The Brundage-Brundish Genealogy

Our Brundage ancestors were a branch of the Suffolk family of Brundish in England, a medieval family that took its name from the village of Brundish near the River Alde in Suffolk. The village's name comes from the Anglo-Saxon words burna and edisc, which together mean "a stream with pasture," which no doubt refers to lands near the River Alde. Given the Anglo-Saxon origin of the village's name, it is evident that Brundish is of great antiquity, arising before the Norman Conquest. It is known that Brundish's parish church, St. Lawrence's Church, was first erected as a Catholic church in Norman times, in the latter 1000s A.D. -- the lower three-fourths of the present church tower were built at that time, but the tower was heightened and the present nave, chancel, and porch were built between 1350 and 1480. There was also a Chantry adjacent to the church, established so that prayers and Masses could be offered for the soul of Sir Robert de Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, but the Chantry was suppressed and destroyed in 1545 after King Henry VIII outlawed Catholic Christianity and Catholic monasteries. The manor of Burndish ("Burnedissh") or Brundish is first mentioned in the early 1300s, when John de Burndish is recorded as holding a half interest in Moreton manor in Essex.

Shown at left is a photo by Adrian S. Pye of the official village sign of Brundish in Suffolk, England. At right is St. Lawrence's Church, the oldest structure in Brundish, originally built as a Catholic church in the latter 1000s A.D. and rebuilt and expanded in the 1300-1400s, but seized by the Anglicans in the 1500s.

Regarding the village of Brundish and the Brundish family which originated there, Brundish/Brundage genealogical researcher Perry Streeter had this to say in his compiled genealogy, "John Brundish [Brundage] of Wethersfield, Connecticut":

The town of Brundish, Suffolk, England existed by 22 May 1315 (Martin, The Ipswich Recognizance Rolls 1294-1327, A Calendar, p.61). Prior to the commencement of the local parish registers, any Brundish families had migrated to other towns within Suffolk.

Our Brundishes (whose name eventually came to be spelled "Brundage" in America) probably came from Ipswich in Suffolk, about 20 miles from Brundish, but also are said to have been located for awhile in Cawston in nearby Norfolk. They left England about 1633 and settled in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Here follows an account of our Brundage/Brundish ancestors, which relies upon Thomas William Brundage's 1989 A Brundage Family Genealogy, An Account of Some of the American Descendants of John Brundish (1593-1639), Who Came from England to Massachusetts in 1635 and the research of Perry Streeter's compiled genealogy, "John Brundish [Brundage] of Wethersfield, Connecticut". Because the spelling "Brundage" is more common in the United States, this account generally uses that spelling, although the name was spelled "Brundish" in England and New England in the 1500s and 1600s. It should be kept in mind that the first two generations of the following Brundish/Brundage genealogy is somewhat tentative. Streeter has conjectured that the immigrant John Brundish/Brundage was the son of a Thomas Brundish of Rattlesden -- this identification is chronologically, geographically, and onomastically plausible, but Streeter has cautioned that the identification of the immigrant John Brundish with Thomas Brundish's son John has not been directly confirmed.

1. ABNER BRUNDAGE, born 1533 in Cawston, Norfolk, England, later lived in Suffolk, England, in the mid- to latter 1500s, in Rattlesden Parish where his son Thomas is known to have lived. Abner's wife was ANNE COLLES, born 1526 in Bradwell, Buckinghamshire, England, died 1598 in London, England. Abner and Anne had a son named Thomas.

The Christian name "Abner" is not common in England prior to the establishment of Anglicanism. It is a biblical given name, being the name of one of the two chief generals of King David of Israel. English Calvinists, known as Puritans from their demand that the Anglican religion be "purified" or "cleansed" of any element that reminded them of Catholic Christianity, often gave their children names from the Old Testament. This consideration makes it probable that Abner and his parents held religious views that were comparable or preparatory to those of the Puritans. In any case, Abner's grandson certainly was a Puritan.

     2.  THOMAS BRUNDAGE, born 1561 in Rattlesden, Suffolk, England

2. THOMAS BRUNDAGE ("Thomas Abner"?), son of Abner and Anne Brundage of Norfolk, England, born 1561 in Rattlesden, Suffolk, England, died between 29 Sept. and 30 Nov. 1645 in Rattlesden, Suffolk. Thomas married in Rattlesden Parish, Suffolk, England, on 30 Aug. 1584, to AGNES TOMPSON ("Anne"), baptised 22 Dec. 1560 at Rattlesden Parish, Suffolk, England, buried 1 June 1647 at Rattlesden, daughter of Robert and Agnes (Raynolde) Tompson. Thomas and Agnes are known to have had four daughters and four sons.

In a "Pedigree Resource File" submitted at FamilySearch.org by user "gbrouillette2759905," Thomas is said to have the middle name of "Abner." Middle names were all but unknown at this period of English history, but around this time it was somewhat common for an Englishman to be known sometimes by his family surname and at other times by his father's Christian name, used as a patronymic. Thus, Thomas Brundage may sometimes have been called "Thomas Abner," meaning Thomas son of Abner. However, his name certainly was not "Thomas Abner Brundage."

Perry Streeter provides the following information about Thomas and Agnes Brundage in his compiled genealogy, "John Brundish [Brundage] of Wethersfield, Connecticut":

The town of Brundish, Suffolk, England existed by 22 May 1315 (Martin, The Ipswich Recognizance Rolls 1294-1327, A Calendar, p.61). Prior to the commencement of the local parish registers, any Brundish families had migrated to other towns within Suffolk. Thomas served as a church warden in 1593, 1595 and 1605. In 1608, he served as a constable. Thomas Brundish was assessed 1 shilling as a "rate made by the church wardens and overseers of the said town of the inhabitants and landowners there toward the relief of the poor of the said town on the 28th of May 1645." Thomas was abated 1 pence the same rate for that he took lands at Michaelmas (29 September) as Jeremy Rust did. Thomas must have died shortly thereafter for we find that in November 1645 and March 1646, Widow Brundish received one shilling from the town relief. She was awarded two shillings for relief on 23 April 1647 and 23 May 1647.

Thomas and Agnes had the following children, all baptised at Rattlesden, Suffolk, England:

     --  ANNA BRUNDAGE, baptised 8 April 1585.
     --  THOMAS BRUNDAGE, baptised 15 July 1586.
     --  ELIZABETH BRUNDAGE, baptised 30 July 1589, buried 16 June 1647 in Rattlesden Parish, Suffolk, England.
     --  THOMAS BRUNDAGE, baptised 25 May 1591, buried 2 July 1650 in Rattlesden Parish, Suffolk, England.
     --  MARY BRUNDAGE, baptised 27 June 1592.
     3.  JOHN BRUNDAGE, baptised 5 June 1593.
     --  ROBERT BRUNDAGE, baptised 6 Aug. 1594.
     --  ANNE BRUNDAGE, baptised 24 Aug. 1597

3. JOHN BRUNDAGE ("John Brundish"), probably son of Thomas and Agnes Brundage, born in May or early June 1593, baptised 5 June 1593 at Rattlesden Parish, Suffolk, England, he died before 1641 at Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut. John's baptism is apparently recorded in the Rattlesden parish register, which shows the baptism of "John Brundishe," son of Thomas Brundishe. According to the parish register of Belstead in Suffolk, England, John married at Belstead in 1621 to RACHEL HUBBARD, born circa 1600 in Mendlesham, Suffolk, England, died by 1648 in Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, daughter of James and Naomi (Cocke) Hubbard of Mendlesham (see Boyd's Marriage Index of Suffolk, England, Vol. 7, 1601-1625, Belstead Parish Register, which lists the marriage of John and Rachel as "1621, Brundish, Jn & Rach Hubbard, Belstead"). John and Rachel had two sons and at least four daughters (possibly five or six daughters) -- the names and number of their children is discussed further below.

Regarding John's association with Rattlesden and Belstead, Perry Streeter comments in his compiled genealogy, "John Brundish [Brundage] of Wethersfield, Connecticut," that "Belstead is approximately 25 miles from Rattlesden. John may have had ties to Belstead through the family of his maternal grandmother, Agnes (Raynolde) Tompson; the Raynolde family were numerous in both Rattlesden and Belstead."

John left from Felsham, Suffolk, England, and came to America probably in the year 1633, just before John first appears on record in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1634/5. (See Elijah Ellsworth Brownell's Bank's Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Immigrants to New England, 1620-1650, page 153). Streeter notes that Felsham is about two miles from Rattleden, and did not have its own parish register before 1656. John was made a freeman of Watertown on 4 March 1634/5, when he is recorded as "John Brandishe." He and his family next lived for a while at Salem, Massachusetts, before moving on to Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, with Wethersfield's first settlers. From the probate records of John's widow Rachel, it is known that John worked as a tanner at Wethersfield.

According to Donald Lines Jacobus' History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield (1930), vol. I, page 107, John died soon after 20 May 1639, which is the date of an unrecorded deed. The deed's first part, dated 20 May 1639, was witnessed by Andrew Ward, Edmund Wood, and Robert Rose, but was not signed by the deed's grantor John Brundish. The deed's second part, 23 Nov. 1639, was a confirmation by John's widow Rachel, administratrix of his estate, "but Providence so disposing of the aforesayd John Brundishe that before the tym that the mony & ye writing (?) confermed He put an end unto his lyf." The inventory for John's estate was taken on 27 Oct. 1639 and totaled �304 6s, including �130 in real estate and �2 in books.

John's widow Rachel remarried as her second husband, on (or soon after) 5 Aug. 1642 at Fairfield, Connecticut, to ANTHONY WILSON. She and Anthony had but one child together, a daughter named SARAH WILSON. Rachel died by 1648 at Fairfield, Connecticut, and her husband Anthony Wilson was to have the homelot at Fairfield and to pay legacies to Rachel's children, who are listed in her will as John Brundish, Mary wife of Francis Purdy, Bethia Brundish, and Posthume. The record of the distribution of Rachel's estate includes a reference to their son John, who "is to have the money that the tools of a tanner were sold for," a reference to the tools that had belonged to John Jr.'s father.

The first known child of John and Rachel Brundage was JAMES BRUNDISH, baptised 11 April 1627 at St. Mary-at-the-Elm in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The baptismal record identifies his parents as John and Rachel Brundish. James does not appear in later records of the family, indicating that he probably died young. The second child of John and Rachel was MARY BRUNDISH, who was baptised 10 Dec. 1628 at St. Mary-at-the-Elm in Ipswich -- her baptismal record also identifies her parents as John and Rachel Brundish.

In 1631 the parish register of St. Clement's Church in Ipswich records the births of twin girls ANNE BRUNDISH and SUSAN BRUNDISH. The record does not identify their parents, but Perry Streeter thinks they were probably daughters of John and Rachel Brundish. From the probate records of John's estate, we know that John and Rachel certainly had a daughter who was born perhaps in 1632, but whose name is unknown, and who died between 1640 and 1648 -- Anne or Susan may have been that daughter. On the other hand, the unnamed daughter may have been born about a year or so after Anne and Susan. The uncertainty surrounding the parentage of Anna and Susan and the identity of the unnamed daughter is the reason for the uncertainty regarding the number of the daughters of John and Rachel.

John and Rachel are known to have had three more children and they came to America: a son, JOHN BRUNDISH JR., born circa 1636, a daughter BETHIA BRUNDISH, born circa 1638, and another daughter known as POSTHUME BRUNDISH because she was born posthumously in late 1639 or early 1640 -- i.e., after her father's death.

Thus, the known and possible children of John and Rachel Brundage were:

     --  JAMES BRUNDAGE, baptised 11 April 1627 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, probably died young.
     4.  MARY BRUNDAGE, baptised 10 Dec. 1628 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, twice married.
     ??  ANNE BRUNDAGE, born 1631 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, twin of Susan, possible daughter but parentage unrecorded.
     ??  SUSAN BRUNDAGE, born 1631 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, twin of Anne, possible daughter but parentage unrecorded.
     --  (DAU.) BRUNDAGE, born perhaps 1632 in England, died between 1640 and 1648, perhaps identical with Anne or Susan.
     --  JOHN BRUNDAGE JR., ("Stout Old John Brundish"), born circa 1636 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, married Hannah (NN).
     --  BETHIA BRUNDAGE, born circa 1638 in Wethersfield, Connecticut, perhaps twice married.
     --  POSTHUME BRUNDAGE, born late 1639 or early 1640 in Wethersfield, Connecticut, married John Winter of Westchester, New York.

4. MARY BRUNDAGE, daughter of John and Rachel Brundage, baptised 10 Dec. 1628 in St. Mary-at-the-Elm, Ipswich, Suffolk County, England, died after 1710 in Rye, Westchester County, Connecticut (New York). Mary came to Massachusetts from England with her parents and siblings probably in 1633. They first lived at Watertown and Salem, Massachusetts, but later were among the first settlers of Wethersfield, Connecticut. Some time after her mother Rachel's remarriage on 5 Aug. 1642, but by 1645, Mary married in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, Mary to FRANCIS PURDY, born 1587 in Brundall, County Norfolk, England, died 20 Oct. 1658 in Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, son of John and Alice (Tayler) Purdy. Francis and Mary had four sons and one daughter. Mary remarried circa 1659 in Fairfield, Connecticut, to JOHN HOYT, born in West Hatch, Somersetshire, England, perhaps circa 1625, died in late August or early September of 1684 in Rye, Westchester County, Connecticut (now New York), son of Simon and Jane Hoyt. Mary and John had at least two children, or perhaps four or more.

Mary may have been John's second wife, since it is unlikely (though not impossible, of course) that he had remained unmarried until he was in his 30s, and some genealogists think it is probable that John's daughters MARY HOYT and RACHEL HOYT were born of John's putative first wife. For example, Donald Lines Jacobus in his "History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield ," 1930-1932, vol I., p.294, says John "Married (2) at Fairfield abt. 1659, Mary, widow of Francis Purdy, and dau. of John Brundish." Again, Martha J. Burke in her Townsends: Dutchess County, New York, Part II, iv, says (emphasis added):

JOHN, b. say 1625; m. (1) by about 1650 _____ _____; m. (2) about 1659 Mary (Brundish) Purdy, widow of Francis Purdy. (John Hoyt's daughters, Mary, who probably married Hachaliah Brown, and Rachel, who married John Horton [not Norton], were apparently born in the early 1650s, as they married men born in the 1640s; we know that the widow of Francis Purdy had married John Hoyt because her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth (Brown) Purdy, in 1678 asked that "my father John Hoit and my brother Thomas Browne might stand overseers, or my brother Hacaliah Browne," but Francis Purdy died in 1658 [FOOF 1:495-96].).

It is perhaps unsurprising that there are conflicting accounts of the number and names of John Hoyt's children. Some of that conflict stems from earlier genealogists' confusion of our John Hoyt, of Fairfield, Connecticut, who died in 1684 in Rye, Westchester County, Connecticut (now New York), with Sgt. John Hoyt of Salisbury, Massachusetts, who died 28 Feb. 1688 in Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. These same-named colonists lived and died around the same time, but lived in different places, married different women, and had different children. (In addition, DNA testing has established that Sgt. John Hoyt of Sailsbury was not related to the Simon Hoyt family of which John Hoyt of Fairfield was a member.)

Thus, in the Historical and Genealogical Record, Dutchess and Putnam Counties, New York, 1912 - Part 2, pp.452-453, it says, "John Haight married Mary, daughter of John Budd (sic), and their children were: Samuel, Mary, Rachel, John and Simon." Again, in Donald Lines Jacobus' History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, 1930-1932, vol I., p.294, John's children are listed as Samuel, Mary, m. [Hachaliah?] Brown, Rachel, m. ---- Norton, John, and Simon. This enumeration of John's children is derived from John's will, which explicitly names Mary, Rachel, John, and Simon as John's children. His will also appoints a SAMUEL HOYT as one of the overseers of his estate, and it seems that some earlier writers presumed that Samuel was another son of John. However, the will does not describe Samuel as one of John's children, nor was Samuel given any portion of John's estate, so almost certainly he was not John's son, but rather was a close relative.

In comparison, the Faella/McKiel Family Tree database names but four children, Rachel (born 1662), John (born 1665), Walter, and Simon (born 1669) -- omitting John's daughter Mary and including a son named Walter. Presumably that Walter is the WALTER HOYT who witnessed John's will, but of course that was John's older brother, not one of his sons. Lorraine Luke's Ulster County, New York Genealogies database names just two children, a daughter Mary (born circa 1645 -- a speculative date that is almost certainly too early) and a son John (born circa 1664). The now-defunct Martine's Genealogy website mixed in a few of the children of Sgt. John Hoyt of Salisbury, naming six children of John and Mary: Rachel (born 1662), Thomas (born 1662), Sarah (born 1663), Frances (born 1664), John (born 1665), and Simon (born 1669). "The Pumpkin's Roots" website lists four children: Samuel, Rachel, John, and Simon. Susan's Family Genealogy lists the same four children in a slightly different order and with these dates of birth: Rachel (born circa 1660), Samuel (born before 1663), John Jr. (born 1664), and Simon (born between 1665 and 1680). Finally, in an email of 15 July 2001, Judith Herbert says John and Mary had only a daughter, Rachel, and two sons, John (born circa 1664) and Simon. Rachel, John, and Simon were undoubtedly children of John Hoyt, who also had a daughter named Mary, but it is at best uncertain that any of the other children named in these various sources were really theirs (and certainly Thomas, Sarah, and Frances were not).

John made his will on 29 August 1684 at Rye, Westchester County, New York. In the will, John wrote,

I will and bequeathe unto my Loveing wife Mary Hoit On third parte of all my moveables she to have Her choice of them and my house and orchard and four acres of Land Lyeing below the Orchard and on acre of Salt Meadow Iyeing by the bridge this abovemenconed house orchard & lands I give to my wife dureing her life and then to Returne to my two youngest sons John Hoitt and Simon Hoit and if my wife Remain a widdow and need Require I Give her full power to sell some of this said Land for her Comfort ALSOE, I doe will and bequeath unto my two sons John Hoit and Simon Hoit all my Lands and Right In Lands In Rye their mothers Right only Excepted ALSOE I doe will and bequeath Unto my two daughters Mary Brown and Rachell Norton the two thirds of all my moveables Each of them One third Only the abovesaid Rachell Norton hath Receaved Six pownds which six pounds Is to bee discounted of of her third part and an Equall distribution to bee made between them and for my depts I order to bee paid out of the moveables FURTHERMORE It is my will if Either of my two youngest sons John or Simon should dye In their nonage the surviveing to have all the Lands. * I appoynt my Loveing wife to be my sole Executrix of this my will and Joshua Hoit and Sam'. Hoitt and John Bondig overseers. John Hoit [seal] * Signed and sealed In the presence of Us. Walter Hoitt, Thomas Betts senr.

 It should be noted that, as mentioned above, John's daughter Rachel was married to a man named Horton, not Norton. John's will misspells his son-in-law's surname.

John died not many days after making his will, as his will inventory is dated 15 Sept. 1684. The inventory of John's estate lists about 80 items, including articles of clothing, household goods, tools, furniture, eight books (including a "Commentary on the Revelation" and "Christian's Watchfulness"), as well as horses and cattle. His brother, "Moses Hoyett" was a witness to the signing of the bond by his wife, Mary Hoyt.

     --  JOHN PURDY, born circa 1646 in Fairfield, Connecticut, died 1678 in Fairfield, Connecticut, married Elizabeth Brown.
     --  DANIEL PURDY, born 1648 in Fairfield, Connecticut, died 1678 in Rye, New York.
     --  FRANCIS PURDY JR., born 1650 in Fairfield, Connecticut, died 1723 in Rye, New York, married Mary Lane.
     --  JOSEPH PURDY, born 1653 in Fairfield, Connecticut, died 29 Oct. 1709 in Rye, New York, married Elizabeth H. Ogden.
     --  MARY PURDY
     --  JOHN HOYT (John Haight), born 1664 or 1665.
     --  SIMON HOYT, born 1669.

Brundage-Brundish Genealogy Resources:

John Brundish [Brundage] of Wethersfield, Connecticut, by Perry Streeter, copyright 1999 Perry Streeter, updated 16 Sept. 2009.
Brundish: A Small Village in Rural High Suffolk
Brundish: GEN-UK-I Webpage
Mapcarta: Brundish, including a map showing the location of Brundish, and photographs of St. Lawrence's Church in Brundish.
John Brundish Find-A-Grave Memorial, with links to memorials of his parents, wife, and children.

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