CHAD BROWNE >

• Birth Notes
  • Birth: Between 1600-1603 in High Wycombe,Buckinghamshire,England 1
    

• Death Notes
  • alt 1665  Death: on or before 1663 in Providence,Providence,R.I

• General Notes
  •   Chaddus "Chad" BROWN
    He served on a Committee to compile a list of the first lots situated on the town street. His service in this direction is mentioned years after in a letter from Roger Williams to John Whipple, Jr., July 8, 1689. Served also on a Committee, with three others, to settle all matters of difference between Providence and Pawtuxet, regarding the division of lines, and was the first settled8 pastor of the First Baptist Church. His wife was Elizabeth (???).
    
    !Their son, David Brown [Daniel], who died 1710, married, 1669, Alice Hearnden [Harrington], and their daughter Hallelujah, married James, the son of Epenetus and Mary (Whipple) Olney, whose daughter Mary, married Arthur Fenner II.
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    !The below information is from the web site of USGenWeb Rhode Island
    http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/article3.html
    The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations:Biographical, by the American Historical Society, Inc., 1920, volume 6. Descendants of Rev. Chad Brown through Eight generations Pages 188-191, Descendants of William Bailey: Seth Brown through Charles Stone Brown, Pages 198-200
    transcribed by Susan W. Pieroth
    to whom I am grateful and acknowledge.
    
    ! Rev. Chad Brown, immigrant ancestor and founder of the family, came from England in the ship “Martin,” which arrived in Boston, in the Massachusetts Colony, in July, 1638. He brought with him his wife Elizabeth, son John, then eight years old, and perhaps younger children. A fellow passenger died on the voyage, and Chad Brown witnessed the will soon after his arrival. He did not remain long in the Massachusetts Colony, probably because of his religious views, but soon removed to Providence, where he became at once a leader and one of the most valued citizens of the colony.
    
    !That same year, 1638, he and twelve others signed a compact relative to the government of the town. His work in settling the serious difficulties which had arisen between the original thirteen proprietors of Providence, and the later settlers, is thus referred to by Roger Williams: “The truth is, Chad Browne, that wise and godly soul (now with God), with myself brought the remaining aftercomers and the first twelve to a oneness by arbitration.” Chad Brown was soon afterward appointed in the capacity of surveyor on a committee to compile a list of the home lots of the first settlers of the “Towne Street,” and the meadows allotted to them. His own home lot fronted on “Towne Streete,” now South Main street and Market Square, with the southern boundary to the southward of College and South Main streets. The college grounds of Brown University now comprise a large portion of this lot.
    
    !In 1640 Chad Brown served as member of a committee with others in regard to the disputed boundary between Providence and Pawtuxet. In the same year he, with Robert Cole, William Harris and John Warner, formed the committee of Providence Colony to report their first written form of government, which wad adopted and continued in force until 1644, in which year Roger Williams returned from England with the first charter. Chad Brown was the first of the thirty-nine signers of this agreement. In 1642 Mr. Brown was formally ordained as the first settled pastor of the Baptist church of Providence. At this time, and for more than a half century afterward, the church had no meeting house, but met for worship in a grove or orchard, and in unpleasant weather in the houses of its members. Rev. Chad Brown remained at the head of his church until his death, which occurred about the year 1665.
    
    !He seems to have been the first pastor of the First Baptist Church in Providence, the connection of Roger Williams having been of so brief duration, and of so informal a character, as to forbid that he should be recognized as its firs pastor. The venerable John Howland says: “On the question among the founders of Rhode Island College on what lot to place the building--University Hall--they decided on the present site because it was the home lot of Chad Brown, the first minister of the Baptist Church.” Throughout his life in Rhode Island he was classed among those men of culture an ability who were chosen to represent the colony on official business. He was a saintly character, and his influence went far toward establishing and keeping peace among the early settlers. His remains, which were originally interred in a lot not far from where the court house, on the corner of College and Benefit streets, now stands, were removed in 1792 to the North Burying Ground.
    2
    
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    Of the parentage, birthplace and early history of Chad Brown
    nothing is now known. Accompanied by his wife Elizabeth and
    son John, then eight years of age, and perhaps his younger sons,
    he emigrated from England in the ship Martin, which arrived in
    Boston, Mass., July, 1638. A fellow passenger, Sylvester Baldwin,
    of Aston Clinton, Bucks Co., Eng., died during the voyage,
    and Chad Brown, soon after his arrival, witnessed the
    nuncupative will. Of this Savage gives the following account : "
    On the main ocean, bound for N. E., his nuncupative will
    was made 21 June, and proved 13 July of that year, before Dep.
    Gov. Dudley, by oaths of Chad Brown, Francis Bolt, James
    Weeden and John Baldwin."
    It is probable that his religious views were not in harmony
    with those of the Massachusetts settlers, as he soon removed to
    Providence, where he became at once a leader in the colony and
    one of its most valued citizens. According to tradition, he was
    an exile from Salem "for conscience' sake." His coming to
    Providence was the same year of his arrival, and there, with
    twelve others, he signed the following compact : " We whose
    names are hereunder, desirous to inhabit in the town of
    Providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active or passive
    obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for
    the public good of the body, in an orderly way, by the major
    assent of the present inhabitants, masters of families, incorporated
    together into a town fellowship, and such others as they
    shall admit into them, only in civil things."
    In his capacity as surveyor, he was soon after appointed on a
    committee to compile a list of the Lots of the first settlers
    on the " Towne Streete" and the meadows allotted to them. It
    is to this important work that we are indebted for our knowledge
    of these properties. His Home Lot fronted on the "Towne
    Streete," now South Main and Market Square, with the southern
    boundary to the southward of College and South Main Streets.
    It was about one hundred and twelve feet wide, and extended
    eastwardly to the " Highway," now Hope Street. The College
    Grounds of Brown University comprise a large portion of this
    lot.
    In 1640 he served on a committee with three others regarding
    the disputed boundary line between Providence and Pawtuxet.
    They reported in July that they had given the matter serious
    and careful consideration. "We have gone the fairest and
    equallest way to produce our peace."
    
    The same year, Robert Cole, Chad Brown, William Harris and
    John Warner, were the committee of Providence Colony who
    reported to them their first written form of government, which
    was adopted and continued in force until 1644, when Roger
    Williams returned from England with the first Charter. Of the
    thirty-nine signatures to mis agreement, Chad Brown's is the
    first. This instrument contains the arbitration decision to
    which in later years Roger Williams, in speaking of the dissensions
    which so disturbed the peace of the early colonists referred
    on this wise : " The truth is that Chad Brown, that Holy man,
    now with God, and myself, brought the remaining after-comers
    and the first twelve to a one-ness by arbitration."
    In 1642 he was ordained as the first settled Pastor of the
    Baptist Church and is thus mentioned by Hague in his Historical
    Discourse : " Contemporary with Roger Williams, he possessed
    a cooler temperament, and was happily adapted to sustain
    the interests of religion just where that great man failed. Not
    being affected by the arguments of the Seekers, he maintained
    his standing firmly in a church which he believed to be founded
    on the Rock of eternal truth ' even the Word of God which
    abideth forever.' We know only enough of his character to
    excite the wish to know more ; but from that little it is clear
    that he was highly esteemed as a man of sound judgment and
    of a Christian spirit. Often referred to as the arbitrator of
    existing differences, in a state of society where individual influence
    was needed as a substitute for well digested laws, he won
    that commendation which the Savior pronounced when he said, '
    blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the
    children of God.'"
    In 1643 he was on a committee to negotiate peace between the
    Warwick settlers and Massachusetts Bay. Their efforts, however,
    proved ineffectual, and it was not until 1065 that the
    claims of Massachusetts Bay Colony in regard to Warwick were
    set aside by the Royal Commissioners, and a decision rendered in
    favor of the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
    It is evident that he died some years earlier than has been
    supposed, as the name of his widow occurs in a tax list of Sept.
    2, 1650. His sons allude in deeds to the will of their father.
    Chad and Elizabeth Browne were buried in an orchard on his
    Home Lot, College Street, corner of Benefit, where the County
    Court House now stands. Their remains were removed in 1792
    to the Nicholas Brown lot in the North Burial Ground where a
    stone with this inscription marks the spot :