Thomas Brooke, Sr.

Maj. Thomas Brooke, Sr., Esq. (1632-1676), Burgess, High Sheriff, and Chief Justice of Calvert Co., Maryland.

The elder Thomas was born in Battle, Sussex, England on June 23,1632. Thomas was raised as a Protestant but converted to Roman Catholicism. He arrived in Maryland with his father Gov. Robert Brooke, Sr., Esq. (1602-1655) on June 30,1650.

Career

Thomas was commissioned a Captain in 1658, commanding the Militia of Calvert County, and then a Major in the Militia of Calvert County by 1660. In 1661 he led an expedition against the Indians. He served as a Burgess for Calvert County from 1663-1669, and again from 1671-1676. He was a High Sheriff of Calvert County from 1660-1667, and presiding Chief Justice of the County Court in 1667. In addition Thomas was Mayor of Battle Creek, Calvert Co., Maryland.

Maj. Thomas Brooke resided at his estate called "Brookefield", which he laid out on April 16, 1664. “Brookefield” was located in the woods on the west side of the Patuxent River, bounded on the north by Brooke or Mattaponi Creek, on the east by the Patuxent River, on the south by Deep or Spicer’s Creek and extending west to a line marked by a stone on which were cut the letters T. B., the initials of the grantee. This is where the current town of T. B. Took its name. A few years later Major Brooke conveyed back to the Lord Proprietor a certain number of acres on the bank of the Patuxent, intended for the site of a town, which, when laid out, was called “Nottingham Towne”, in honor of the Duke of Nottingham. The village that sprang up still bears the name.

Besides "Brookefield", Maj. Brooke was owner of two tracts of land in Charles County. The first was "Locust Thicket", which he laid down on May 2, 1668. The second one was laid down the next day, called "Brookes Landing". He also owned five other tracts of land in Calvert County, named: "Brookes Content", laid down April 2, 1668; "Brookes Grove", on May 2, 1668; "Little Grove", on March 23, 1669; "Poplar Neck", on June 10, 1671; and "Cross-Cloath", on February 2, 1673. At the time of his death on December 29, 1676, Thomas had accumulated 7,742 acres, and his estate was valued at 95,910 pounds of tobacco, including 10 slaves and 10 servants. Thomas and Eleanor were both members of the Roman Catholic Church.

Marriage

Thomas married as his second wife Eleanor Hatton (1642-1725) in 1658.

Eleanor Hatton was born in London, England on April 3, 1642, and arrived in Maryland in 1649 with her widowed mother and family. Eleanor's uncle Hon. Thomas Hatton (d. 1654), had been Secretary of the Province. After the death of Maj. Thomas Brooke, Esq. (1632-1676), Eleanor married Col. Henry Darnall, Sr. (1645-1711) of "Woodyard" and “Darnall’s Delight”, making Col. Thomas Brooke, Jr., Hon. (1660-1730), the stepson of Col. Darnall and the half brother of Henry Darnall II, Esq. (d. 1737). Eleanor died on February 21, 1725 at “Portland Manor”, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland.

Eleanor was the daughter of Hon. Richard Hatton, Sr. (1605-1648) and Margaret (ca. 1610), who married secondly, Capt. Richard Banks, Sr. (ca. 1612-1667). Richard Hatton was born in St. Margaret’s Parish, Westminster, London, England. He resided in London, England.

Children

*Col. Thomas Brooke, Jr., Hon. (1659-1730/31) of "Brookefield", Thomas married 1) Ann ? 2) Barbara Dent (1676-1754), daughter of Col. Thomas Dent, Sr., Gent. (1630-1676) and Rebecca Wilkinson (1633-1726).

*Robert Brooke (1663-1714), a Jesuit Priest.

*Mary Brooke (bef. 1669-1742, who married 1) Capt. James Bowling (ca. 1665-1692). 2) Capt. Benjamin Hall (1667-1721), son of Richard Hall (1635-1688) and Elizabeth Wingfield (1641). 3) Henry Witham.

*Ignatius Brooke (1670-1751)

*Matthew Brooke (1672-1703)

*Elinor Brooke (1673-1740), who married 1) Philip Darnall (1671-1705), son of Col. Henry Darnall, Sr. (1645-1711). 2) William Digges, Jr., son of Col. William Digges, Sr. (ca. 1650-1697) and Elizabeth (Sewall) Wharton (ca. 1661).

*Clement Brooke, Sr. (1676-1737), who married Jane Sewall (1685-1761), daughter of Nicholas Sewall (ca. 1655-1737).

Ancestry

Thomas Sr., was the son of Gov. Robert Brooke, Sr., Esq. (1602-1655) and his first wife, Mary Baker (1602-1634).

Mary was the daughter of Thomas Baker II and Mary Engham.

Robert Sr., was the son of Hon. Thomas Brooke (1561-1612) and Susan Foster (ca. 1570-1612).

Susan was the daughter of Sir Thomas (Forster) Foster V (1548-1612) of “Etherstone”, Hertford, England, and his wife, Susan Foster (1548-1625), co-heiress with her sister Constance.

Thomas was the son of Richard Brooke, Sr., Gent., Esq. (1519-1594) and Elizabeth Twyne (1523-1599).

Richard was the son of Robert Brooke (d. 1593).

References

* [http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mrmarsha&id=I11886 1658-1758 Charles County MD Families "The first 100 years": Wills, Court, Church, Land, Inventories & Accounts]