1666 At a town meeting of Dorchester, "The same day it was motioned by Thomas Dauenport Sen whether he might haue liberty to reccaue (as Tenant into his house in Dorchester) Daniell Holbrooke Who lately came from Melton. It was voted in the Negatiue." [1]
A biosketch [2] reports:
Daniel Holbrook, son of Richard and Agnes Holbrook was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts circa 1645. He first setled in Milton, Massachusetts. After remaining there a short time he returned to his birthplace where he was living on October 10, 1666. Before February 3, 1667 he removed to Dedham, Massachusetts, for on the above date the Selectman of Dedham gave him a permit to keep sheep. On September 18, 1667 and on October 20 of the same year, he made payments toward the Dedham Schoolmaster's salary. In 1668 he settled in the nearby town of Roxbury, Massachusetts where his brother John was well established. Here he became a member of the First Religious Society (Unitarian).
Due probably to his early death, the following is the only land record found. "I, James Draper of Roxbury and I, Daniel Holbrook and Mariam, my wife, both of Roxbury, County of Suffolk, New England, for fifty pounds pd. by Joseph Dudley of Roxbury." "Eleven acres, one dwelling house in Roxbury - bounded by land of the heirs of Mr. Allin of Dedham, on west, south, by other lands of James Draper, highway east, and woodlands of Scarbrough, Bugby, Prentice etc. north."
Signed 5 Nov. 1672
James Draper (signature)
Daniel Holbrook (signature)
Mariam Holbrook (signature)James Draper acknowledged this deed July 15, 1674. Mariam Holbrook signed and delivered deed November 29, 1672.
After residing in Roxbury about five years he met an untimely death in this peculiar way. Having a sharp knife in his pocket, he fell while climbing a stone wall and from the knife sustained a wound from which he died almost immediately.
The inventory of Daniel Holbrook's estate was taken September 1, 1673. His widow was first granted Administration which she renounced in favor of John Holbrook, his brother, and Thomas Harris.
Died in Roxbury, Massachusetts, July 21, 1673 and he was buried there in July on the twenty-third day of the same year.
Married Mariam Draper.
1673 On 28 October, the Suffolk County Court recorded "Court Order abt Holdbrookes Estate In Answer to the petition of Miriam Holdbrooke Widow The Court Orders that the sd Widow haue the bed Shee lyeth on & the Furniture belonging to it & Forty Shillings out of the Estate of her late husband Daniell Holdbrooke deceased in movables & that Deacon Parcke & mr Thomas Weld bee a Committee to set out the rest of that Estate to the Creditors according [ 182 ] to proporcion between this & the next Court of this County & then to make a return of what they doe therein." [3]
[1] William H. Whitmore and William S. Appleton, eds., Dorchester Town Records, 3rd ed. (Boston, Rockwell and Churchill, 1896), 76, right column, [HathiTrust].
[2] A. Roberts Lord, Holbrook and Allied Families (New York: Thesis publishing Co, 1942), 12-13, [HathiTrust].
[3] "Records of the Suffolk County Court, 1671-1680," Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Vol. 29 Collections (1933), 345, [HathiTrust].