Person Page - 200

Grace/3a Brooks was born 10 Mar 1660/61 at Concord, Massachusetts,¹, where she married, 2 Dec 1686, Judah/2 Potter of Concord, son of Dea. Luke/1 Potter and Mary/2 Edmunds, with whom she had 7 [10, says Threlfall] children.^2,3 (Their siblings Noah Brooks and Dorothy Potter also married.)⁴ Judah "was burnt to death in his dwelling house" at Concord 20 Jun 1731.⁵ Grace died 20 Apr 1753 (c.r.), a. 92.⁶

Judah/2 Potter was born circa 1657 at Concord, Massachusetts, though no record survives.^1,2 There he married, 2 Dec 1686, Grace/3a Brooks of Concord, daughter of Dea. Joshua/2a Brooks and Hannah/2 Mason, with whom he had 7 [10, says Threlfall] children.^3,2 (Their siblings Dorothy Potter and Noah Brooks also married.)⁴ He was admitted freeman of Concord 21 Mar 1689/90.⁵
     His father's will, dated 11 Jun 1695 and proved 1 Nov 1697, confirms unto son Judah all lands and housing formerly granted to him. If his mother has need to sell land for her comfortable maintenance, then son Judah shall purchase the 11½ acres of meadow at Virgine and pay £24 for it to his mother. If his mother does not sell the 8 acres of meadow at Fair Haven next Sudbury Line, then it shall go to son Judah instead of the five sons of daughter Elizabeth Jones deceased, he to pay £3. 4s to each of the five grandsons. Beloved and only surviving son Judah was named sole executor.²
     Judah was "burnt to Death in his Dwelling house" at Concord 20 Jun 1731.⁶ His widow died 20 Apr 1753 (c.r.), a. 92.⁷
     Shattuck writes, "His descendants have been remarkable for their longevity."⁸

Hannah/3a Brooks, born 24 Mar 1668/69 at Concord, Massachusetts,¹, died there unmarried, 13 Dec 1696, a. 27.²

Hannah/2w Brooks was born in England, and emigrated to New England with her family.³ She married (1), 13 Dec 1647 at Concord, Massachusetts, as his 2nd wife, Thomas/1 Fox of Concord, with whom she had 6 children^4,5, and whose will of 25 Jan 1657/58 named her executrix.⁶ He died at Concord 14 April following, a. 39⁷, where she, 25 Jun following, attested to the inventory.⁸ She removed to New London, Connecticut, where she married (2), as his 3rd wife, 1661, Andrew/1 Lester, with whom she had 3 sons.^9,10 He died at N.L. 7 Jun 1669.⁹
     She married (3), as his 2nd wife, Isaac/1 Willey of N.L., who died in 1685. Caulkins dates this marriage after 1670, Cutter after 1679.^11,12 However, her father's will, 18 Jul 1682, names her as daughter Lestor, to whom he gives 5s. and no more "because shee hath reseived her portion alredy as will appear by a reseipt given in her hand."^13,2,14 Caulkins also mentions, without a date, the baptism of "Widow Lester from the church at Concord," by Rev. Simon Bradstreet Jr., who was New London's minister from 1670-1683.¹⁵
     "Widow Anna Willey, sometime wife to Andrew Lester, Sen., deceased," died in 1692.¹⁶ According to Savage, she died without children before her father Thomas (1667). Shattuck says she was the 2nd wife of Thomas Fox, with issue through one son, Eliphalet, and descendants in New Hampshire. Both are incorrect. Eliphalet was Thomas Fox's son by his 1st wife Rebecca.^17,18

Hannah/3a Brooks, born circa 1658 at Concord, Massachusetts,(aged about 13 by 1671 deposition)², married, 15 Jan 1677/78 at Watertown, Benjamin/3 Peirce, son of Anthony/2 Peirce and Anne (–?–).³ Her death is not of record.¹

Hannah/4a Brooks, born 15 Apr 1701 at Medford, Massachusetts,¹, married, as his 1st wife (int. 8 Nov 1721, Boston), Lt./Dea. Nathan/5 Cheever of Boston and Rumney Marsh, son of Rev. Thomas/4 Cheever and Sarah Bill, with whom she had one child.^2,3 She died 1 Jul 1724 (g.s.) at Rumney Marsh (now North Chelsea), a. 23.⁴ He remarried, and died at North Chelsea, "in the new home on the same road," 30 Sep 1774, a. 80.^5,6 Hannah is buried with Nathan and his 2nd wife in Rumney Marsh Burial Ground, Revere⁷, where her stone is inscribed, For me to Live shee said is Pain, | But for to Die is Grater gain | Sence of My Losse, would call thee back again | But out of love we bid thee thair remain | Till wee yet left Behind our Corse Fulfil | To Meet thee on ye top of Zion hill.⁸