John Brockett, The Immigrant

John Brockett was born c.1612 in England, baptized 7/29/1612 and died in Wallingford CT in 1690. He was the son of John Brockett of Mackrey End and Joan Lacon. John attended Cambridge University. He married Mary Blackwell in 1635. They had at least 8 children. They emigrated to the New World in 1637 and he was one of the first settlers of New Haven, CT.

John was a founder and signer of the Wallingford Covenant in 1670

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/e/f/Rick-Heflin-Ohio/W...

Notes for John Brockett:

John was an educated man and records of the University of Cambridge, Christ College show that he was admitted on 23 April 1634 at age 21 (sic.)

On 14 August 1635 John Brockett, gentleman, of St. Michaels, Hertford Parish married Mary Blackwell of the same locality. The marriage license says that Mary was the daughter of Elizabeth Blackwell, widow of Richard Blackwell, late of Bushey. The Blackwell family was prominant among the Puritans living in St. Michaels, Hertford Parish.

Tradition says that John fell in love with a Puritan maiden and when he married her, his family disowned him. Therefore, he had nothing to lose by going to America and starting anew. This may well be true as the will of John Brockett, Esq., proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1649-50, makes no mention of son John. Whether this is true or not, John Brockett did come to America with the Puritan leader Rev. John Davenport. He arrived in Boston Harbor in the ship "Hector" on 26 June 1637.

John was one of the first settlers of New Haven, CT in 1638 and surveyed the town's nine square (the center of the town.) He became a Puritan, was active in the religious settlement of New Haven and was a member of the 1st Church of Christ in New Haven. "He was a man of good judgment and one in who the people had confidence," said a leading man of the company of Puritans who arrived on the Hector.

In 1654, when trouble arose with the Dutch on the Hudson River, John was appointed surgeon. Twenty years later, during King Philip's War (1675-1676) he was again appointed a surgeon. John was hired to help lay out the town of Elizabeth Towne, New Jersey and in 1667 and was asked to be one of two representatives of Elizabeth Towne at the First General Assembly of New Jersey. In 1669 John became one of the first settlers of Wallingford, CT and was appointed along with John Moss, Abraham Dolittle and Samuel Street to "manage all plantation affairs in ye said village." John Brockett died at Wallingford, CT on 12 March 1690, aged 80 years.

Source: "The Brockett Family in Colonial America and England" by Raymond W. Madsen, published in "How to Trace Your Ancestor to Europe" by Hugh T. Law.

John Brockett, born 31 December 1642 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died October 1720 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; married Elizabeth Doolittle Bef. 1674; born 12 April 1652 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died March 1730/31.

Befruitful Brockett, born 23 February 1643/44 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 1645 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA.

Benjamin Brockett, born 23 February 1643/44 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 22 May 1679 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; married Elizabeth Barnes 24 March 1668/69 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; born 28 May 1650 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died Bet. 1677 - 1750.

Mary Brockett, born 28 September 1646 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 1694 in Newark, Essex, NJ, USA; married Ephraim Pennington II 25 October 1667 in Milford, New Haven, NJ, USA.

Silence Brockett, born 3 June 1648 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died Abt. 1705 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; married Joseph Bradley 25 October 1667 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; born Unknown; died Unknown.

Abigail Brockett, born 10 March 1649/50 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 4 July 1729; married John Payne 22 January 1672/73 in Newhaven Co, CT, USA; born 1649; died 1729.

Samuel Brockett, born 14 January 1650/51 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 26 October 1742 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; married Sarah Bradley Abt. 21 May 1682 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; born 21 June 1665 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA;

died Bet. 1698 - 1765.

Jabez Brockett, born 24 October 1654 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died Unknown in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; married Dorothy Lyman 20 November 1691 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; born 8 June 1665; died 1 May 1735 in Wallingford, New Haven,

CT, USA.

http://www.wheathampstead.net/brockett/index.htm

This Mary did have a son named John, but she is the second wife of John Brockett, Esquire. In 1983 the marriage place and date of John Brockett to Mary Bannister was not known. But we now know they were married at St. Bride Fleet Street, London on the 29th of December 1623[1] Any child of this couple after 1623 could not be the one found at Cambridge or married to Elizabeth Blackwell 16 August 1635 at Sandbridge.

So who are the parents of the immigrant John Brockett? Actually the answer was there all the time, in fact the source is the same that caused us to point to Wheathampstead in the first place, the Cambridge University Record say he was 21 in 1634, son of John Brocket of Wheathampstead. His age in 1634 would calculate his birth year to be either 1612 or 1613. Already the 1611 christening has been proven wrong. That leaves the following christening -baptized 29 July 1612, Jn s. Mr. Jn Brocket, Mackrey End. There are no other John Brocket christenings until the 1629 entry mentioned above. Again the right place, the right names and exactly the right time period. So who is this Mr. John Brocket of Mackrey End?

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John Brockett497 died date unknown. He married Mary Blackwell.

Notes for John Brockett:

It has been said for many years that John Brockett was the son of Sir John Brockett. This is not true as Sir John's will was proved in 1598, more than ten years before John was born. Sir John was John's great uncle, being the brother of John's great grandfather Edward Brockett III. Parish records in Wheathampsted, Hertfordshire, England show that John Brockett was baptised on 20 May 1611 and that he was the fourth child and third son of John Brockett of Wheathampsted and Mary Bannister of Drayton. John was an educated man and records of the University of Cambridge, Christ College show that he was admitted on 23 April 1634 at age 21 (sic.)

On 14 August 1635 John Brockett, gentleman, of St. Michaels, Hertford Parish married Mary Blackwell of the same locality. The marriage license says that Mary was the daughter of Elizabeth Blackwell, widow of Richard Blackwell, late of Bushey. The Blackwell family was prominant among the Puritans living in St. Michaels, Hertford Parish. Tradition says that John fell in love with a Puritan maiden and when he married her, his family disowned him. Therefore, he had nothing to loose by going to America and starting anew. This may well be true as the will of John Brockett, Esq., proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1649-50, makes no mention of son John. Whether this is true or not, John Brockett did come to America with the Puritan leader Rev. John Davenport. He arrived in Boston Harbor in the ship "Hector" on 26 June 1637.

John was one of the first settlers of New Haven, CT in 1638 and surveyed the town's nine square (the center of the town.) He became a Puritan, was active in the religious settlement of New Haven and was a member of the 1st Church of Christ in New Haven. "He was a man of good judgment and one in who the people had confidence," said a leading man of the company of Puritans who arrived on the Hector.

In 1654, when trouble arose with the Dutch on the Hudson River, John was appointed surgeon. Twenty years later, during King Philip's War (1675-1676) he was again appointed a surgeon. John was hired to help lay out the town of Elizabeth Towne, New Jersey and in 1667 and was asked to be one of two representatives of Elizabeth Towne at the First General Assembly of New Jersey. In 1669 John became one of the first settlers of Wallingford, CT and was appointed along with John Moss, Abraham Dolittle and Samuel Street to "manage all plantation affairs in ye said village." John Brockett died at Wallingford, CT on 12 March 1690, aged 80 years.

Source: "The Brockett Family in Colonial America and England" by Raymond W. Madsen, published in "How to Trace Your Ancestor to Europe" by Hugh T. Law.

John Brockett, born 31 December 1642 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died October 1720 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; married Elizabeth Doolittle Bef. 1674; born 12 April 1652 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died March 1730/31.

Befruitful Brockett, born 23 February 1643/44 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 1645 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA.

Benjamin Brockett, born 23 February 1643/44 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 22 May 1679 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; married Elizabeth Barnes 24 March 1668/69 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; born 28 May 1650 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died Bet. 1677 - 1750.

Mary Brockett, born 28 September 1646 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 1694 in Newark, Essex, NJ, USA; married Ephraim Pennington II 25 October 1667 in Milford, New Haven, NJ, USA.

Silence Brockett, born 3 June 1648 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died Abt. 1705 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; married Joseph Bradley 25 October 1667 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; born Unknown; died Unknown.

Abigail Brockett, born 10 March 1649/50 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 4 July 1729; married John Payne 22 January 1672/73 in Newhaven Co, CT, USA; born 1649; died 1729.

Samuel Brockett, born 14 January 1650/51 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died 26 October 1742 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; married Sarah Bradley Abt. 21 May 1682 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; born 21 June 1665 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA;

died Bet. 1698 - 1765.

Jabez Brockett, born 24 October 1654 in New Haven, New Haven, CT, USA; died Unknown in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; married

Dorothy Lyman 20 November 1691 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA; born 8 June 1665; died 1 May 1735 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT, USA.

Children of John Brockett and Mary Blackwell are:

+Mary Brockett, b. September 05, 1646, New Haven, New Haven, CT497, d. 1694, Newark, Essex Co., NJ497.

http://ia331409.us.archive.org/3/items/descendantsofjoh00inbroc/des...

Among the many items in the records of New Haven Colony regarding John Brockett we note the following:

"June 4, 1639. The name of John Brockett appears as a Signer of the Covenant for Civil Government.

"Appointed to lay out the large square in nine equal sections."

"Appointed to lay out forthwith the 'Neck of land, according to the allotments June, 1641.

In the Tax list, against his name, 1 person, 15 Estates, Land in 1st division, 314 acres; Land on the Neck, y2 of 2\ acres ; Land in Meadow, 5 acres.

"June, 1643. Fined one shilling for coming late to the Military Training.

"Feb., 1645. Ordered by the General Courte to survey certain lands.

"Oct., 1647. Appointed Inspector of Highways.

"March, 1648. Awarded by the General Courte 10 shillings per 1000 for killing blackbirds.

"June, 1649. In second division of Upland, the "Meadow" is granted to John Brockett and Thomas Barnes.

"June, 1653. General Courte ordered "That as John Brockett has spent much time and provided many things for the Soldiers, the Magistrates of New Haven allow him therefor, as they see cause."

"June, 1654. The General Courte appointed its proportion of Soldiers to co-operate with a fleet sent by Cromwell, against the hostile intentions of the Dutch on the Hudson River, and appointed John Brockett as Surgeon.

June, 1654. John Brockett was appointed one of the Commission to

settle the troubles with the Indians. This Commission

was kind to the Indians, and John Brockett helped them

to survey their land and fence it in, that the cattle and

hogs should not spoil their corn.

"June, 1660. The General Courte appointed John Brockett one of a Commission to settle the differences between the Colony at Hartford and the New Haven Colony, as to boundary lines.

From June, 1675, to June, 1676, the bloody war against the Conn.Troops called "King Phillip's War" raged. Six hundred of the Colonists were killed and the cost was over $1,000,000. During this war John Brockett was under appointment as Surgeon.

John Brockett was Deputy to the General Courte of Conn, during the years 1671, 1678, 1680 to '82 and 1685.

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History of Wallingford, Conn. by Charles Henry Stanley Davis

Genealogies - Part 1, pg. 658, 659

"John Brockett came to Wallingford with John Moss from New Haven, in 1667 or 1668, and was chosen by the people of New Haven as one of the committee to manage the affairs of the settlement. He was frequently called to fill many of the public offices of the village, and after its incorporation, to represent the town in the General Court. His house lot was No. 1, at the extreme south end of the village, extending from the Old Colony road east toward Wharton's Brook, twenty rods wide and forty rods long ; subsequently it was extended to the Brook. The land on which now stands the house of the heirs of the late Edward Hall, is a part of this grant. He died March 12, 1689, ae. 80 years.

Children: 1 John, b in England, was a physician, and set­tled near Muddy river in North Haven; 2 Benjamin, b 1648, m Lydia Elcock, he died May 22, 1679; 3 Abigail, b March 10, 1649 ; 4 Samuel, b Jan. 14, 1650, in Sarah Bradley, May 21, 1682 ; 5 Jabez, b Oct. 24, 1654, m Dorothy Lyman, Nov. 20, 1691 ; 6 Silence, m Joseph Bradley ; 7 Mary, m William Pennington of New Jersey."

Families of Ancient New Haven by Donald Lines Jacobus, pg. 323

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John Brocket of Mackery End by his wife Joan Lacon had Lacon in 1609 and John who was christened at Wheathampstead 29 July 1612. It is this John who attended Cambridge and married Mary Blackwell 14 August 1635 at Sandridge. It is this John Brocket who sailed to the American colonies to throw his lot with the Reverend John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton, Puritans from England.

Footnotes

[1] St. Bride Fleet Street, London:  parish register  FHL#380154

[2] St. Mary Abchurch, London: parish record FHL#374483

[3] Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C.) 1 Crumbroke, 1649/50

[4] St. Helen’s Church Wheathampstead: A brief history and guide. Revised edition, Ruth Jeavons.

[5] Eugene L.Oberly, Phelps-Brockett-Perkins and Allied Families (1948), page 65

[6] Ibid., p. 68.

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An article by Paul Doane proposes that "Mr. John Brocket of Mackery End by his wife Joan Lacon had Lacon in 1609 and John who was christened at Wheathampstead 29 July 1612. It is this John who attended Cambridge and married Mary Blackwell 14 August 1635 at Sandridge. It is this John Brocket who sailed to the American colonies to throw his lot with the Reverend John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton, Puritans from England.

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GEDCOM Source

@R-1783491868@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created.

GEDCOM Source

Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=47490649&pid...

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Death dates are messed up

On the same page here we can see he died:

12 March 1689 12 March 1690 July 29, 1690

How sure are we this was just 1 guy?

The wikipedia article seems to have settled on 12 March 1690

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FAMILY HISTORY - JOHN BROCKETT By Ruth Dorius John Brockett, the first person of that name to come to America was born in England in 1609. He came to America probably in the ship Hector in 1637. The passengers were "gentlemen of wealth and char

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John Brockett Deeded land His house lot was "No. i at the extreme south end of the vil- lage 40 rods long and 20 rods wide, subsequently extended to Wharton's Brook."

An Indian deed dated May 24, 1681, gave to John Brocket

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!FGR: Page 207; BOOK Ancestry of Lawren

!FGR: Page 207; BOOK Ancestry of Lawrence Williams, Part II, compiled by Cornelia Bartow Williams, Privately printed Chicago, 1915 copy c/o Pat Roberts, American Fork, Utah.

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1 _IFLAGS 0 This individual has the fol

1 _IFLAGS 0 This individual has the following other parents in the Ancestral File: John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:933X-4C) and Mary /BANNISTER/ (AFN:933X-5J) John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:933X-4C) and Mrs. John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:9PCT-GQ) This individual has the following other parents in the Ancestral File: John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:933X-4C) and Mary /BANNISTER/ (AFN:933X-5J) John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:933X-4C) and Mrs. John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:9PCT-GQ)

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A22091-5 B 6 New Haven, Conn Record

A22091-5 B 6 New Haven, Conn Record

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1. IGI. 2. Ancestral File.

1. IGI. 2. Ancestral File.

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John Brockett by Ruth Dorius

John Brockett, the first person of that name to come to America was born in England in 1609. He came to America probably in ship

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John Brockett article on Parentage PARENTAGE.

There is very little of official record, in this country, concern- ing his birth.

The tradition has existed, for two hundred years in New Haven, that John Brockett was the eldest son

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This individual has the following other

This individual has the following other parents in the Ancestral File: John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:933X-4C) and Mary /BANNISTER/ (AFN:933X-5J) John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:933X-4C) and Mrs. John /BROCKETT/ (AFN:9PCT-GQ)

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John Brockett Civil Engineer He had a widely extended reputation as a Civil Engineer and Surveyor, and in June, 1639, laid out the large square, (which is now the centre of the City of New Haven, including the Common and the s

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John disowned by his father John as he m

John disowned by his father John as he married Mary a puritan and set sail for America. He sailed on the ship Hector and landed at Boston Bay Massachusetts (New Haven) to settle his own settlement. He sailed with Revered John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton, a wealthy London merchant. They landed on 24 April 1638. John Brockett laid out the plans for the new colony. John was an educated man with a reputation as a civil engineer and a surveyor.

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John Brockett 1667 mention in artcle In 1667 the General Assembly of Connecticut granted to "the town of New Haven, liberty to make a village on the East River, if they see it capable for such a thing, provided they settle a village t

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PRF: Disc#4 PIN:144012, 144013 Alternat

PRF: Disc#4 PIN:144012, 144013 Alternate surname; BROCKIT.

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!Edward J. Brockett, "Descendants of Joh

!Edward J. Brockett, "Descendants of John Brockett", East Orange, N.J. 1905. "New Haven Genealogical Magazine" by Jacobus, p 1234. Probably the eldest son of Sir John Brockett, knighted by Queen Elizabeth. When John joined the Puritans, he was disinherited, and he came to America with Rev. John Davenport in the ship Hector, arriving in Boston 26 Jun 1637. Served as both a surveyor and a surgeon.

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Came to America in 1637, probably in th

Came to America in 1637, probably in the ship,"Hector" whic h arrived Boston, 26 Jun 1637. Designed & laid out the cit y of Elizabeth, NJ in 1639, lived there while doing this, 1 670. Signer of first covenant, New Haven, CT. Came to Wallingford with John Moss from New Haven, in 166 7 or 1668, and was chosen by the people of New Haven as on e of the committee to manage the affairs of the settlement . He was frequently called to fill many of the public offic es of the village, and after its incorporation, to represen t the town in general court. Occupation: Surveyor. Excerpt from a CT religious paper dated 1868 states: "John Brockett, the eldest son of Sir John Brockett, of th e county of Herts, Eng., who was a well known loyalist of t he time of Charles I, becoming convinced of the truth of th e Gospel as preached by the Puritans, relinquished his birt hright and all his prospects of honor and fame, joined hims elf to the little company of Rev. John Davenport, emigrate d to New England and settled at New Haven in 1637.... ......"

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John Brockett 1637 mentioned article During the summer of 1637 that portion of the southern shore of Connecticut, lying between Saybrook and Fairfield, had been discovered through the pursuit of the Pequots by the Colo- nists ; and on

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John Brockett was born in England in 1610

According to "The Broket Archives of England" The only John Brockett that was born in England between 1590-1625 and is not accounted for is John Brockett born March 8 1610 according to reconds at St Giles Reading Berkshire no parents were listed.

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John Brockett first person with Brockett name in America John Brockett, the first person of the name of Brockett, of whom any record can be found in this country, was born in Eng- land in 1609 and came to America in 1637, probably in the ship Hector, wit

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Early Families of Wallingford Connecticu

Early Families of Wallingford Connecticut by Charles Henry Stanley Davis 974.6 D2d pg 52: John Brockett came to Wallingford with John Moss from New Haven, in 1667 or 1668, and was chosen by the people of New Haven as one of the committee to manage the affairs of the settlement. He was frequently called to fill many of the public offices of the village, and after its incorporation, to represent the town in the General Court.

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HISTORY: A Case Study of the Brockett Fa

HISTORY: A Case Study of the Brockett Family in Colonial America and England. Raymond W. Madsen, Genealogical Journal, Volume 12, Number 3, Fall 1983. CORRECTED HISTORY Brockett Family of England John Brockett and Mary Blackwell by Raymond W. Madsen A.G. December 2001 Introduction In the fall of 1983 I published an article called the A Case Study of the Brockett Family in Colonial America and England. This study began with John Brockett who sailed from England aboard the ship Hector arriving in Boston 26 June 1637 with the Rev. John Davenport, Theophilus Eaton and Edward Bannister. They were Puritans. John was active in the religious settlement of New Haven with Davenport and others. The goal of the study was to determine the ancestral parentage of John Brockett in England. In the case study I wrote little has been known concerning the life of John Brockett before his arrival in America. Yet tradition has existed for two hundred years that John Brockett was the eldest son of Sir John Brockett of Brockett Hall, Hertford, England. Descendants and genealogists for decades have generally accepted that connection. One writer wrote On account of his Puritanical ideas, his father (who had been knighted by Queen Elizabeth) disinherited him, and that John Brockett then gave up all claims to the title and estates of the Brocketts in England, in order to join the Puritan Band which came with Rev. Davenport to America. Another tradition is that John Brockett fell in love with a Puritan maiden, that for her sake he gave up his right to the paternal estate, came to this country, established himself, provided a home for a wife, returned to England, married her and brought her to this country [America]. In the Case Study I used a variety of primary and secondary sources with the goal of identifying the ancestral parentage, then extending the Brockett line using medieval records. As such I came to a conclusion as to who John Brockett married (Mary Blackwell). In additio n it was determined that he was born in Wheathampstead parish, Hertfordshire about 1612 the son of John Brockett based on the Cambridge University Records: BROCKETT, JOHN. Adm. Fell. Com (age 21) at CHRISTS, Apr. 23, 1634. S. of John, of Wheathampstead, Herts. B(orn) there. School, Watford. Matric. 1634. It was this University Record that lead to the assumption the christening in Wheathampstead on 20 May 1611, son of John Brockett, Esquire was ancestral. Mary Bannister was the wife of John Brockett, Esquire. As the immigrant John came to the America with Edward Bannister, all things seem to fit in place. The False Connection - (to many John Brockets) Over time others either came to the same conclusion, or they found my pedigree with this connection in the Ancestral File, a collection of lineage link data submitted by patrons and available in FamilySearch and accepted it. This false connection has now been widely accepted and can be found in many electronic databases and on the Internet. However in September 1999 I made a pilgrimage to the ancient parish of Wheathampstead. With great admiration I took in the church with its remarkable lead covered broach spire crowning the tower. The six bells rang out in beautiful melody as we approached the church. The grounds were exceptionally well kept. What a beautiful building. As one enters the church through the porch to the south aisle and turns right, they approach the south transept called Brocket or Lady Chapel. In the Chapel is the effigy of Sir John Brocket and Margaret (Benstede) his wife. The tomb bearing the date of 1558. Sir John is portrayed in a suit of armor with long hair and beard. This Sir John and wife Margaret were the parents of ten sons and three daughters including Sir John Brocket of Brocket Hall, friend of Queen Elizabeth. MARY BROCKETT SECOND WIFE OF JOHN BROKETT LATE OF WHETHAMSTEAD IN YE HERE LYETH INTERREDY BODY OF COVNTY OF HERT ESQ & DAUGHTER OF GEORGE BANISTER LATE OF DRAYTON IN Ye COUNTY OF MIDDX GEN & HAD ISSVE BY HIM 6 SONNES & 2 DAUGHTERS VIZ GEORGE THOMAS MARY JOHN WILLIAM ELIZABETH BANISTER & HENRY. SHE DEPARTED THIS LIFE YE DAY OF ANNO DOMINI 1669 AGED 77 YEARS. Standing at the feet of Sir John and turning around you see on the stone floor the monumental inscription for Mary Banister, wife of John Brockett, Esquire. It was this John and Mary who was assumed to be the parents of the John who attended Cambridge University, matriculated there in 1634, married Mary Blackwell in 1635 and came to America in 1637 on board the ship Hector with Edward Bannister. However the memorial provides a flaw in this assumption. This Mary did have a son named John, but she is the second wife of John Brockett, Esquire. In 1983 the marriage place and date of John Brockett to Mary Bannister was not known. But we now know they were married at St. Bride Fleet Street, London on the 29th of December 1623[1]. Any child of this couple after 1623 could not be the one found at Cambridge or married to Elizabeth Blackwell 16 August 1635 at Sandbridge. The first wife of John Brockett, Esquire was also to a Mary. Her surname was Gerywaie (Garway). They were married 13 December 1600 in St. Mary Abchurch, London[2]. It was to this wife that John Brocket, Esquire had the son John Brockett christened in Wheathampsted on 20 May 1611 and assumed to be the ancestral, American Immigrant. In the parish registers of Wheathampstead, John Brocket, Esquire is often noted as the street. The Brockets lived at Wheathampstead Place just across the river from the church. However there were two John Brockets having children christened in Wheathampsted the same time. The other John is usually noted as Mackrey End. John Brocket, Esq. of the Street and Mary Gerywaie had five children: William christened 20 July 1608, buried 7 November 1609. John christened 20 May 1611, buried 4 November 1628 Charles, christened 1 July 1613, buried 9 January 1616 Thomas, christened 15 Januar y 1614, buried 9 August 1619 Garway, christened 6 June 1616, buried 19 April 1619 All five children died either as infants or at an early age including John of 1611 -buried 4 November 1628, Jn s. Jn esq. the Street. Mary (Gerywaie) probably died from childbirth with Garway, dying in 1619. She was buried 29 July 1619 at Wheathampstead. Thus they had no surviving children to adulthood. So John in 1611 can not be the ancestral immigrant. John Brockett, Esquire of the Street with Mary Bannister had several children as noted from her memorial. They were all christened at Wheathampstead. George, christened 4 January 1624 Mary, christened 19 June 1627 Thomas, christened 4 May 1628, buried 6 July 1671 Elizabeth, 3 August 1628, buried 18 July 1632 John, christened 20 October 1629 William, christened 23 October 1631, buried 1 Jan 1675 Bannister, christened 20 January 1632 Henry, christened 22 July 1634 John Brockett, Esquire of Wheathampstead was buried there 5 November 1649. His will was proved in 1649[3]. He mentions his sons Edward, George, Thomas, William, Bannister, Henry and a daughter. The Correct Connection So who are the parents of the immigrant John Brockett? Actually the answer was there all the time, in fact the source is the same that caused us to point to Wheathampstead in the first place, the Cambridge University Record say he was 21 in 1634, son of John Brocket of Wheathampstead. His age in 1634 would calculate his birth year to be either 1612 or 1613. Already the 1611 christening has been proven wrong. That leaves the following christening -baptized 29 July 1612, Jn s. Mr. Jn Brocket, Mackrey End. There are no other John Brocket christenings until the 1629 entry mentioned above. Again the right place, the right names and exactly the right time period. So who is this Mr. John Brocket of Mackrey End? The Ancient Brocket Family (updated 4 Nov 2001 with acknowledgement to contributions from Adrian Brockett) Extensive research was done to ensure that t here are no other possible John son of John Brockets. In fact, research was taken back 300 years to Thomas Brocket who born about 1363, builder of the original Brocket Hall in Yorkshire and married to Dionice Sampson. From him down, the various Brocket lines have been traced where possible to the mid -1600s, past the point where the immigrant John Brocket left for America. Thomas and Dionice Brocket of Brocket Hall had a two sons, Thomas, of Brocket Hall who married Elizabeth Ashe and Edward who married Elizabeth Thwaytes. Dame Elizabeth as she was known, wife of Thomas was heir to the manor of Symonds Hide at Bishops Hatfield which became the Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire. They had no children. The rights to the manor passed to his brother Edward and continued in the family through his descendants until it came to Sir John Brocket who married Helen, daughter of Sir Robert Lytton of Knebworth Place. Edward Brocket and Elizabeth had several children. John Brocket, Esquire and Sheriff of Hertfordshire was their eldest son. He married Lucy Pulter by whom they had children, John, Edward Lucy, Elizabeth and Allice. Their son Edward married Margaret Mikleford. This Edward resided at Letchworth, Hertfordshire. From Edward and Margaret were the Brocket descendants at Codicot, Hertfordshire and the Rector of Graveley parish who during the Civil War, 1642-51, was one of large numbers of the clergy ejected from their livings. Edmund Brocket, had been a priest for over 50 years was ejected in 1643/4 as scandalous in life and unsound doctrine. From William, the youngest son of Edward Brocket and Elizabeth (Thwaytes) probably descends the cadet line the Brockets of Campton and Dunton, Bedfordshire and Guilden Morden, Cambridgeshire. John Brocket, Esquire, son of John and Lucy was born about 1490. He was Sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex. He married Dorothy Hughson, From them the Brockets of Wheathampstead and Brocket Hall descend. John and Dorothy Brocket had seve

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John Brockett Will John Brockett died in Wallingford, Conn., March 12, 1690, aged 80 years. His will, made nine days before his death, reads as follows :

I, John Brockett, of the towne of Wallingford, being sound in

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archive record

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new haven, con

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archive record

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new haven, conn. record !conn. N2b., vol. 2, pg 323 !New Haven genealogical magazine (famiies of ancient New Haven) Volume 2 p. 324-325 (Conn. N2B

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JOHN BROCKETT, the first person of the n

JOHN BROCKETT, the first person of the name of Brockett, of whom any record can be found in this country, was born in England in 1609 and came to America in 1637, probably in the ship Hector, with Rev. John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton, which ship arrived in Boston June 26, 1637. The list of passengers on that vessel was never published, and, for prudential reasons, its clearance never appeared in the records of any English port so far as can be ascertained. (See foot note to the Hist. Introduction.) In regard to the persons who accompanied Rev. John Davenport to this country and- who joined him in the settlement of New Haven, G. H. Hollister, in his "History of Connecticut," says, “They were gentlemen of wealth and character, with their servants and household effects. They were, for the most part, from London and had been bred to mercantile and commercial pursuits. Their coming was hailed at Boston with much joy, for they were the most opulent of all the companies who had emigrated to New England." Shortly after the arrival of the Hector in Boston, Eaton and a few others, unwilling to join the Massachusetts Colony, explored the coast along Long Island Sound, selecting a tract of land near the Quinipiac River, the present site of the City of New Haven, on which they left seven of their number to hold it for the winter. In the spring of 1638 (April 13,) Davenport with others among whom was John Brockett followed. Thev purchased the lands at Quinipiac of the Indians, and, "taking the Bible for their guide," formed an independent government or "Plantation Covenant" upon strictly religious principles. Prosperity attended them and they laid the foundations of a town and called it New Haven John Brockett seems to have been one of the leading men of the company, as his name more often appears in the records of the New Haven colony than of any man in civil life, except that of Theophilus Eaton. He was a man of good judgment and one in whom the people had confidence , as shown from the fact, that in cases of trouble, or difference of opinion, he was generally appointed bv the Planters’ on a committee to adjust matters. When the Indians made claims obnoxious to the Settlers, he was appointed "one of a committee of four to investigate and advise with the Indians." In 1660 when differences arose between the Conn. Colony at Hartford, and the New Haven Colony, as to boundary lines John Brockett was appointed one of the Commission to settle the troubles. He had a widely extended reputation as a Civil Engineer and Surveyor, and in June, 1639, laid out the large square, (which is now the centre of the City of New Haven, including the Common and the site of the College buildings) in nine equal sections. Mention is made in the Colonial Records of the perfection of this work, especially of the angles. The same boundaries still continue to be used. A few years later the Governor of New Jersey deputed John Brockett "to lay out, survey, and bound the said bounds of Elizabeth Towne, (now the City of Elizabeth,) the planting fields, town lots, and to lay out every particular man's proposition, according to his allotments and the directions of the Governor, for the avoiding of all controversies and disputes concerning the same, having had certain notice of the good experience, knowledge, skill and faithfulness of John Brockett in the surveying and laying out of land." This work was performed by John Brockett, and an allotment of land was made to him in the town of Elizabeth, which he held until 1670 when the record of its sale to Samuel Hopkins appears. In order to perform this work, John Brockett removed temporarily to Elizabethtown in Dec. 1667, residing there until 1670. The First General Assembly of New Jersey convened in Elizabethtown and was constituted May 26, 1668. The town had chosen John Ogden, Senior, and'JOHN BROCKETT to represent them in the House of Burgesses.* PARENTAGF- There is very little of official record, in this cou ntry concerning his birth. The tradition has existed, for two hundred years in New Haven, that John Brockett was the eldest son of Sir John Brockett, of Brockett Hall, Hertfordshire, England; that, on account of his Puritanical ideas, his father (who had been knighted by Queen Elizabeth) disinherited him, and that John then gave up all claims to the title and estates of the Brocketts in England, in order to join the Puritan Band which came with Rev. John Davenport to America. This tradition has never met with any denial, and the writer, in receiving records, from all parts of the United States, of the early families of the name of Brockett, has found them generally commencing with Sir John Brockett, of Hertfordshire, showing that all branches of the descendants have maintained this belief. From another source the writer received the statement that before coming to this country John Brockett fell in love with a Puritan maiden, that for her sake he gave up his right to the paternal estate, came to this country, established himself, provided a home for a wife, returned to England, married her and brought her to this country. In 1899 application was made to the Parish Clerk, at Hertford, England, to make research to establish these claims. In' reply he writes: "I am told that the first son of Sir John was outlawed, is it not possible that this first son is the one who emigrated to America and settled there between 1630 and 1639?" From another source came the statement that Sir John Brockett not only disinherited his eldest son, but had his name 'removed from all the family records, so that it should never appear in any published lists of the family, or the connection with himself ever be traced. *Hatfield's Hist. Elizabeth. In one of the Connecticut religious papers, published in 1868 we find the following: "John Brockett, the eldest son of Sir John Brockett, of the county of Herts, Fng., who was a well known loyalist of the time of Charles I, becoming convinced of t he truth of the Gospel as preached by the Puritans, relinquished his birthright and all his prospects of honor and fame, joined himself to the little company of Rev. John Davenport, emigrated to New England and settled at New Haven in i637. Of him, as of Moses, it could be said that he preferred to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season." Where there is so much of corroborative evidence there can be little doubt that he was the son of Sir John Brockett. There is no record of John Brockett's marriage, or the name of the person whom he married, but, as in the first tax bill, he is mentioned as one person and in the first allotment of seats in the church at New Haven had one seat, and as we find that in 1646 a seat was assigned in the church to "Sister Brockett" it is evident that he found a wife between 1640 and 1646. It has been generally supposed that he was married in England before he came to this country, that his first son was born there, and that his wife followed him in i644. We find, however, the tombstone of his first son (in the Montowese cemetery) states his death in I720, aged 78 years, which would show that he was born in 1642. This, with the fact that nothing appears in the Colonial Records in regard to John Brockett (excepting his tax) from the middle of the year i64o to the end of the year i64i, leads the writer to the opinion that he returned to England, spending a year or more there, during which time he married, and that his wife did not arrive here until 1644 or 1645. Among the many items in the records of New Haven Colony regarding John Brockett we note the following: June 4 1639. The name of John Brockett appears as a Signer of the Covenant for Civil Government "Appointed to lay out the large' square in nine equalsections." "Appointed to lay out forthwith the 'Neck of land,' according to the allotments." As the land bought by the Colony of New Haven extended several miles from the town of Nerw haven, the plan of forming a new town on the location now know as Wallingford was agitated early in 1669. At this time wolves in thousands infested the few settlements in that direction, killing the cattle carrying off the sheep and by their howlings at night, added horrors to the location. The Indians who were very numerous, were only friendly as induced by fear. In the autumn of 1669 John Brockett with about one hundred persons from New Haven removed there. These settlers appointed "John Brockett, John Moss, Abraham Doolittle and Samuel Street to manage all plantation affairs in ye said village." It was necessary to erect houses and to fortify them, to make preparations for the covering and feeding their cattle. and roads had to be built. It was pioneer work, but the settlers who had left the old world to escape despotism were ready for hardship. Authority was given by the General Courte to form a village and call it Wallingford. The same committee was instructed "to distribute the allotments of land, as shall best suit the conditions of the place and ye inhabitants thereof, and to procure some able and fit man to dispense the word of God among them." In the first allotment of land 38 Plots were given to 38 families, each receiving either 12 acres or 8 acres according to the location. John Brockett received 12 acres, and his son, John, 8 acres. Thev found still greater trouble than New Haven had, in the matter of currency. Hoop poles were received by the New Haven merchants as cash, so we find that the raising of hoop poles was encouraged by the following enactment, ordered that every planter should have, according to their rank, four, three or two acres of the choice land upon the River called 'hopp ground' beginning at Pilgrims' Harbor. Four acres of this hopp land, upon Pilgrims' Harbor, on both sides of the river were granted to John Brockett thus showing that he was of the highest rank among the planters. When other settlers came they were not

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John Brockett Family group sheet Children 2 , -f- 2 John, b. 1642; m. Elizabeth Doolittle.

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-f- s Mary, b. Sept. 25, 1646; m. Ephraim Pennington.

6 Silence, b. Jan. 4, 1648, m. Joseph Bradley Oct

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children

children

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John Brockett Some mentionings of him Among the many items in the records of New Haven Colony regarding John Brockett we note the following :

June 4, 1639. The name of John Brockett appears as a Signer of the Cov- enant for Civil Gove

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NOTE: Sailed to America on the ship Hec

NOTE: Sailed to America on the ship Hector-arrived in Boston. Mass. 26June 1637 Record of John Brockett in Christ College, University of Cambridge,wasadmitted 23 April 1634 at age 21 SOUR: @S14@

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Surveyor who laid out the original nine

Surveyor who laid out the original nine squares of New Haven Township. Source: The Brockett Genealogy page 30. Died at 80 years of age. Source: National Society Daughters of Colonial Wars, Lineage Book V. Surgeon in King Philip's War, 1675-1676 with Ct. Toops; Commissioner 1660; Deputy to General Court Ct. 1671,1678,1680-82, and 1685. References: List of Officials, Civil, Military & Ecclesiastical of Ct. Colony from March 1638 through Oct. 1677 & New Haven Colony, by Jacobus & Hooker (1935); NSDCW Lineage Bk. 4, p.258.

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1 _UID 67336B7E9103D611828100606E3BD45C

1 _UID 67336B7E9103D611828100606E3BD45C3A73