Note: information that is [bracketed] was added by the transcriber.

Seabrook July 24th 1863

John H. Philbrick

Dear Sir I have just received yours of the 23rd and am much gratified with content for I have been aware that there was a branch of my branch removed from this place to Standish and I am gratified in informing you that I am able to trace the genealogy of your grandfather Jonathan back to the first and only family of that name that immigrated from Lincolnshire England Thos and wife Elizabeth and three sons and 4 daughters arrived in Boston about the year 1630 in company with Sir Richard Saltinstall the Gov^r of the entire colony. They first settled in Salem Mass and from thence went to Watertown Mass. His sons were John James and Thos. John [1616 - 1657] removed to Hampton in1639. The second summer of the settlement of that town and the remainder of the family followed in1645. Hampton then offered high inducements to the new settlers on account of the facilities for fishing and fowling and a very large tract of salt marshes which were with the aid of burning ready for the scythe. Thomas Junr [1623 - 1700] settled in that part of Hampton now Seabrook and my younger brother Joseph now owns the farm which has descended down 6 generations and was never bought or sold. This Thos Junr had to sons - Jona [1657 - 1747] and Saml [1660 - 1694]. Samuel had a son Thomas [1688 - 1748] and Thos had three sons Abner [1708 - 1790] Jonathan [1718 - 1804] and John [1712 -1748].

Abner was my grandfather. Jonathan removed to Weare N.H. and John was your Great Grandfather and was born May 26th 1712 and died Feby 16th 1748. He married Judith Sanborn the 26th Decr 1734

Their children were

It seems that your Great G father John died at the age of 36 and his father died the same year previously. In 1748 your Gt Grandfather John owned the farm of his father Thos which was a little distance say 1/3 of a mile from the old Philbrick farm which was owned by Jona who had no children and took Abner and Jona to heir his farm and left John your Gt Grandfather John their brother the sole legatee to the farm of their father Thos. Which farm it so happens after it had passed out of the name for nearly a century I purchased and now cultivate the land where the cellar is still plenty visible where your grandfather was born. There was quite a sprinkling of the name went into Maine. I have been in correspondence with Elisha Philbrook [1802 - 1883] who was resided I think in Bath Me. He is now in Wisconsin and is a real Antiquarian. He is a teacher and has been selling or distributing maps Yankee fashion He too is of our Seabrook branch by the way of William son of Thos Junr who removed from Seabrook to Greenland and by some means either he forgot how to spell his name, or got some curious crochet into his noodle and signed his name Philbrook and hence all that branch of the family which mostly removed to Maine can now be traced by the ook which is spurious [NOTE#1].

This Elisha Philbrook is collecting materials with the intention of publishing a book of the Genealogy of the family and if you have any of the antiquarian about or [?] with your organization I shall think it an object to introduce you to him. But of that I shall soon ascertain when I propose to you that I will furnish you a genealogy from your G. Father Jona back in exchange for the Genealogy from him down. For in order that you may now readily understand me I will say to you that I am something of an antiquarian and for more than 20 years have been picking up materials and linking them together and entering them in a book which I am only doing for my own gratification and that of some individual of the family of my descendants who may follow me in after generations.

I recollect when a boy a George I think Philbrick from Standish who belonged to the Society of Friends - used to putup at my father's + who was a preacher of that society; was he your father? If so you must like me be "well stricken in years" near 72. When I commenced I did not intend to go much into the Genealogy of your branch but may as well proceed with it and com. with Thomas Junr who was it seems a man of some prominence He was a signer of the Weare's petition was a Selectman of Hampton in the years 1654, 1668, 1677, 1693 and 1694 was Representative in 1693 and was chosen deacon of the church 1669 his name is recorded on the records; Sarjeant Thos Philbrook.

His first wife was Anne Knapp who died May 17, 1667

Their children were

in 1669 the 22nd of 7th mo he m. Hannah White. Their children were William born the 27th of 4th mo 1670 2 daughters Jane and Hannah. He Thos was born in 1624 and died the 24th day of November 1700 aged 76

Saml left one son Thos who was my G Grandfather Saml died at about 35 and he is the only one of my ancestors who did not live to a good old age which seems to argue conclusively that they have been men of regular habits and had enough of common sense to take good care of their health which is a study which is lamentably neglected.

[Transcribed by Frank L. Rose]

NOTE#1 - This is an excerpt from a manuscript written by Joshua Philbrook [1801 - 1892] in 1878. "Thomas Philbrick (as some of the family spell their name, but the derivation of the name is Phil, beautiful, and brook, meaning beautiful brook, and so we spell our name Philbrook, not Philbrick) who soon after moved to Hampton." -FLR-

NOTE#2 - Jonathan Philbrook [1694 - aft 1759] came to Long Reach (Bath, ME) in 1740. All records for the area use the Philbrook spelling of the name. This may indicate the Philbrook spelling was used at the time he came to Bath or possibly before that time. (The PPFA/PPRG has aft 1743, however, I have data for him thru 1759.) -FLR-