Wolston Brockway

  Noted events in his life were:

• Family History: From The Brockway Family, Francis E. Brockway, 1890, Page 1. WOLSTON BROCKWAY, the progenitor of the New England family bearing his name, was probably born in some part of England, not far from 1638. In a deposition made by him 10 July 1714, and recorded in Lyme, his age is stated at "seventy years or thereabouts," and he stated that he had dwelt in Lyme for fifty years past; but there are indications that both his age and the length of his residence in Lyme were placed too low. He bought land with a house and barn thereon, of John Reynolds, both of Saybrook, Conn., 3 December 1659, the land being described as "one ye east sid of ye riuer ouer against ye towne of Saybrooke," and the consideration, £20 sterling. The natural inference is that he was of full age when he made this purchase, and that he settled at once in his new house, and that would fix the date of his birth about 1638, and make his residence in Lyme to cover nearly fifty-five years, in July 1714. His first home in Lyme was probably on Duck River, at some distance south of the present village of Lyme, and near Long Island Sound.

A highway laid out 24 March 1698-99, is described as follows: "The highway "on the Southward side of Duck riuer is as follows: First, the highway from Wolston Brockway's Landing place is four rods wide, the landing place being in length from said highway, southwest ten rods and a half to a stub" etc. This road passed the "planting field" and thence to "Black Hall river." Between Smith's Neckand the planting field it passed Thomas Champion's house, Richard Smith's yard, Edward Lay's land and William Brockway's corner. In 1675 he sold to Isaac Watterus of Lyme, a piece of land in "the planting field," bounded northerly by the lands of the said Isaac, and easterly by the Black Hall river. In this deed he was styled Planter. See Lyme deeds Vol. I, p. 66. On the 9th of February 1676-77, in a deed to Richard Smith he was styled Cooper. He sold land 29 April, 1682 to Christopher Christophers of New London, describing it as "all of my land purchased of John Reynolds, in the neck of land commonly called Black Point," twenty acres of upland and three and a half of meadow. He and wife Hannah, by deed dated 13 March 1707-08, gave their homestead to their son, Richard Brockway, with reservation during their lives, and a stipulation that he should pay £15 to his brother, John Brockway, on their death. In a deed to his youngest son, John Brockway, 5 September 1716, conveying five acres of land near Flat Rock Hill, he again styled himself Cooper.

He was frequently elected to some office in the town. As hayward, 13 Feb. I676-77; fence-viewer, 24 Sept. 1677 and 9 Dec. 1679; hayward, 29 Dec. 1684; and pound-keeper on the same date; surveyor,27 Nov. 1689 and 16 Dec. 1690; fence-viewer, Dec. 1690, 14 Dec. 1697, 15 Dec. 1698 and 15 Dec. 1701. He was elected constable 18 Dec. 1699, but refused to serve. He owned land at Tantum Morantum, near what is now Brockway's Ferry, as. early as r Feb. 1702-3, at which date he bought forty acres of land there of Rev. Moses Noyes, which was already in Brockway's possession, but. it is not known that he lived there. His car-mark for cattle, recorded at Lyme 1 June, 16-was afterward transferred to his grandson, William Brockway, Jr.

The townsmen of Lyme, '27 Aug. 1688, assessed him as "Walstone Brockway," as follows:
"3 persons, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 00 00
"house and Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02 00 00
“2 Oxen, two Cowes . . . . . . . . . . . .16 00 00
“1 : 3 yerliug 5 : 2 yerlings . . . . . . . .12 10 00
“1 Mare 2 hogs 12 sheep . . . . . . . . 13 00 00
£103 10 (x)”
The tax on this amount was £0: 8: 7 ½. See the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. XXXIV, pp. 379 to 381.

He married with HANNAH BRIGGS, widow of John Harris of Boston, Mass, with whom she married 10 September, 1657. She was born at Boston, 28 August, 1642, daughter of William and Mary Briggs. She died at Lyme, 6 February, 1687-88. He married with a second wife whose name was HANNAH, but her maiden name has not been found. He gave his land to his children during his life. Perhaps the latest deed was to his daughter, Hannah Wade, dated 16 May, 1717, giving her certain personal property, to take efiect on the death of himself and wife.

He died not long before 11 November 1717, at which date his son, Richard Brockway, was granted administration on his estate. Probably his widow died before 7 April, 1719, at which date the administrator reported that he had paid debts and charges, amounting to £ 24 : 1 : 7, and that £ 1 : 13 : 8, remained for distribution. The court ordered that the eldest son should have a double portion, 6s., each of the other seven children 3s and 3s to the children of Wolston Brockway, Jr., deceased, and 3s to the children of Mary Mott, deceased. He was probably buried in Duck River cemetery in the village of Old Lyme.

• Occupation: Cooper, 1677, Lyme, New London, Connecticut. On the 9th of February 1676-77, in a deed to Richard Smith he was styled Cooper.

Wolston married Hannah Briggs. (Hannah Briggs was born on 28 Aug 1642 in Boston, Massachusetts and died on 6 Feb 1688 in Lyme, New London, Connecticut.)