William Brewster (ca 1645 to 1723) and Lydia Partridge (ca 1651-17430, Duxbury, Massachusetts

William Brewster was born about 1645 at Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, the son of Love Brewster and Sarah Collier. Love was a Mayflower passenger with his parents William and Mary Brewster, and I wrote about him here. William is my 8^th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’ side of the family. William’s birth is not recorded, but he is mentioned in Love’s will, bequeathing him a kettle and a gun.

On 2 Jan 1672 William married Lydia Partridge at Duxbury. She was born Duxbury about 1651, the daughter of George Partridge and Sarah Tracy. I wrote about George and Sarah here.

William and Lydia had eight children, born Duxbury,

Sarah b. 1674

Nathaniel b. 1676 who m. Mary Dwelley

Lydia b. 1681, m. Job Cushman

William b. 1683, m. Hopestill Wadsworth

Mercy b. 1685, m. Edward Arnold

Benjamin, b. 1688, removed to Connecticut, m. 1^st Elizabeth Witter, 2^nd Sarah Caulkins

Joseph, b. 1694, m. Elizabeth Turner

Joshua, b. about 1698, m. Deborah Jackson

I descend through Joshua.

William was a church deacon and is called carpenter or planter in records. He was a freeman and served on juries. He was a large landholder in Duxbury and there are many recorded deeds of his purchases and sales. He bought most of the property east of Standish Street and north of Myles Standish’s property, which included the property owned by his grandfather Elder William Brewster. He purchased the farm that belonged to his uncle Jonathan Brewster, as well as Richard Moore’s property at Eagle Nest’s Point. He likely benefited financially from his grandfather William Collier who was the richest man in the colony.

Lydia (Partridge) Brewster was mentioned in her mother Sarah Tracy Partridge’s 1702 will, along with her seven sisters and two brothers. She was to receive her share of linen, woolen clothing, cash and remainder of the estate. Her husband was to be an overseer of the estate.

In 1669 William and his brothers Nathaniel and Wrestling sold land in Dartmouth which had been a gift from their mother Sarah (Collier) Brewster. William was the only one of the brothers to sign the deed; the others used their marks.

William died 3 November 1723, aged near 78, and is buried Old Cemetery in Duxbury. He died intestate, surprising since he was a man of means. He had already deeded land to his sons William, Joseph, Joshua and Nathaniel so perhaps he felt a will was unnecessary.

Lydia died 2 Feb 1742/43 at Duxbury, at about 93 years of age. It would seem she would be buried next to William but a stone for her has not survived.

 

Sources:

Lamont “Monty” Healy, Elder William Brewster and the Nook, 3-part series, Duxbury Clipper, June 26, July 24 and August 28, 2013

Henry A. Fish, Duxbury Ancient & Modern, 2012, Duxbury 375th Anniversary Revised Edition, based on 1925 edition

Barbara Lambert Merrick, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Volume 24, Part 1, Elder William Brewster, GSMD, 2014

Robert Long ca 1590 to 1664, Herefordshire, England, to Charlestown, Massachusetts

Robert Long was born about 1590, probably in Herefordshire, England. I have not found his birth/baptism record, but birth is based on age at time he emigrated. Robert is my 11^th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family. Robert had 14 children by two wives; 9 of them daughters.

On 3 Oct 1614, Robert Long married Sarah Taylor at St. Albans Abbey, St. Albans, Herefordshire. Sarah was the daughter of John and Margaret (Willmote) Taylor.

St. Albans Cathedral and Abbey

Sarah died in 1631 and was buried at Dunstable, Bedfordshire on 12 December 1631.

Robert and Sarah had 10 children:

Michael

Sarah

Robert

Elizabeth

Ann

Mary

Martha

Rebecca

John

Zachary

Robert married 2^nd, by 1634, Elizabeth, whose maiden name has not been found. She died at Charlestown, Massachusetts on 29 May 1687, at about 84 years of age.

Robert and Elizabeth had four children:

Joshua

Hannah who married 1^st Henry Cookery and 2^nd Luke Perkins

Ruth

Deborah

I descend from Hannah and her second husband Luke Perkins, whom I wrote about here.

Robert was from Dunstable, Bedfordshire and migrated in 1635 on the Defence out of London.  He was age 45, an innholder, with wife Eliza(beth)  and children Michell (Michael) 20, Sarra (Sarah) 18, Robert 16, Elizabeth 12, Anne 10, Mary 9, Rebecca 8, Jon 6, Zachery 4, Joshua aged ¾, and Luce Mercer, 18, a servant. They were all enrolled at London as passengers and their first residence in the new world was Charlestown, Massachusetts, a Boston neighborhood.

On 3 Sept 1635, Robert was licensed to keep a house of entertainment at Charlestown for horse and man. (I love how this is worded!)  In 1638 he was allowed to draw wine at Charlestown on condition that he take what wines or waters are in the hands of Thomas Lynde, who formerly sold the wines, so that he be not “damnified.”

On 17 April 1636 Robert and Elizabeth Long were admitted members of the Charlestown Church. He was made a freeman at Charlestown (as Robrt Longe) on 25 May 1636. He was on a grand jury in 1638, admitted to the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1639, served as a Selectman and on the Mass Bay committee on valuing livestock in 1640. The Honorable Artillery Company is the oldest chartered military organization in North America and began as a volunteer militia company that trained officers from local militia companies across Massachusetts. Traditionally upper middle and upper class men have been members and include President John F. Kennedy.

Robert was also a land owner. A few of his transactions: sold six hay lots in 1635, in 1637 held 8 cow commons, in 1638 held parcels of 30, 65, and 5 acres Mystic Side.

In 1636 Robert started the Three Cranes Tavern at Charlestown; he had purchased the land and building for 30 pounds. It was at the foot of town hill and was previously used as the First Church of Charlestown and home to Governor Winthrop and called The Great house. It was the first structure built in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630) and has been the site of archaeological digs. It was in the Long family for more than 140 years. It burned down in 1775 when Charlestown was set afire by British troops evacuating the city. A cannon ball that had hit the building during the Battle of Bunker Hill was found during the excavation. It became a site for an open market, called Market Square, and when Charlestown became a city in 1848 it was renamed City Square. Visitors can see the original foundation stones of the tavern and the Long family house.

Rendering of Three Cranes Tavern Source: BU Today, November 9, 2014

Mr. Robert Long died 9 Jan 1663/4 at Charlestown, Massachusetts. It is not known where he is buried, but the Phipps Street Cemetery in Charlestown is the older cemetery in Boston with earliest internments dating to 1630.

Robert Long’s will is dated 10 June (or July) 1658 and proved 16 Feb 1663/4. It mentions his loving wife, sons Joshua, John, Mikaell, Zecharaiah, daughters Kempthorne a widow, Ruth, Deborah, Hannah, Rebecca Rowe, Sarah Hill, Elizabeth Parker, Anna Converse, grandson Samuel Longe.

Inventory was taken 19 Jan 1663/4, totaled over 647 pounds, of which 360 was real estate. The originals of the will and inventory are difficult to read. If anyone has come across a transcription they could share, I’d appreciate hearing from you!

On 9 May 1673 his heirs, including “Luke Perkins and Hannah my wife” sold to “our beloved brother John Long of Charlstown…all our right, title and interest in and to the estate of our honored father Mr. Robt Long former of the same town of Charlstown deceased.” John Long expanded the family business, adding a brewery and a wine cellar.

City Square, Charlestown; site of Robert Long's home and tavern

Sources:

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1992

Hallock Porter Long, A Long genealogy: a partial genealogy of the Longs of Charlestown and Nantucket, Massachusetts, 1891. Got to love a long genealogy!

Charles Edward Banks, The Planters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1620-1640, Boston, 1930, Reprint c. 2006

Richard Frothingham, History of Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1845

Information on Three Cranes Tavern: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcarchexhibitsonline/threecranes.htm and http://www.bu.edu/articles/2014/boston-archaeology/