Jonathan Brewster

Notes:

He moved with his family to Leiden, Holland in 1608, where he became a merchant and a ribbon maker. Unlike his brothers Love and Wrestling, he stayed behind when the Mayflower sailed; he arrived at Cape Cod on the Fortune in November 1621. In 1630 he and his family moved to Duxbury, where he became a trader, working the coast as far south as Virginia. In 1635-36 he was in Windsor, Connecticut. In 1649 he settled in the New London area, where he spent the rest of his life.

From Kristen Wands, at the Windsor Historical Society site:

During his time in Windsor, Brewster began corresponding with John Winthrop, Jr., with whom he shared an interest in alchemy. Brewster had an alchemical laboratory in his home at Brewster's Neck. In 1656, he believed he was close to discovering the universal cure, a common goal among alchemists. He shared the progress of his experiments with Winthrop, saying, "I ffeare I shall not live to see it finished, in regard partly of the Indianes, who I feare will raise warres; and also I have a conceite that God sees me not worthy of a blessing by reason of my manifold miscariadges." Brewster worried not only that his life might be in jeopardy, but also that some accident would upset his experiments, which needed to sit undisturbed for years at a time. Typically Puritan, he worried that he was not Christian enough to receive the divine alchemical secrets he sought. Writing that he trusted Winthrop with his research more than his own children, Brewster promised he would "shortly write all the whole worke in few words, plainly ... & sealle it vp in a littel box, & subscribe it to your selfe... that if it please God I should suddainly be taken away, you may call for it." Ultimately, it appears Brewster's experiments were unsuccessful. His letters to Winthrop, however, provide a fascinating window into the minds of our New England forefathers.

While Jonathan Brewster's encounters with Native Americans do not seem to have affected his alchemy, later events suggest he was right to be nervous about his family's safety. In early March of 1659, while Brewster was away in Hartford, "12 [Narragansett] Indians came suddainly out of the bushes" surrounding Brewster's farm, and ran toward Mrs. Brewster, who was working in a field with one Mohegan and two English servants. Seemingly to shield her from the attack, the Mohegan ran toward "Mrs. Brewster, and held fast about hir, the other Indians pulled him by force from hir and presently killed him and cutt of his hand and fledd away." Apparently, the Narragansetts were upset that Brewster had been supplying his Mohegan allies with firearms, and the attack, which resulted in the death of the Mohegan servant, was in retaliation. Though no member of Brewster's family was physically harmed, the incident was a tremendous fright to all of the English settlers in the region.

When Brewster's death came, it was the result of an illness rather than an act of violence. He passed away in August of 1659, at 66 years of age. He was buried in Brewster's Neck Cemetery, which is all that remains of the family's home and trading post there.

Jonathan Brewster (1593-1659) = Lucretia Oldham (1600-1678)
Benjamin Brewster (1633=1710) = Ann Addis (1628-1709)
William Brewster (1669-1728) = Patience (d. 1740)
Patience Brewster (b. 1699) = Matthew Dewolfe (1697-1783)
Edward Dewolfe (1735-1790) = Elizabeth (d. 1787)
Edward Dewolfe (1768-1835) = Sarah Bill (1768-1854)
Charles De Wolf (1794-1870) = Betsy Putnam (1794-1881)
John Archelous De Wolf (1833-1901) = Louise Doty (1835-1879)
Ida Corinne De Wolf (1863-1944) = LaFayette Waterbury (1864-1931)
Ledora May Waterbury (1885-1959) = Harry Ross Hubbard (1886-1975)
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (1911-1986)

Jonathan married Lucretia Oldham on 10 Apr 1624 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Lucretia (daughter of William Oldham and Phillipa Sowter) was born before 14 Jan 1601; was christened on 14 Jan 1601 in All Saints, Derby, Derbyshire, England; died on 4 Mar 1679 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married John Turner on 10 Nov 1645 in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony. John (son of Humphrey Turner and Lydia Gaymer) was born before 24 Mar 1621; was christened on 24 Mar 1621 in Terling, Essex, England; died between 4 Mar 1695 and 20 May 1697 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 16 Jan 1703
• Alternate death: 16 Jan 1704

Ezekiel married Susannah Kenney on 26 Dec 1678 in New London, New London, Connecticut. Susannah (daughter of John Kenney and Sarah Douglas) was born on 6 Sep 1662 in New London, New London, Connecticut; was christened on 26 Feb 1670 in First Church, New London, New London, Connecticut; died on 13 Dec 1748 in New London, New London, Connecticut; was buried on 15 Dec 1748 in New London, New London, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ruth married Israel Sylvester on 3 Oct 1701 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Israel (son of Israel Sylvester and Martha) was born on 23 Sep 1674 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts; was christened on 19 Sep 1675 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts; died about 13 Feb 1717 in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ezekiel married Borodell Denison on 12 May 1729 in Groton, New London, Connecticut. Borodell (daughter of Joseph Denison and Prudence Minor) was born on 14 Feb 1712 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut; was christened on 13 Apr 1712 in Stonington Congregational Church, Stonington, New London, Connecticut; died on 19 Jul 1776. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She was born before her parents' marriage. Her first husband, Francis Cooke (~1697-1724), was a descendant of Mayflower passengers Francis Cooke, Stephen Hopkins, and James Chilton.

Ruth married Samuel Ring on 28 Jan 1725 in Plympton, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Samuel (son of Eleazar Ring and Mary Shaw) was born on 12 Mar 1694 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts; died on 8 May 1768 in Kingston, Plymouth, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]