Jonathan Brewster was born 12 August 1593 in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom to William Brewster (1567-1644) and Mary Brewster (1569-1627) and died 7 August 1659 Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, United States of unspecified causes. He married Betja Rabnits (1597-1619) 1615 in Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands. He married Lucretia Oldham (1600-1679) 10 April 1624 in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States.
Biography
Elder Jonathan Brewster was an early American settler, the son and eldest child of elder William Brewster (1567-1644) and his wife, Mary Brewster (1569-1627). Brewster had two younger sisters, Patience and Fear, and two younger brothers, Love and Wrestling along with an unnamed brother who died young.
Scrooby Separatists
Scrooby Separatists were a mixed congregation of early English Protestants / non-conformists founding living in the border region of of South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. They were called "Separatists" because of their rebellion against the religious authority of the Church of England, the official state religion. In 1607/8 the Congregation emigrated to Netherlands in search of the freedom to worship as they chose. Shortly after that they were the basis of the group to sail in the Mayflower to the New World.
They were set on a path of separation from the Anglican Church. From about 1602, Scrooby Manor, Brewster's home, became a meeting place for the dissenting Puritans. In 1606, they formed the Separatist Church of Scrooby.
Brewster was born in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, on August 12, 1593. In around 1610, he accompanied his family to Leiden in Holland, where he married his first wife. Brewster did not join his family on the Mayflower in 1620, however. He stayed behind in Leiden instead with his wife, who died soon after, and their infant son, who also died. Brewster would have been 27 at the time. Brewster came to America on the ship Fortune in 1621.
Brewster died on August 7, 1659 in New London, Connecticut, at the age of 65. He was buried in Brewster's Plain, Norwich, Connecticut.
Marriage & Family
1st Marriage: Rabnits
Actually I don't have documentation for the name of his first wife who lived and died in Leiden Holland. In around 1610, he accompanied his family to Leiden in Holland, where he married his first wife. Brewster did not join his family on the Mayflower in 1620, however. He stayed behind in Leiden instead with his wife, who died soon after, and their infant son, who also died.
2nd Marriage: Oldham
On April 10, 1624 in Plymouth Colony, Brewster married Lucretia Oldham, the daughter of William Oldham and Phillipa Sowter; her brother was Captain John Oldham, whose slaying led to the Pequot Indian war. Brewster and Oldham had eight children.
- William Brewster (1625-1675)
- Mary Brewster (1627-1698)
- Arthur Christian Brewster (1628-) aka: Jonathan Brewster, Jr. (born July 17, 1629) ?
- Ruth Brewster (1631-1677)
- Benjamin Brewster (1633-1710)
- Elizabeth Brewster (1637-1713)
- Grace Brewster (1639-1684)
- Hannah Brewster (1641-1711)
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| First Son Brewster (1619-1619) | 1619 Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands | 1620 Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands | |
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Brewster (1625-1675) | |||
| Mary Brewster (1627-1698) | 16 April 1627 Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | March 1698 Plymouth County, Massachusetts | John Turner (1620-1705) |
| Arthur Christian Brewster (1628-) | |||
| Ruth Brewster (1631-1677) | |||
| Benjamin Brewster (1633-1710) | 17 November 1633 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States | 14 September 1710 Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, United States | Anne Addis (1628-1709) |
| Elizabeth Brewster (1637-1713) | 1 May 1637 Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | 11 November 1713 Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | Peter Bradley (1628-1662) |
| Grace Brewster (1639-1684) | |||
| Hannah Brewster (1641-1711) | |||
Siblings
References
- Mayflower and Her Passengers by Caleb Johnson - Genealogical research on all Mayflower pilgrims. 292 pages (Pulb 2006).
- Jonathan Brewster - disambiguation
- Brewster in Plymouth County, Massachusetts - first families genealogy
- 1623 Plymouth Land Census
- William Brewster (1567-1644)/List of Famous Descendants
- Immigrant Ships to America: Fortune
- Jonathan Brewster - Wikipedia
- Jonathan Brewster at Find A Grave - Memorial #11415606
- Family Tree
- Jonathan Brewster & Lucretia Oldham
- Elder William Brewster Society
Residences