William Browning was born after 1657 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island,
the son of Nathaniel Browning and Sarah Freeborn (or Freeborne). I have seen his birth year as 1651, but this
doesn’t work with his not being age 21 in 1678 (see below). In 1687 William married Rebecca Wilbore of Portsmouth. Rebecca was
the daughter of Samuel Wilbore (spelled in a variety of ways) and Hannah
Porter. I wrote about that couple here. William Browning is
my 8th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side
of the family.
Both William and Rebecca’s families were non-conformists in England, probably Puritans, which precipitated
their migration to Massachusetts.
According to other researchers, William’s
father Nathaniel purchased land from the Indians in Warwick,
Rhode Island, for three pounds of wampum and
later settled Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island.
I have found five children born to William and Rebecca:
Samuel
Hannah born 16 July 1691 married William Knowles
William
Sarah born April 1694
John
I descend from their daughter Sarah who married Eleazer Kelley
of Yarmouth (now Dennis), Massachusetts, both through their son
Patrick who married Bethiah Baker and their son Eleazer who married Hannah
Baker.
Rebecca died 18 March 1727/78, although again I am without a
source.
Henry A. Baker wrote that William married second a woman
named Sarah but no source provided. Perhaps
she is mentioned in his will.
William was admitted a Freeman at N. Kingstown, Rhode Island,
in 1684.
William died in 1730 as did his second wife Sarah. I don’t have a death date for his first wife
Rebecca. He did leave a will, dated 12
January 1730, which I have not seen for myself yet. His inventory included a female slave. If
anyone has a transcription of his will and is willing to share, please contact
me!
I have a lot more research to do on this family but it has
been interesting thus far.
Sources Not Listed
Above:
Henry Augustus Baker, History
of Montville, Connecticut , 1896
Various issues of Rhode Island Roots
