DONATIONS $$$ One of the primary goals of the Philbrick & Philbrook Family Association is to provide a virtually free amount of information, both historical and genealogical to anyone with interest in the Family. A small group of us here have donated our time, energy and money to acquire and distribute this information found on our website and in the newsletter. We could always use some financial help to cover costs for web-site hosting, costs of acquiring artifacts, photocopies of documents (pension records, biographies, census records, photographs, etc.). If you would like to make a donation, please send a check payable to Robert W. Philbrook at: 829 Arroyo Vista Rd. Palm Springs, CA 92264-3421 You are welcome to request what the money is used for and if you wish. We can also mention your name as credit for helping financially with acquiring a certain item. If you wish to remain anonymous, that is fine also. If you have any questions or concerns about donating, please feel free to contact me at the address above or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]

English Origins of Thomas the Emigrant (E-mail to Philbrick-L Discussion Group on January 18, 2000, from Robert W. Philbrook) Though this topic may have come up in the past, it is probably time to review what we know, or rather don't know, about Thomas the Emigrant's English heritage. In 1933 Mary Philbrook (1872-1958), wrote an article called "Ancestry Chasing in England" which was published in the Daughters American Revolution Magazine Vol. 67, No. 4. She had distinguished herself by becoming the first New Jersey woman lawyer to gain admittance to the Bar in 1895. Mary went to England in 1931 and visited Norwich, Framlingham, Thetford, Huntingdon, Bures and other locations. Mary came to the conclusion that the names she found on the Register of St. Mary's in Bures, Suffolk county most closely matched the names found in New England in the 1630's & 1640's. Among the names are "ffilbrick" and "ffilbrigge" and "Knopp" who many believe are the same Knapps found on the passenger list for the ship "Arbella" which was part of John Winthrop's fleet in 1630. Also, among the baptisms at St. Mary's is the names John, James and Thomas (in order of baptisms) that match birth order of Thomas the Emigrant's sons. Because of this, many conclude that Thomas the Emigrant's origins are from Bures. This may well be, put can not be 100% proven. A "Thomas, son of Thomas Filbrigg" was baptised on 13 September 1584, according to St. Mary's register. This is assumed to be Thomas the Emigrant's father, if indeed T.t.E. came from Bures. The earlier generational entries in the Baptisms from the registers of St. Mary's, Bures lists: 1555 Robert Fylbrigg, 23 April 1561 Margaret, daughter of Robert Fylbrigg, 24 August 1562 Jeffery, son of Nicholas Fylbrigg, 25 October 1563/4 Edward, son of Robert Fylbrigg, 19 March 1564/5 Thomas, son of William Fylbrigg, 19 February 1566 Anne, daughter of Robert Fyllbrigg, 5 May 1572 Tobias Fylbrigg, 20 April 1575 Humfrie Filbrigg, 20 November Of these, Nycholas ffylbrigge burial was listed as 21 February 1563/4; Edward ffylbrige, 15 June 1567; Robert ffylbrigge, 8 June 1571; and William ffylbrigge, 2 July 1579. The only positive connection Mary finds between England and "New England" is the will of a Robert Filbrigg who mentions a brother in Virginia and also an estate of a "Robert Filbrick" who died in New England. Again, it would appear that Thomas the Emigrant came from Bures, but Mary notes that she also found "Thomas Filbrigg" of Huntingdon but felt she could not "fit" this "Thomas" to our New England ancestor. So did T.t.E. come from Bures? Possibly but we must do more research to prove or disprove this circumstantial conclusion. If we quote a source as providing a "fact" we must look at where that source retrieved their information. Is it valid? Is it conjecture? Is it only based on related circumstances? Hopefully we will someday have a positive answer to our most vital question: "Who were Thomas the Emigrant's parents and where did he come from?" Robert Philbrook Director Philbrick & Philbrook Family Association