The Brookfield Heritage Project

CONNECTING
our Past with Today for the betterment of our Future
Patricia White

Discovering the roots of your family can be, as it was for me, a very fulfilling and rewarding experience, in fact, a life changing experience. After 1686, to the area of Brookfield, came a few brave men, most with wives and children in tow to carve a place in the wilderness, a place to call home. Their hopes were high for the future amidst this beautiful valley of golden meadows and panoramic views, but, as we know, the history of the settlement of Brookfield is filled with stories of tragedy.

What we have come to know as a family (and much to our surprise), is that among the settlers of this 2nd and permanent settlement of Brookfield were ancestors of the White family who also proved to be 4th generation descendents of the Mayflower. You can only imagine my mother’s surprise (and excitement) to learn of her family’s lineage in her own Brookfield, not to mention the Mayflower! My mother, Doris, grew up on Lake Road and later lived on Rice Corner Road (today they bask in the Florida sun!). She often speaks fondly of her long walks to school and the roller-rink at Quaboag. My Grandparents, Ruth and Joe continued to live here throughout their lives and now rest at the Brookfield Cemetery. As a child I lived in Worcester but, to me, my home was Brookfield. Even as a young child spending summers and weekends with my grandparents, I had a sense of something special here. Each summer I would drive with my Grandfather on his local excursions along the long and winding roads of Brookfield never really knowing where we were, but always ending at a familiar spot like Jeppson’s Farm, the Brookfield Orchard, ice cream at Richardson’s, or the Trolley Stop for lunch, all the while unsuspectingly traveling the trodden paths of those who had come before. How proud I think they would be, to now know of our family connection to their beloved Brookfield.

Upon the discovery of our family lineage here in Brookfield we set out to find where these ancestors would have lived, how they lived, when they died and even, where they were buried. As with most genealogical treks, often we are left with more questions than answers. We have learned much, but we continue to try to solve the unsolved, to connect those individuals whose interest was a successful settlement at Brookfield, with those of us here today. Over the past 5 years, I have come to know and visit with other descendents of Brookfield’s permanent settlers like the Bannister’s from Kansas, the Goss’ family from California, Nick Hollis of the Jennings’ family from Washington, D.C., the Olds family from North Carolina, the Hornby’s from Scotland, a member of the Haywood family from New Zealand, and members of the Bartlett family, all of whom share the genealogical connection to the permanent settlement of Brookfield and, many of whom pay Brookfield a yearly summer visit. Many bring their children and grandchildren to witness first hand the excitement of visiting their ancestral land. We have come to learn from these families that a Jennings’ descendent served the Senate for many years in Washington, D.C., that the Olds family included Ransom Olds who started the Oldsmobile Co., that the Reverend Nathan Fiske was educated along with patriot John Hancock, married Hancock’s cousin Sarah Hill, and whose grandson saw the beginnings of the American Antiquarian Society along with Isaiah Thomas. The Grosvenor family was among the original purchasers of Woodstock and Putnam, CT., from the Mohegan sachem Uncas to his son, Oneco, and, a descendent of the Wheeler family was chaplain to General George Washington. We even have a descendent of Major Willard’s family living right here in Town.

I have come to realize that pride, interest and appreciation for our town of Brookfield extends far beyond those of us who continue here, and that the “people” of Brookfield are not limited to those of us who reside within our town borders, but rather, they span the country and in fact the world. It has become clear that we have many to remember, beginning with those individuals who first saw the importance of a settlement here and who, along with their families, are interred at the Brookfield Cemetery, many in unmarked graves. It is also evident we have much to celebrate with the contributions and accomplishments of the descendents of our Brookfield families during the formation of our country.

We wish to extend an invitation of participation to ALL for the purpose of celebration, preservation and the continuation of a spirit, which began over three hundred years ago at this small rural outpost by our colonial forefathers. It is our vision that the Brookfield Heritage Project is a people’s project. That we here today, through collaborated contribution, might connect to the paths of those who have come before us in order that we might preserve this heritage for our future generations. Please join us as we formulate this project. Your e-mails may be sent to whiteslandng@aol.com or you may leave your message @ 508-867-5561

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