Edward Breck was the son of Robert Breck and Ann Hurst, who lived mainly in Prescot, Lancashire, England.

However, unlike his siblings, who were baptized in Prescot, Edward Breck was baptized in August 1596 at nearby All Saints in Wigan, Lancashire, England, about 14 miles from Prescot.

Edward Breck married twice. His first wife was Mary (MNU), married c1622 and then he married (2) Isabel (MNU) Rigby, in 1647 in Massachusetts. Isabel married thirdly to Anthony Fisher, who also fits into this family tree and who was covered in a previous family sketch, on 14 November 1663.

Edward, Mary, and their children emigrated to Massachusetts in 1638, leaving his father in England.

Edward had children with both his wives.

Children with Mary:

1. Alice, baptized 1 April 1623, Prescot, Lancashire, England; buried 7 April 1634, Prescot, Lancashire, England
2. Mary, baptized 3 October 1625, Prescot, Lancashire, England; died c1645/46 in Massachusetts
3. Robert, baptized 26 February 1627/28, Prescot, Lancashire, England; died after30 December 1663 when he was mentioned in a deed and 11 September 1673, when his widow remarried; married (1) possibly Margery (MNU) (2) Sarah Hawkins, 4 January 1653/54, Boston, Massachusetts
4. Anna, baptized 23 August 1629, Prescot, Lancashire, England; died before 22 November 1693; married William Blake, c1649
5. Edward, born c1631; buried 4 April 1634, Prescot, Lancashire, England
6. Nathaniel, twin, baptized 7 April 1634, Prescot, Lancashire, England
7. Susanna, twin, baptized 7 April 1634, Prescot, Lancashire, England; died 11 November 1653, Boston, Massachusetts; unmarried

Children with Isabel:

1. Mary, baptized 13 August 1648, Dorchester, Massachusetts; died 25 August 1720, Dorchester, Massachusetts; married (1) Samuel Paul, 9 January 1666/67, Dorchester, Massachusetts (2) John Tolman, 15 June 1692, Dorchester, Massachusetts
2. John, baptized 27 October 1650, Dorchester, Massachusetts, died 17 February 1690/91, Dorchester, Massachusetts; married Susanna (MNU), c1671
3. Elizabeth, baptized 24 May 1653, Dorchester, Massachusetts; died 6 April 1691, Dorchester, Massachusetts; married John Minot, 11 March 1670 or 1671
4. Susanna, baptized 26 November 1654, Dorchester, Massachusetts; married John Harris of Boston, 20 March 1674/75, in Dorchester, Massachusetts

Edward Breck died on 2 November 1662 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. His will was proved on 11 December 1662. Edward’s first wife, Mary, likely died 1646, as he remarried in 1647.

 

See The Register 164:63-74, published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society for further details about the Breck family.

Robert Breck was the son of Hugh Breck and Alice (MNU), baptized on 24 May 1563 in Prescot, Lancashire, England, where he spent his life.

Robert married Ann Hurst, 20 April 1591, also in Prescot, and they were parents of six children.

Children:

1. Jane, baptized 2 February 1593/94, Prescot, Lancashire, England; buried 11 April 1603, Prescot, Lancashire, England
2. Edward, baptized August 1596 at nearby All Saints Wigan; married (1) Mary (MNU) (2) Isabel (MNU) Rigby
3. Margaret, baptized 17 April 1599, Prescot, Lancashire, England
4. Child, baptized April 1601, Prescot, Lancashire, England
5. Robert, baptized April 1602, Prescot, Lancashire, England
6. Jane, baptized 29 June 1606, Prescot, Lancashire, England; buried 16 July 1607, Prescot, Lancashire, England

As these vital statistics show, life was difficult and many children didn’t survive childhood. Robert and Ann buried Jane, at 9 years of age, the child baptized in April 1601 likely didn’t survive and the second Jane was buried at the age of one year.

Robert was buried on 12 January 1643/44 in Prescot, Lancashire, England.

His son, Edward, became the immigrant ancestor to the Breck family in Massachusetts.

Yesterday’s family sketch was of William Blake, who married Anne Breck. It just so happens that three earlier Breck generations, that of Anne’s parents, grandparents and great grandfather have been proved. The article was published in The Register, the journal of The New England Historic Genealogical Society, volume 164:63-74, which can be accessed online at American Ancestors by subscription.

Today’s sketch will start with the earliest known generation, that of Anne’s Breck’s great grandfather.

Hugh Breck was born c1535. He married Alice (MNU), c1558, possibly in Prescot, Lancashire, where their children were baptized.

They were the parents of seven children, for which four baptismal records have been found. The remaining children, Margaret, Henry and Alice, are mentioned in their father’s will.

Children (Baptized in Prescot, Lancashire, England):

1. William, baptized 23 April 1560; died before 20 March 1570/71, when his father’s will was proved
2. Robert, baptized 24 May 1563; buried 12 January 1643/44, Prescot, Lancashire, England; married Ann Hurst, 20 April 1591, Prescot, Lancashire, England
3. Alice, born c1568; perhaps married William Smallshaw, who has close connections to the family
4. William, baptized 20 March 1570/71; not in his father’s 9 March 1590/91 will
5. Margaret, born c1572; buried 20 May 1621, Upholland, Wigan, Lancashire, England; married Nicholas Rigby
6. Henry, born c1574; in his father’s 9 March 1590/91 will
7. Edmund, baptized 7 April 1576; in his father’s 9 March 1590/91 will

Little else is known about this family. Hugh Breck was buried on 6 March 1590/91 in Prescot, Lancashire, England. Wife Alice survived him, but her death date is unknown.