Thomas Brigham was born Abt. 1603 in Holme on Spalding Moor, Yorkshire, England, and died 8 October 1653 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA. Burial was 10 October 1653 at Old Burial Ground, Cambridge.
Wife Mercy Hurd was born Abt. 1618 in England, and died 23 December 1693 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA. They were married Abt. 1640 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA
Their children were:
1- Thomas Brigham b: Abt. 1640 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA; d: 25 November 1716 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
+Mary Rice b: 19 September 1646 in Sudbury, Middlesex, MA; m: 27 December 1665 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; d: 30 May 1695 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
*2nd Wife of Thomas Brigham:
+Susanna Shattuck b: Abt. 1641 in Watertown, Middlesex, MA; m: 30 July 1695
2- John Brigham b: 9 March 1645 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA; d: 16 September 1728 in Sudbury, Middlesex, MA
+Sarah ----- d: Bet. 1691 - 1698
*2nd Wife of John Brigham:
+Deborah ----- m: Abt. 1699; d: 7 February 1716
*3rd Wife of John Brigham:
+Sarah Bowker m: 22 May 1717; d: Aft. 1728
3- Mary Brigham b: Abt. 1638 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA; d: 1676 in Watertown, Middlesex, MA
+John Fay b: Abt. 1640 in England; m: Abt. 1659; d: 5 May 1690 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
4- Hannah Brigham b: 9 March 1650 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA; d: 8 December 1719 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
+Gershom Eames b: Abt. 1651 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; m: Abt. 1673 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; d: 25 November 1676 in Watertown, Middlesex, MA
*2nd Husband of Hannah Brigham:
+William Ward b: 22 February 1649 in Sudbury, Middlesex, MA; m: 4 August 1679 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; d: 25 November 1697 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
5- Samuel Brigham b: 12 January 1652 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA; d: 24 July 1713 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
+Elizabeth How b: 5 April 1665 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA; m: Abt. 1684 in Medfield, Middlesex, MA; d: 26 July 1739 in Marlborough, Middlesex, MA
Notes for Thomas Brigham:
The following items extracted from The history of the Brigham family: a record of several thousand descendants of Thomas Brigham the emigrant 1603-1653 (W.L. Tyler Brigham 1907):
In
September 1639 Thomas Brigham's property was described as 'in the west end one house with 3 acres of
land and a half the highway to Watertown north, Joseph Isack southeast, Symon
Crosb(y) southwest, the highway to the Windemill Hill west.' When this property was deeded in 1654 it was described as 'containing the late mansion house of the said Thomas Brigham with the edifices, barn, cow houses, and about 3 acres and a half to the same adjoining... a part whereof is a garden & orchards.'
Thomas Brigham's Will: In the name of God Amen, I Thomas Brigham of Cambridge being at this
point writing weak in body, and not knowing how the Lord will dispose of me, whether for life or death, and
having yet through the mercy of God, a good memory and sound understanding, do hereby
ordain and make this my last Will & Testament, my poor soul which I do believe is
immortal and shall live when my body is dissolved to dust, I do desire by faith humbly to
commit and leave it in ye Arm of the everlasting mercies of God the father in his
dear and Eternal Son Jesus Xt, who when I was altogether full of enmity against him, and a miserable undone child of wrath, did then send his holy word accompanied with the
irresistible power of his own blessed spirit to make known and apply the
exceeding and abundant riches of his grace to my soul, by which faith I have desired to live, and do now desire to
die, and go to that Lord Jesus who hath Loved me to the Death that I a poor sinner might live, my body I
commit it to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executrix, and as for my children, and outward blessings
which the Lord hath been pleased of his goodness to bless me with all and for a time to make me Steward of my will is that they be thus disposed of as followeth, viz. my just debts being first
satisfied, my will is that my loving wife shall have to her own use one third
part of my estate, according to the Law of the Country: and to my Eldest son Thomas I give one third
part of the remainder of my estate, and the rest of my estate to be equally divided between my other 4: children Jno and Mary and Hannah and
Samuel my will is that my wife shall have the use of my whole estate during her widow hood, for the bringing up and education of my children and in case the Lord shall provide for my wife by marriage, it shall then be at the will and discretion of the overseers of this my last will and testament, whether my children with their portions shall continue with her or not, and as they see meet to dispose of them and their portions for their education and bringing up. I do appoint my wife to be sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament and do also desire my
Loving Brethren Thomas Danforth, Jno. Cooper, Thomas Fox, Jno. Hastings, and William Towne to be overseers of this my last will and testament: and in witness hereof I do hereunto put my hand and
seal this 7th of the 10th mo. 1653, Proved 3rd August 1654
Thomas Brigham married probably in 1637 his wife Mercy, but of this date there is no record. We know she must have been a woman of unusual strength, force and determination. The Rev. Abner Morse says, on the authority of tradition, that her maiden name was Mercy Hurd, that she was 10 or 15 years younger than her husband, and that, persecuted in England for nonconformity, she came to New England with her sister, who married Qilliam (?) Cutter. Tradition should be taken as a clue to the truth rather than truth
itself, for investigation where practicable is likely to find the basis of truth small in tradition a century old. The 'Cutter Genealogy' states that when William Cutter returned to England, probably he was a bachelor.
Parents of Thomas Brigham
Parents of Mercy Hurd
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Last updated: 7 May 2006