he was president of the Hartford Board of Fire Underwriters. He is deeply interested in all municipal affairs, hav- ing served as Republican councilman from the old first ward in 1802, and alderman from 1893 to 1895. He is actively interested in a number of Hartford organizations, being a director of the Connecticut Mutual Life In- surance Company, the Hartford National Bank, Connecticut Trust and Safe Deposit Company, the Society for Savings, the Hart- ford Board of trade, and the Hartford Fire Insurance Company. He was formerly a mem- ber of the Republican Club, and has served as clerk of the West Middle school district. He is a member of the Hartford Club. Hartford Golf Club, Farmington Country Club. Twen- tieth Century Club, and Bolton Fish and Game Club. He is a member of the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, of which Rev. James H. Twichell is pastor, and has served on the Society's committee.

In February, IS70, he enlisted as a charter member of Company K. First Regiment of Connecticut National Guard, and occupied the positions of corporal, sergeant and first ser- geant of the company. He was honorably dis- charged in February. 1888. He married, in Hartford, June 9, 1886, Helen Smith Bourne. born in Hartford, January 10, 1860, daughter of Benjamin Alger and Mary (Stannis ) Bourne. Children: 1. Genevieve, born March

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4 .. 1887: attended the Hartford grammar school, Miss Barbour's private school, Dana Hall, Wellesley, being president of the class in the junior and senior years. 2. Porter Bourne, born May 27, 1896; a student in the public schools.

(The Taft Line).

The Taft families of America are descend- ed from Robert Taft and a relative, Matthew Taft, who settled near Robert, later. Both were Protestant Irish by birth. The name does not appear in Scotland in any form, and only in England apparently among descendants of the Irish family. For some centuries the name has been spelled Taaffe. The families of Tifft and Tefft in England may have the same origin, and it is still in doubt whether the family is of English or Irish origin. It is true that the Tafts were associated with the Scotch-Irish just as many English were. Sir William Taaffe or Taft, a knight of the Protestant faith, was among the grantees at the time of the Scotch emigration and set- tlement in Ulster Province, Ireland, by order of King James. In 1610 he received a grant of one thousand acres of land in the parish of Castle Rahen in county Cavan. The total grants in this parish amounted to three thou- sand nine hundred and ninety acres, of which Sir Thomas Ashe held one thousand five hundred acres, and in 1619 he also held this grant of Taft's and one thousand five hundred in the adjoining parish of Tullaghgarvy. On Taft's land there was "an old castle new mend- ed and all the land was inhabited by Irish". It seems reasonable to suppose that Sir Wil- liam Taft's sons settled on this grant. Per- haps Sir William remained in Louth. At any rate, this is the only family who had any rela- tions with the Scotch-Irish settlers whom Robert and Matthew Taft seem to have been connected with in some way. County Louth, the Irish home of the Tafts. is on the north- ern coast, bounded by Armagh in Ulster, on the east by the British channel and on the south by the Boyne. It is in the province of Leinster, and was established as a county in 1210.

men of the organized town of Mendon in 1680, and the same year served on a committee to build the minister's house. He and his sons built the first bridge across the river Mendon. In 1729 his sons built the second bridge also. He was one of the purchasers of the tract of land from which the town of Sutton was formed.

He married Sarah and their five sons all had large families and many de- scendants. Children: Thomas, born 1671, died 1755; Robert, 1674, mentioned below ; Daniel, 1677, died August 24, 1761, mentioned below : Joseph, 1680, died June 18, 1747 ; Ben- jamin, 1684, died 1766.

(II) Robert (2), son of Robert (1) and Sarah Taft, was born in 1674. He settled on part of his father's land in what became Ux- bridge, and lived there all his life. He was chosen selectman in 1727, at the first March meeting, and was reelected many times. He was one of the leading citizens. In his will, dated February 17, 17.47-48, he mentions his wife.

(II) Daniel, son of Robert Taft, was born probably in Braintree. Massachusetts, but pos- sibly in England in 1677. He died August 24. 1761, according to his gravestone in the old Mendon burying ground, aged eighty- four years. He settled on part of the old Fortfield farm in Mendon, given him by his father at the time of his marriage. It is known as the Samuel H. Taft farm in late years. He had five sons who became pros- perous farmers in Mendon or vicinity. After his wife Lydia died in 1758, he went to live with his son Daniei on what is now known as the Southwick farm in Mendon. He was a lawyer as well as farmer and was legal ad- viser of all his brothers and often for the town. For many years he was town treasurer and moderator of town meetings and was the leading citizen of the town in his day. He represented the town in the movement to es- tablish a new county and both Mendon and Uxbridge were transferred to the new county of Worcester in 1730. formerly being of Suf- folk. He gave to the town the burying ground in Mendon. He represented the town in the general court in 1728 and other years, and was justice of the peace for this section. His will was dated January 25, 1759. He married ( first ) in 1702-03. Hannah - -, who died August 8. 1704: (second). December 5. 1706, Lydia. daughter of Captain Josiah Chapin. Child of first wife: Daniel, born August 4.

(I) Robert Taft. the immigrant ancestor, was born in Ireland about 1640 and died in Mendon, Massachusetts. February 8. 1725. He was. first at Braintree, Massachusetts, where he owned a lot in 16,8. He sold his land there November IS, 1679. to Caleb Ho- bart, and about the same time he bought his first land in Mendon, and became later one of the largest property owners in that section. ' 1704, died soon. Children of second wife: He evidently was a man of property and in- Abigail, born September 24, 1707: Josiah, April 2. 1709, mentioned below : Lydia, April 13, 1713: Daniel, April 20, 1715: Ephraim, fluence at the outset. He was a housewright by trade. He was in the first board of select-

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May 25, 1718; Japhet, March 3, 1721-22; Ca- leb, 1724.

(III) Josiah, son of Daniel Taft, was born in Mendon, April 2, 1709, and died in Ux- bridge, formerly Mendon, in 1756. aged forty- seven years. His father gave him his farm by deed of gift. It was on the west side of the Blackstone River, and was handed down to his son Bezaleel. Josiah was captain of the Uxbridge militia company. Ile was of Uxbridge as early as 1732 and became the leading citizen of that town. He held various offices. His estate was divided January 31, 1757, Daniel Taft being guardian for Reza- leel and Chloe. He married Lydia

Her will was dated January 1. 1772, and was allowed December 8, 1778. She bequeathed to her son Bezaleel. daughter Chloe, and to Josiah and Eunice, children of her son Jo- siah. The receipt of the grandson Josiah, given below, for his share of his grand- mother's estate is very valuable genealogically, as it gives four generations of Tafts. The estate was inventoried at over two thousand pounds. Children. born at Uxbridge: Beza- leel, born 1750. died 1839. a prominent citi- zen, soldier in the revolution: Caleb, died at Harvard College in 1756; Chiloe ; Josiah, men- tioned below.

(IV) Josiah (2), son of Josiah (1) Taft. was born about 1735-40 at Uxbridge, and died there in 1761. He married Lydia - ----- who married (second) Ebenezer Tatt, and with her second husband administered the estate of Josiah. She was appointed. September 8. 1761. The estate was divided December 17, 1762, the son Josiah having a double share. The mother Lydia was guardian of Josiah and Eunice. Josiah received land by deed from his father. Children: Josiah. mentioned be- low ; Eunice, mentioned in will of Lydia Taft. her grandmother.

(V) Colonel Josiah (3). Taft, son of Josiah (2) Taft, was born in Uxbridge in 1758. The following receipt dated May 27. 1779. and filed April 19, 1780. was given soon after he came of age: "Then received of Bezaleel Taft of Uxbridge aforesaid. executor to the last will and testament of my honored grand- mother (viz) the widow Lydia Tait late of Uxbridge aforesaid deceased the sum of 96 pounds four shillings sixpence. it being in full for all moveable or personal estate in his or that would have been in hers the said Lydia's hands if living on account of what was set off to me out of my father's ( viz) Josiah Taft's late of Mendon deceased estate. Als in full for akk incomes of my real or personal estate both principal and interest due to me that was or is now in his the said Bezaleel's hands also

in full for any that was or is due ine on ac- count of my services with the said Lydia while living and on account of what was due to ine out of my great grandfather's (viz) Daniel Taft Esq .. late of mendon. deceased." Signed by Josiah Taft and witnessed by Ed- ward Seagrave and . Ephraim Irving. This paper establishes the lineage to Daniel, son of the immigrant, and shows also that Josiah was brought up by his grandmother Lydia Taft. He was a soldier in the revolution in Captain William Wyman's company. Colonel John Pe- terson's regiment (twenty-sixth) in 1775. In later years he was colonel of a Worcester county regiment. He was a pensioner late in life, drawing Sgo a year for his revolutionary service. He died January 8, 1846, at Peters- ham, aged eighty-seven years one month and eleven days, fixing his date of birth as May 27, 1758. He married (first) Margery Green. who died at Petersham. September 22, 1838, aged eighty years. When he was eighty-two years old he married ( second ), May 20, 1839. at Petersham. Mrs. Mary Parmenter, and his widow survived him. Children of first wife: 1. Andre, settled in West Boylston in ISIS; died in Worcester in 1850 aged fifty-nine years. 2. Guilford H., died November 22, 1816, aged eighteen. 3. Judson. bora Febru- ary 13, 1793; mentionel below. 4 Israel, married. 1822. Ann Baker, and lived in Peters- ham. 5. Harry, married ( firsti in 1821, Sarah Y. Rogers : (second) in 1825, Clista A. Men- dall. and (third) in 1827. Betsey Ballou. 6. John. married. in 1826. Lorenza Newton: she married (second) Captain Sewell Moulton, of Hubbardston. 7. Eunice, married Elijah Kimball, of Grafton. Six othe. 3 whose names are unknown to the writer.

(VI) Judson. son of Colonel Josialı (3) Taft, was born in Uxbridge. February 13. 1793. and died in Worcester, January 26, 18Q1, nearly ninety-eight years old. He married Sarah B. Keyes, born at Uxbridge, December 15, 1790. and died at Worcester, February 27, 1862. Children: 1. Gardner Judson. born at Hopkinton. October 10. 1817, died at Som- erville, New Jersey. April 26. 1873. 2. Lois Keves, born at Petersham. January 10. ISTO: died at Worcester. February 1. 1903. 3. Ali- cia Shepherd. born at Peter ham. September 4. 1821 : living in 1910 and in good health. 4. Olive Minot, born at Petersham. September 5, 1823: died at Millbury. July 18. 1832. 5. Calista Mendall. born May 10. 1826. at Sut- ton. died at Hartford. December Q. 1897: married. January 8. 1851, George L. Chase (see Chase XIV). 6. Alice Silsby. born at Grafton, January 29, 1829. died at Worcester, February 25. 1901.

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BROWN John Brown, immigrant ances- tor, was associated with the Pilgrims at Plymouth. While traveling in his youth he became acquainted with Rev. John Robinson, pastor of the Pil- grims, and through him'met many of his peo- ple in the same way that Governor Winslow and Captain Miles Standish came to join the Pilgrims. Ile did not come in the "Mayflow- er," however. It was not until March. 1029, that he reached New England. He landed at Salem. Two years earlier. however, March 19, 1627, the council for New England ap- proved a patent for trade soil and planting, on which a royal charter was obtained, March 4, 1628, to certain patentees and their associates, among whom were John Brown, John Salton- stall, and others, who became well known in the colonies. He was elected to Governor John Endicott's council. April 3, 1629, with Francis Higginson, Samuel Skelton, Francis Bright, Samuel Brownc. Thomas Graves and Samuel Sharp. He went from Salem to Ply- mouth, and later to Taunton with his son, James. In 1643 John Brown and his sons, John and James, were residents of Taunton, but the next year they settled in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. There John Brown Sr., and John Brown. Jr., stayed and were among the first settlers, but James Brown being a Bap- tist, was forced to leave town in 1663, and with others of his sect founded the town of Swansea, Massachusetts. The designation Mr. given him in the records shows that he was counted among the gentry. John Brown was appointed one of the townsmen (an office) in Rehoboth, March 12, 1645, and again in 1650- 51. He served the town on important con- missions. He was on the prudential commit- tee. He was, for seventeen years. from 1636 to 1653. one of the governor's assistants or magistrates. In 1638 the following were the governor's assistants: William Bradford, Ed- ward Winslow, Captain Miles Standish, John Alden, John Jenny and John Brown. He was one of the commissioner- of the United Colo- nies of New England (which foreshadowed the later confederation) from 1644 to 1655. In the governor's court. June 4, 1652, he won a notable sunt for damages for defamation against Samuel Newman, the judgment being for one hundred pounds, and costs.

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