Chad Browne Providence, came first to Boston
in July 1638, in the Martin, as before dep. Governor Dudley, he
swore, in support of nuncup. Will of a fellow passenger dying,
on the ocean; was settled at the Baptist church 1642 after Roger
Williams. It has been thought by some, that he was earlier on
our side of the water, and that imperfect record proves it, on
p. 14 of the Vol. 1. of Colonial Records of Rhode Island as to
his incorporation in town fellowship with others at Providence,
which bears date 20 August without a year. Now the supplying of
the numerals for the year admit those which the transcriber used,
1637, by no means; for that day was Sunday, when no civil compact
could have been entered into, and before that day in the former
year the place was known as Moshasuck, probably the second use
of the designation of the modern city being, in the following
month at the baptism of the son of Roger Williams, Providence,
late in Sept. 1638. Earlier than Aug. 1638 his name, I suppose;
will into be found. He brought wife Elizabeth and son John, aged
after 8 years and probably other children for we know not the
birth dates of any of his five son. The other four were James,
Jeremiah, Judah, alias Chad and Daniel. No connection is transacted
between Chad and Henry, of the probable sons James was minister
of the same church. This is the progenitor of the family so much
distinguished as the patrons of Brown University at Providence.
The following is taken from pp. 64-67 of Chad Browne of Providence,
R.I. and Four Generations of his Descendants by William Bradford
Browne of North Adams, Mass.
Page 64-
Among those Rhode Island families which may almost be styled "basic"
in the history and genealogy of that Colony and State the Chad
Browne family must be numbered. Spreading almost immediately to
all parts of the Colony, it has been from the first influential
in all lines of service, whether religious, political, or industrial.
Its name is stamped upon a great university, and men of note have
borne it proudly. The genealogy of this family has been heretofore
but partly written. The "Chad Browne Memorial" devotes
itself closely to one Providence branch, and Austin in his "Genealogical
Dictionary of Rhode Island" does not pretend to trace any
except the earlier generations and omits entirely the most prolific
branch. It is a difficult matter to trace a family of so common
a name when its records are mingled with those of other families
of similar names. Error is certain under such conditions; but
the writer has tried to show where mistakes have appeared in earlier
accounts and to add additional data. He has been favored by the
possession of records of his own branch dating from 1714, and
has been given access to several notable collections pertaining
to other branches.
To ensure all possible accuracy and to aid in identification,
the genealogies of four other contemporary Brown families were
worked out, and in many cases only long, tedious analysis of landholdings
has furnished evidence to warrant the acceptance of a doubtful
fact.
Other Brown families found early in Rhode Island were those of
Henry Brown of Providence and Thomas Brown of Newport, branches
of the Rehoboth (Mass.) Browns, and Nicholas Brown of Portsmouth
and Beriah Brown of Kingstown, branches of the Stonington(Conn.)
families; and there were also various individuals who appear in
the earliest records but have left no evidence to show who may
have been their children, and who are doubtless responsible for
many an unplaced name. In almost every town in Rhode Island we
find mention of the large Brown family of Salem, Mass., some of
whom are recorded in Attleborough, Mass., and Smithfield,* while
others certainly resided in other towns near-by. They were also
landholders at Jamestown. Joseph Brown of this family married
Mehitable, daughter of Gov. William Brenton.
In studying the records of Rhode Island it is necessary to keep
in mind the divisions of the towns of Providence, Kingstown, and
Warwick into new townships. The appearance of a family record
in the new town does not indicate a removal from the present-day
town of the original name, as many seem to think. Especially confusing
is the fact that many families record in Rehoboth, Attleborough,
Wretham, Bellingham, Mass., appear, after the settlement of
*All places mentioned in this genealogy are situated within the
present limits of the State of Rhode Island, unless another State
or region is indicated in the text or may be easily inferred from
the contex
Page 65 -
the colony boundary, in the town of Cumberland, R.I., where they
had been resident all the time.
This paper represents a period of research extending over more
than twenty years. Being mainly genealogical, it does not attempt
to give exhaustive biographical information, except in the account
of the head of the family. For the sake of uniformity, the final
e in the surname, which was regularly used in early times, is
omitted in the second and subsequent generations, although the
writer contends that it should be assumed by all members of this
particular family, as their identification mark, by virtue of
historic right and privilege. In some branches it has always persisted.
In the preparation of this article all printed material available
has been examined and many errors therein have been corrected.
Manuscript records from which information has been derived include
the late Albert C. Brown (who collaborated with Mr. Norman of
Ishman in preparing the work entitled "Old Rhode Island houses"),
which were given to the compiler by Mr. Brown's widow, Mrs. Esther
Brown of Phenix, R.I., the family record of Edwin J. Brown of
Hoosick, N.Y., the family Bible and records of Thomas Brown of
Johnston, R.I., now in the possession of Mr. Caleb Kenyon of Providence,
which have been amplified by many notes by Mrs. Fred B. Smith
of Wollaston, Mass., the family papers of Mrs. Josephine B.
Forbes of Ravenna, Ohio, and those of Mrs. William Sprague of
Chepachet, and records resulting from research by the city of
Providence in tracing the titles of lands of Moses Brown of Providence
" a most valuable source of information.
1. CHAD1 BROWNE, the immigrant ancestor of the well-known Rhode
Island family that forms the subject of this article, arrived
in Boston in the early part of July 1638, in the ship Martin,
accompanied by his wife Elizabeth and his son John, aged 8 years.
His parentage and the date and place of his birth have not been
discovered, but he married at High Wycombe, co. Bucks, England,
11 Sept. 1626, ELIZABETH SHARPAROWE,* who survived him and died
probably about 1672. He died in or before 1663, being mentioned
as "deceased" in a deed from William Field of that year."
On the voyage of the Martin to New England one of the passengers,
Sylvester Baldwin of Aston Clinton, co. Bucks, died, having declared
on 21 June his nuncupative will, which was proved on 13 July 1638
before Deputy Governor Dudley by the oaths of Chad Browne and
three other men." This fixes the arrival of Chad Browne in
New England as not later than 13 July 1638. In the same year he
proceeded to Providence, where he was associated with Roger Williams,
and was a signer of the famous Compact which denied religious
interference in civil affairs. His name also appears in other
agreements
*The marriage is given in the parish registers of High Wycombe
as that of "Chaddus Browne & Eliz. Sharparowe." (REGISTER, vol.
65, p. 84, from Phillimore's Buckhamshire Parish Registers, Marriages, vol. 6,
p. 105; The Chad Browne Memorial
The assumption that his death occurred as early as 1650, because
an unidentified Widow brown appears in a tax list of 2 Sept. of
that year, is of no moment, considering that several other Browns,
contemporary with him, are found in early records in Providence.
Savage, Genealogical Dictionary, vol. 1, p. 105; The Chad Browne
Memorial. p.7
Page 66
and compacts. In 1640 he was a member of a committee to consider
the colony bounds. He is at times called a surveyor.
In 1642 he was ordained as pastor of the First Baptist Church
of Providence, the mother church of that faith in America. Whether
he was the first or second pastor rests entirely on one's premises.
He was certainly the first ordained pastor to continue in the
office for a long period. Roger Williams's connection, as preacher,
in this church was certainly brief, and is not clearly understood,
owing to the loss of the early records. The oldest authority available
is the "History of the Baptists in America," by Morgan
Edwards, compiled about 1772. The author says:
"Williams was pastor from the establishment of the church
until he left the colony for England in 1643, and he then resigned
it to Messrs. Brown and Wickenden. Mr. Chad Brown died between
1660-1665, leaving the church in charge of his colleague."*
For a brief summary of Chad Browne's character one can do no better
than to quote the remarks of Hague in his "Historical Discourse" delivered
at this church:
"Contemporary with Roger Williams, he possessed a cooler
temperament, and was happily adapted to sustain the interests
of religion just where that great man failed . . . . We know only
enough of his character to excite the wish to know more; but from
that little it is clear that he was highly esteemed as a man of
sound judgment and of a Christian spirit. Often referred to as
the arbitrator of existing differences, in a state of society
where individual influence was needed as a substitute for well
digested laws, he won that commendation which the Savior pronounced
when he said, "blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall
be called the children of God."
The home lot of Chad Browne was at the corner of the present Market
Square and college Street in Providence, and Brown University
now occupies part of that lot. He was buried on his own ground
(a spot now occupied by the Court House), whence his remains were
removed in 1792 to the North Burial Ground, where the gravestone
then erected may still be seen, with the following inscription:
In Memory of Chad Brown Elder of the Baptist church in this town.
He was one of the original Proprietors of the Providence Purchase
having been exiled from Massachusetts for Conscience Sake He had
five sons John, James, Jeremiah, Chad and Daniel who have left
a numerous Posterity. He died about A.D. 1665. This Monument was
erected by the Town of Providence.
Chad Browne left a will, as is shown by references in deeds, but
its contents are unknown to us. The year 1672 witnessed a general
readjustment of his estate, caused most probably by the death
of his widow near that time, lands being thus released which the
conveyances state had been left to her by her husband were to
revert to his sons after her death. The records of the Town of
Providence mention a Chad Brown as present at the drawing of various
land allotments at intervals from 1675 to 1683, but whether they
refer
*The "Historical Catalogue of the First Baptist Church in
Providence," by Henry King, 1908, considers Williams as the
founder and first pastor.
Page 67
to the first Chad Browne's son of the same name or were drawn
by proxy in his own right of ancient holdings is not clear. Chad
Browne, Sr., owned large parcels of land in the present Gloucester,
Scituate, and Johnston. There appears no record otherwise of this
son Chad, except the reference on his father's gravestone.
Abundant proof is on record of the paternity of the three sons
John, Jeremiah, and James. There appears no definite statement
relating to the son Daniel, but he has always been considered
by all authorities a son of Chad Browne, and the use of the name
Chad among his descendants seems to substantiate the fact. No
mention appears of daughters in the family, although the presumption
is that there were daughters. Two peculiarities are noted in the
study of this family, the infrequent use of the name of its founder
among his descendants and the very prompt abandonment of their
fathers" faith by the majority of his kindred. Two of his
sons became devoted adherents of the Church of England and many
of his descendants at a later interval were Quakers.
Children, all except the first probably born at Providence:*
2. i. JOHN,2 b. in England about 1629.
3. ii. JAMES.
4. iii. JEREMIAH.
iv. JUDAH. "The Friends' Records of Newport contain the following
entry: "Judah Brown the son of
Chad Brown of Providence in the Colony of Rhode Island he dyed
at Newport and was buried in
the place given by Thomas Clifton upon 16 d: 3 mo: 1663."
5. v. DANIEL.
vi. CHAD. He is regarded by "The Chad Browne Memorial" as identical
with Judah; but the two
names do not seem interchangeable.
2. JOHN2 BROWN (Chad1), born in England about 1629, died at Providence
about 1706. He married
at Providence MARY HOLMES, daughter of Obadiah
and Catherine Holmes.
In a deposition dated 9 Oct. 1664 he stated that his age was 35
years. In a deed of 1664 he is called a surveyor. In a deed of
1660 reference is made to "the field where John Browne his
dwelling house now standeth near the Great Swamp." In 1706
his lands are mentioned "at ye head of ye second river which
cometh in ye West River at ye north side thereof."
Children, born at Providence:
i. SARAH,3 m. 14 Nov. 1678 JOHN PRAY, son of Richard Pray.
6. ii. JOHN, b. 18 Mar. 1662.
7. iii. JAMES, b. in 1666.
8. iv. OBADIAH
v. MARTHA, m. JOSEPH JENKS, son of Joseph Jenks.
vi. MARY, m. ARTHUR AYLESWORTH
vii. DEBORAH.
*It is singular that Chad Browne brought but one child with him
from England. Presumably several other children besides John were
born in England between 1626 and 1638, and either died young or
were left behind in the mother country.
This family is the first of five families (several of which are
contemporary) which included among the children's sons named John
and Obadiah, a circumstance calling for extreme caution in order
to classify the families correctly.
Great Brown
family website: http://www.brownfamilyhistory.com/phpGedView/
