In spite of what one might find in online trees concerning Henry Brooks, born c1592, neither his origins nor his parents nor the name of his first wife, who was the mother of his children, has been determined. There are also several online children attributed to him, who apparently lived to adulthood, but are not mentioned in his will.

Therefore, this family sketch will include the facts, and only the facts, which can be proven about the life of Henry Brooks.

Let’s begin at the beginning. Although Henry Brooks’ origins are unknown, in December 1558, he deposed that he was “about 66 years old,” placing his birth year about 1592.

Henry married (1) Unknown (MNU) in England, no later than about 1621. Since there are a number of gaps in the estimated birth years for his children and infant mortality was high, if Henry married around the age of 25 years, typical for that time period, he might have married by 1617.

It’s also possible given the gaps in his children’s births that Henry could have married more than once in England.

Henry Brooks first appears in New England records when he was made a freeman in Concord, Massachusetts on 14 March 1638/39. In order to be made a freeman, a male typically had to reside in the area for one to two years, implying an arrival date c1637 or 1638.

In spite of the fact that Henry left a number of records during his lifetime in the way of deeds, the birth of son Joseph in 1641 and his will, no trace of the name of his first wife has been uncovered.

That wife died probably c1647 and Henry married (2) Susanna (MNU) Richardson, the widow of Ezekiel Richardson sometime between late 1647 and 1651.

Aside from Joseph, none of the birth dates and places are known for any of Henry’s children. Estimates are based on court records and marriage dates, except for Lestor, about whom nothing is known except that she received a bequest in her father’s 1682 will.

Children:

1. John, born c1623, England; died between 29 July 1690 and 16 November 1691, the dates of his will and probate; married Eunice Mousall, 1 November 1649, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
2. Sarah, born c1629, England; died before 10 September 1705, Woburn, MIddlesex, Massachusetts [date of ehr husband’s will]; married John Mousall, 13 May 1650, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
3. Lestor, born say 1630; received a bequest in her father’s 1682 will of five shillings with a mention that she had already received her portion, implying that she was probably married
4. Timothy, born c1634, England; died probably in Cohansey, Salem, New Jersey; married (1) Mary Russell, 21 December 1659, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts, who died 15 September 1680 in Billerica (2) Mehitable Mowrey, widow of Eldad Kingsley, before 9 March 1681
5. Joseph, born 12 April 1641, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died young; not in his father’s will
6. Isaac, born c1643, Massachusetts; died 8 September 1686, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married Miriam Daniels, 10 January 1665/66, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

DNA matches purportedly show that descendants of Henry Brooks are related to one Richard Brooke who died in 1617 in Manchester, England. However, much more work needs to be done before the claim can be made that Manchester was the ancestral home of Henry.

Lastly, no primary records have been found to prove any relationship between Henry Brooks and his other purported daughters found in online trees, so they will not be named in this family sketch.