James Brown, Esq. (attorney-at-law) one of the above Patentees was an early inhabitant of Nprvvalk, for among " the estates of Commonage of that place presented and accepted by the town, January 3, 16S7, occurs the name of ' James Brown, ^50. s.oo. d.oo.'1' The origin of mis family is a little uncertain j they were probably, however, a branch of the Brown's of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, a house of ' no little repute.' Their monuments still speak of their fame ; the Church of All Saints, standing on the north side of the Red Line Square, in the old English town, was the gift of John Brown, who was an alderman of the city in 1462, and in the Church of St. Mary's can now be seen brass figures of Wm. Brown and his wife. A hospital, also, founded in the reign of the third Richard, is still a monument here to the humanity of this Wm. Brown."" In 1708, as we have already seen, James Brown was one of the first proprietors of RidgeAe^'* and in 1729. had one hundred acres of land set off to him on the west side of the Oblong, on or near the Parsonage Lands. He must have died in February, 1769, leaving by his wife Joanna two sons and five daughters. The will of James Brown bears date 31st of July, 1766.

a Rook of Patents, Albany, p. 451 to 457, b E. Hall's. Norwalk, 105O-1S00, p. 84.

c Huntington's hist, of Stamford, pp. 910. Among the early sptrlCTS of New England, was James the son of Joseph Brown, who came from South Hampton. Eng., and was cut- of the first settlers ol Newberry.-- Farvn > - /;• The will of James Rrown ol Colchester bears