Editor's Note: We are so pleased with the addition of several new members last month. The Association is growing and we hope that our newsletter is of benefit to all our Cousins, from those who are new to the Family History to others who have been genealogists and researchers for years. We need your feed back! Let us know what you like, don't like and what you want to see in upcoming issues.

The Philbrick & Philbrook Family Association Newsletter June 1999 Volume #1, Issue #3 Robert Philbrook, Editor 829 Arroyo Vista Rd. Palm Springs, CA 92264 Director: Robert Philbrook Historian: Michael Philbrook Internet Communications Coordinator: Jack Ralph Webmaster: John Philbrook

PPFA NEWSLETTER, JUNE 1999, PAGE 2 Eliphalet Philbrook Update In March of 1999 the Philbrick & Philbrook Family Association received color copies of two historical documents relating to "Eliphalet Fillbrook" and "Eliphalet Philbrook", the first dated Sept. 8, 1751 and the latter dated Aug. 25, 1775. We received these from Eric Bleicken of South Yarmouth, Mass. Our research has revealed the following: The two documents are of separate Philbrooks. The first one (1751) is for Eliphalet Philbrook, born about 1707 and died August 1766. The other is of his son, Eliphalet Philbrook (Jr.) born about 1751 and who's death date is unknown. Eliphalet Philbrook (Sr.) was probably born in New Hampshire about 1707. (His father and at least one brother (Benjamin) is listed as being born in Greenland, N.H.) He is the second son of Elias Philbrook who is the great-grandson of Thomas Philbrick our ancestral emigrant. (ELIPHALET5 PHILBROOK, ELIAS4, JOHN3, JOHN2 PHILBRICK, THOMAS1) In 1733 his occupation is a "Shoemaker in Rowley, Massachusetts," according to Jacob Chapman's "Philbrick & Philbrook Families" (1886). He married Alice Serle who was born abt. 1710 and died May 23, 1771. Eliphalet (Sr.) died August, 1766. Both are buried at Rhode Island Historical Cemetery #20, Cumberland, Rhode Island. The P.P.F.A. has photographs of both stones. Eliphalet Sr.'s Gravestone in Cumberland, Rhode Island (Click on photo for large version) Rhode Island State Archives provided the following: Philbrook, Eliphalet, Cornet in Providence County Troop of Horse, Captain John Hoyle commanding, May,1751; Lieutenant in same, Captain William Dean commanding, May, 1752 - May 1753; Lieutenant in same, Captain John Hoyle commanding, May, 1754 (Civil & Military Lists of Rhode Island, 1647 - 1850, vol. 1, Rhode Island State Archives).

This information corresponds with the historical document. Eliphalet (Sr.) & his wife Alice are known to have had two children, Elias and Eliphalet (Jr.). Elias Philbrook's birthdate is unknown but is before 1766 and probably in the 1750's and died March 6, 1778. He was married to Elizabeth Cole who was born in 1751 and died Sept. 27, 1829. Apparently they had no children. Elias Philbrook is listed in the 1777 Military Census, Cumberland, R.I. as a soldier. Eliphalet Philbrook (Jr.) was born about 1751 and his death date is unknown. Henry Ward, Secretary to the General Assembly of Rhode Island, wrote the document dated Aug. 25, 1775. Ward & the General Assembly were supporters of the colonial forces fighting the British in 1775. At the time, the hostilities in Boston were viewed as fight against the outrageous policies of the English Parliament and therefore the British troops, and not necessarily against King George himself. This may account for the wording in the document that speaks of defending "His Majesty's Plantation." The document is written after Lexington & Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill. Militia and Minute Men units from Rhode Island were still stationed in and around Boston, so it was necessary to raise more units to support colonial forces there and to protect Rhode Island itself. Recommended reading for this period of history is "Red Dawn at Lexington" by Louis Birnbaum. The Rhode Island State Archives provided the following information: Philbrook, Eliphalet, about 26 years, 5' 9"; light eyes & dark hair; a laborer, belongs to the town of Scituate; deserted from Captain Coggeshall Olney's Company, Angell's Regiment; desertion advertised by Captain Thomas Hughes in Providence Gazette, September 13, 1777, Vol. XIV (Rhode Island Historical Society Library Collection, vol. v) Note: No record of Eliphalet appearing on 1777 Rhode Island Military Census (or providing a loyalty oath). There is no record of Eliphalet ever serving with the unit mentioned in the document. We don't know what happened to Eliphalet Jr. from here. There are no other records of him in Rhode Island records that we have had searched, nor does he appear on any census records in R.I. NEW MEMBERS We want to welcome our new members who joined us in May: Leslie Beede-Quist of Yakima, WA Donald Freeman of Lancaster, PA James E. Johnson of St. Petersburg, FL David Philbrick of Surrey, British Columbia David P. Philbrick of Dover, NH Susan Philbrick-Elam of Powhatan, VA Mel Philbrook of Banks, OR