[6007] Notes:
40, p 253-255. A good idea of John Browne's impressive career can be had from Robert L. French, "John Browne of Plymouth Colony, Obstructionest and Libertarian," MQ 49 (1983):109, 161, 50:5, 57, which contains some interesting possibilities for the origin of his family in England. He arrived at Plymouth possibly on the Lyon in 1632 with his wife Dorothy and their children, though Savage writes that this was a different John Browne. Nithaniel Morton in New Englands Memorial, pp 163-64, wrote that Browne in his younger years traveled in the Low Countries and made friends with the minister John Robinson and others of the Separatist church; on arriving in New England, because of his former friendships, he decided to settle at Plymouth. He was then about fifty years old, his wife forty-nine. He was on the 1633 tax list, and he became a freeman not long after. In 1635/36 he became an Assistant, a position which he was elected many times. He could write to Governor Winthrop as "Loving Friend," and was on good terms with many of the leading men of Plymouth, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and also of England. He was Commissioner of the United Colonies and was used by Plymouth in many inter-colony negoations. In 1645 he joined Freeman, Hatherly, and Standish in their unsuccessful support of Vassall's petition [see chapt 4] In 1652 Browne sued Rev. Samuel Newman, minister of the Rehoboth Church, for defamation, and was awarded =A3100 plus costs which Browne later gave back to Newman. Browne was the resident of Rehoboth who in 1665 offered to make up any deficiency for seven years of the residents who did not want to pay for the maintenance of the church. In 1655 he left for England, staying there three years, during which he served as excutor for the estate of senior Sir Henry Vane, father of the former governor of the same name of the Bay Colony, later one of the leading men in Commonwealth England. He returned to Plymouth in 1660.

He dated his will 7 April 1662, and his inventory was taken 19 April 1662, he was a wealthy man. He left his wife Dorothy, and named his son James, his daughter Mary, wife of Thomas Willett, his grandchildren John Browne, Joseph Browne, Nathaniel, Lydia Browne, and Hannah, and also his granddaughter Margaret Saffin, wife of John Saffin. To daughter Mary Willett he left but twelve pence 'to bee payed att the end of every yeare During her life for a memorial unto her; and it shallbee in full of all filiall portion which shee or any in her behalfe shall Claime," which would seem to have been a pointed slight. The coyrt seemed compelled to write on the back of the will, "Lest anythinge mencioned in this will in reference to mistris Mary Willett the wife of Capt. Thomas Willett might bee any mis Cinstrued to prejudice of of [sic] the said mistris Willett; wee thinke it meet to Declare that out of the long experience of her Dutifull and tender resprct to her said father from time to time expressed there hath never appeered to us the least ground of any such thinge to this prsent." That Browne died rich can be seen in the fact that to one grandson alone he left over seven hundred acers of land.

His widow Dorothy Browne dated her will 17 December 1668, sworn 29 March 1674, and she mentioned her daughter Mary Willett; Mary Willett's children; Sarah Elliott, daughter of Sarah Elliott, deceased; son James Browne; grandson John Browne; the latter's two brothers Joseph and Nathaniel; granddaughter Dorothy Browne; daughter-in-law Lydia Browne; daughter-in-law Dorothy Browne; and granddaughters Lydia Browne and Anna Browne. John and Dorothy Browne had a son who predeceased them, John Browne, Jr., and his will was dated 31 March 1662, inventory 19 April 1662. He mentioned his father-in-law William Buckland, his wife (not named), his oldest son John Browne, and "all the the five children," with his father John Browne to be executor. The author of the MQ articles above mentioned also believes that a William Browne was either a son or nephew of John Browne, Sr.

The inventories of both the father and son were done on the same day.

58 , p. 238; John ad. 1635; Dux.; had land at Is ck., 1636; asst. and commissioner of United Colonies; d. near Rehoboth. His wife Dorthy, d. Jan.
27, 1673, at the age of 90. He had James of Swanzey, who married Lydia Howland; and Perhaps Capt. John, who m. Anne, and had Anne, 19 Sep., 1673, John, 1675.

Died "near Rehoboth;" will Apr 5, inventory Apr 19.

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Gilbert Le BLOUNT / Agnes de L'ISLE

      /--Robert Le  BLOUNT 
   /--Gilbert Le  BLOUNT 
   |  \--Gundreda of  FERRERS 
/--William Le  BLOUNT 
|  |  /--
|  \--Alicia (Alice) de  COLEKIRKE 
|     \--
|--Gilbert Le  BLOUNT 
|     /--
|  /--
|  |  \--
\--Sarah de  MUNCHSENE 
   |  /--
   \--
      \--

      /--
   /--
   |  \--
/--
|  |  /--
|  \--
|     \--
|--Agnes de  L'ISLE 
|     /--
|  /--
|  |  \--
\--
   |  /--
   \--
      \--

INDEX

[4444] Ancestry and Progeny of Captain James BLOUNT - Immigrant , by Robert F. Pfafman, p E-38 - (14)

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