Updates: The Brackett Family

The Brackett Family:

 

First Generation 

 

1.  William Brackett^1–2 was born circa 1520 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ He died on 5 May 1575 at the age of 55 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ [will written 4 May 1575, buried on the 6th] He was buried on 6 May 1575 in St. Gregory, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ William was a butcher. In his 4 May 1575 will, he named his wife Alice, sons Edmond, Richard and William, daughter Maud, and brother George. He also mentioned his "son" Peter Hallwell, suggesting a second daughter. A John Brackett witnessed the will. He may have been William's brother.

William Brackett and Alice [Brackett] were married circa 1545 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.^1–2 Alice [Brackett] was born circa 1520 in England.²

 

William Brackett and Alice [Brackett] had the following child:

 

              2              i.   Richard Brackett, born 1550–1554, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; married _______ [Brackett], ca 1579, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; married Alice Harper, 25 Sep 1589, All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; married Mrs. Elizabeth Greengrasse, 4 Feb 1601/2, Longmedford, Suffolk, England; died ca 26 May 1626, Long Melford, Suffolk, England.

 

 

Second Generation

 

2.  Richard Brackett (William-1) was born in 1550–1554 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.³ He died circa 26 May 1626 at the age of 76 in Long Melford, Suffolk, England.^4–5 He was buried on 26 May 1626 in Long Melford, Suffolk, England.⁴

Richard Brackett and _______ [Brackett] were married circa 1579 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.³ [based on est. birth of 1st child] _______ [Brackett]³ was born (date unknown).

 

Richard Brackett and _______ [Brackett] had the following children:

 

                              i.   Richard Brackett was born circa 1580 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹

                             ii.   Margerie Brackett was born bef 17 Feb 1582/3 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ She was baptized 17 Feb 1582/3 in St. Peter's, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹

              3            iii.   Peter Brackett, born 1580–1585, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; married Rachel [Brackett], ca 1607, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; died 19 Aug 1618–25 Aug 1618, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.

 

Richard Brackett and Alice Harper were married on 25 Sep 1589 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.^3,6 Alice Harper³ died in May 1595 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.³ She was buried on 17 May 1595 in St. Peter, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.³

 

Richard Brackett and Alice Harper had the following child:

 

                              i.   Robert Brackett was born in Sep 1593 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ He was baptized on 30 Sep 1593 in St. Peter's, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ He died in Dec 1598 at the age of 5 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ Robert was buried on 6 Dec 1598 in St. Peter's, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹

Richard Brackett and Mrs. Elizabeth Greengrasse were married on 4 Feb 1601/2 in Longmedford, Suffolk, England.¹ Mrs. Elizabeth Greengrasse was born (date unknown).

 

Richard Brackett and Elizabeth Greengrasse had the following child:

 

                              i.   Edward Brackett was born in Dec 1603 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹ He was baptized on 24 Dec 1603 in St. Peter's, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹

 

 

Third Generation

 

3.  Peter Brackett (Richard-2, William-1) was born in 1580–1585 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.⁷ He died on 19 Aug 1618–25 Aug 1618 at the age of 38 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.⁷ He was buried on 25 Aug 1618 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.⁷

Peter Brackett and Rachel [Brackett] were married circa 1607 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.⁷ Rachel [Brackett]⁸ was born circa 1590 in England.^7–8 She died on 15 Sep 1651 at the age of 61 in Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.^8–9 Rachel came to the colonies aboard the Planter with her 2nd husband, Martin Saunders [both aged 40] and their children Marie/Mary [15], Lea [10], Judith [8], and Martin [4]. Children John and Daniel were missing from the passenger list. Martin Saunders was a currier.
Numerous sites gives Rachel's maiden name a Wheatley. However, her daughter Leah married a John Wheatley about 1643 and they had a daughter Rachel [b. c1644]. This could be a case of the Wheatley surname being applied to the wrong Rachel. Several undocumented trees also assign the surname of Aaron to Rachel.

 

Peter Brackett and Rachel [Brackett] had the following children:

 

              4              i.   Peter Brackett, born ca 1608, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; married Martha Ray, 4 Oct 1632, Cavendish, Suffolk, England; married Priscilla [Brackett], ca 1640, Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts; married Mrs. Mary Williams, ca Dec 1666, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; died 19 May 1673, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.

              5             ii.   Richard Brackett, born ca Sep 1610, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; married Alice Blower, 6 Jan 1633/4, St. Katherine by the Tower, London, Middlesex, England; died 3 Mar 1690, Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.

              6            iii.   Rachel Brackett, born ca Apr 1614, All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; married Francis Newcomb, 27 May 1630, All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England; died aft 22 Mar 1685/6, probably Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.

                            iv.   Jonathan Brackett¹⁰ was born circa Oct 1616 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹⁰ He was baptized on 4 Oct 1616 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹⁰ Jonathan was baptized nearly two months after his father's death. Peter mentioned in his will that his wife was "with child." There is no further record of Jonathan, so it is assumed that he died in infancy.

 

 

Fourth Generation

 

4.  Peter Brackett^10–11 (Peter-3, Richard-2, William-1) was born circa 1608 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹⁰ He died on 19 May 1673 at the age of 65 in Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.¹⁰ Peter was probably born at Sudbury in late 1608, the eldest of Peter and Rachel Brackett's children.
He married Martha Ray at Cavendish in 1632. Peter and Martha had three children, Peter [bp. 7 Sep 1633], Rachel [22 Feb 1635] and Martha [bp. 5 May 1636], baptized at All Saints, Sudbury. Martha died in 1637, shortly before Peter left for New England.

Peter Brackett and his three children probably arrived in Massachusetts in 1638 and settled in Braintree. His brother, sister and mother had already settled there. On 24 February 1639/40, the Boston selectmen granted "Peter of the Mount" [Braintree] 48 acres for 12 heads [presumably livestock].

The mother of Peter's son John [30 Nov 1641] does not appear in the birth records of Braintree, but it is likely that she was Peter's 2nd wife Priscilla_____. Most sources state that Peter and Priscilla were married by 1642. If John was Priscilla's son, then they were probably married in late 1640. 
The remaining Brackett children, all born at Braintree were: Joseph [13 Oct 1642], Priscilla [c1646], Nathaniel [c1649], Sarah [c1651], Mary [c1653], Hannah [14 Aug 1656], and Ruth [23 Nov 1660].

Priscilla died between 1662 and December 1666, when Peter married Mary, the widow of Nathaniel Williams. They moved to Boston by April 1667, when Peter joined the First Church of Boston. He was a founder of Old South Church in May 1669. On a tax list for Boston's Division 5 in 1674, Peter Brackett was a Deacon. Mary joined the church in October 1674.

Mary died in 1679 and Peter was buried in Boston on 24 July 1688.

Peter Brackett and Martha Ray were married on 4 Oct 1632 in Cavendish, Suffolk, England.¹² Martha Ray died in Dec 1637 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England. She was buried on 14 Dec 1637 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.

 

Peter Brackett and Priscilla [Brackett] were married circa 1640 in Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.¹¹ Priscilla [Brackett]¹¹ died in 1662–1666 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.¹¹ Priscilla was believed to be a relative [probably sister] of Captain Richard Lord's wife, Sarah of Hartford, Connecticut. The marriage year of Priscilla and Peter is based on John being her son.

 

Peter Brackett and Mrs. Mary Williams were married circa Dec 1666 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.¹¹ Mrs. Mary Williams¹¹ died on 7 May 1679–26 Nov 1679 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.¹¹ Mary was the widow of Nathaniel Williams, who died in Boston in April 1661.

 

5.  Richard Brackett¹¹ (Peter-3, Richard-2, William-1) was born circa Sep 1610 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹⁰ He was baptized on 16 Sep 1610 in St. Gregory, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹⁰ He died on 3 Mar 1690 at the age of 79 in Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.^10,13 Richard Brackett first arrived in Boston in 1629 or 1630. He was #144 on the list of organizers of the First Church of Boston in 1630. [Anderson (GMB) gives his arrival as 1632.] Brackett returned to England about 1633 in search of a wife. Achieving success, he married Alice Blower in January of the following year. The Bracketts set sail for New England in 1634. Their daughter Hannah was baptized in Boston on 14 January 1634/5.
Richard was admitted as a freeman in Boston on 25 May 1636 and served as the city's jailkeeper from 1637-1640. The Bracketts relocated to Braintree in 1641. Richard was appointed a deacon of the Braintree Church in 1642. He served in a variety of offices between 1646 and 1683. Brackett was made a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1639 and eventually served as its captain. Both Richard and Alice died in 1690.

In addition to Hannah, mentioned above, the Bracketts had the following children baptized at Boston: Peter [7 May 1637], John [7 May 1637], Rachel [3 November 1639], and at Braintree: Mary [1 February 1641], James [c1646], Joshua [8 May 1652] and Sarah [c1655].

Richard Brackett and Alice Blower were married on 6 Jan 1633/4 in St. Katherine by the Tower, London, Middlesex, England.¹¹ Alice Blower was born circa 1615 in Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹¹ She was baptized on 30 Jun 1615 in St. Gregory, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹¹ She died on 3 Nov 1690 at the age of 75 in Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.¹¹

 

6.  Rachel Brackett (Peter-3, Richard-2, William-1) was born circa Apr 1614 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹⁴ She was baptized on 28 Apr 1614 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.⁷ She died after 22 Mar 1685/6 at the age of 71 in probably Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.¹⁵

Rachel Brackett and Francis Newcomb were married on 27 May 1630 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England.¹⁶ Francis Newcomb^16–18 was born circa 1605 in probably St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England.¹⁶ He died on 27 May 1692 at the age of 87 in Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts.¹⁶ Francis Newcomb [aged 30] set sail from London for New England in April 1635 with wife Rachel [aged 20] and two children, Rachel [aged 2½]and John [aged 9 months] aboard the Planter, Nicholas Trarice, Master. Also on board the ship were Rachel's mother, Rachel, and her 2nd husband, Martin Sanders and three half-siblings.
The Newcombs settled in Boston, where on 28 February 1635/6 Rachel became a member of the Boston First Church. They removed to Mt. Wollaston, which became Braintree on 13 May 1640 [now Quincy]. Rachel was one of thirteen Boston church members recommended to the Church of Christ at "Mount Wollystone" on 16 February 1639/40. At Braintree, Francis acquired several tracts of land, one being near the Iron Works and another on the south side of the Monaticut River. He probably resided at or near the "Neck."

Francis died 27 May 1692 at Braintree. The Hancock Cemetery records there gave Francis' age as 100, but since he was listed as being 30 in 1635, an age of about 87 would be more likely.

 

Francis Newcomb and Rachel Brackett had the following children:

 

                              i.   Rachel Newcomb¹⁸ was born circa Nov 1631 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom.¹⁸ She was baptized on 13 Nov 1631 in All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom.¹⁸ Rachel's age is given as 2 ½ on 6 April 1635.

              7             ii.   John Newcomb, born ca Aug 1634, All Saints, Sudbury, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom; married Ruth Marshall, ca 1658, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married Elizabeth [Newcomb]; died ca 1721, Massachusetts.

              8            iii.   Hannah Newcomb, born ca Oct 1637, Boston, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married James Thorp, 8 Jan 1657/8, Dedham, Massachusetts Bay, British America.

              9            iv.   Mary Newcomb, born 1 Apr 1640, Braintree, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married Samuel Deering, 9 Dec 1657, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married George Spear, 27 Apr 1675, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America.

                             v.   Sarah Newcomb was born on 30 Jun 1643 in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America.¹⁸

           10            vi.   Judith Newcomb, born 16 Jan 1645/6, Braintree, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts; married Ensign Samuel Jennison, 30 Oct 1666, Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; died 1 Mar 1723, Watertown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.

           11           vii.   Peter Newcomb, born 16 May 1648, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married Susan Cutting, 26 Jun 1672, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married Mary Phillips, ca 1703, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, British America.

                          viii.   Abigail Newcomb was born on 16 Jul 1651 in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America.¹⁸

           12            ix.   Leah Newcomb, born 30 Jul 1654, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married William Price, bef 1688, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America.

           13             x.   Elizabeth Newcomb, born 26 Aug 1658, Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married John Pidge, 3 Jul 1677, Dedham, Massachusetts Bay, British America; married James Emery, 28 Dec 1695, Dedham, Massachusetts Bay, British America.

 

 

 

Sources:

        1. John Brooks Threlfall, "The English Ancestry of Richard and Alice [Blower] Brackett of Braintree," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (http://americanancestors.org : accessed 30 May 2011), Brackett; citing prior publication in The American Genealogist (April 1976).

        2. "Jenks/Stormont Genealogies", database, John & Lois Stormant, Descendants of William Brackett (http://www.reocities.com/Heartland/Cliffs/6573/brackett.html : accessed 22 February 2016), Brackett genealogy; undocumented and unnamed family tree submitted unknown by John & Lois Stormant, [contact information for private use].

        3. Threlfall, "The English Ancestry of Richard and Alice [Blower] Brackett of Braintree," Richar Brackett.

        4. Richard Brackett death, International Genealogical Index [IGI] (Salt Lake City: Family History Library, v. 5.0), British Isles; citing FHL microfilm [not available].

        5. David Harper / Lynn Marie Stockman, "English Parish Records," database, David Harper / Lynn Marie Stockman, Harper/Stockman Genealogy Online (http://www.obliquity.com/family/parish/longmelford.html: accessed 1 June 2011), Richard Brackett burial; citing Suffolk Records Office.

        6. FHL, "England Marriages 1536-1793," database, FHL, Familysearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 June 2011), Richard Brackett-Alice Harper marriage; citing FHL film #952200.

        7. Threlfall, "The English Ancestry of Richard and Alice [Blower] Brackett of Braintree," Brackett ancestry.

        8. Elizabeth French, "Genealogical Research in England: Sanders," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (http://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 30 May 2011), Martin Sa(u)nders family; citing prior publication in NEHGS Register (April 1912).

        9. "Brackett-Saunders," database, Find a Grave (http://www.findagrave.org: accessed 30 May 2011), Rachel Brackett Saunders death.

        10. Threlfall, "The English Ancestry of Richard and Alice [Blower] Brackett of Braintree," Brackett family.

        11. Gale Ion Harris, "Peter Brackett of Braintree and Boston: with Notes on his Daughter Sarah," NEHGS Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society), 155 (July 2001): p. 279-286.

        12. Threlfall, "The English Ancestry of Richard and Alice [Blower] Brackett of Braintree," Peter Brackett marriage.

        13. Richard Charles Anderson, "The Great Migration Begins," database, NEHGS, American Ancestors (http://americanancestors.org: accessed 19 May 2011), Richard Brackett; citing p. 203- 206.

        14. "Henne-Tallman Tree", database, Ray Gurganus, Our Family Tree (www.gurganus.org : accessed 28 May 2011), "Henne-Tallman Tree," Brackett Family; submitted 2010 by gloriajean, [contact information for private use].

        15. "Brackett Family", database, Brackett Family (http://ralphinla.rootsweb.ancestry.com/bracket7.htm : accessed 18 May 2011), "Brackett Family," Rachel Brackett; submitted September 1999 by Ralph Dean Clark, [contact information for private use].

        16. Mary Walton Ferris, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines: Volume I: Dawes & Allied Families (United States: Privately printed, 1943), p. 459-462; digital images, World Vital Records,  (: accessed .

        17. Anderson, American Ancestors, Rachel Brackett Newcomb.

        18. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration, Vol. V: M-P (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 2007), 242-245.