3. JOSIAH2 BROWNE (Nicholas1) was born in England, about 1635, and died at Reading, Mass., 29 January 1690/1 (Reading VRs). He married at Reading, 23 February 1666/7, MARY FELLOW (Reading VRs; Eaton, Hist. of Reading gives Fellows). A William Fellows, age 24, came on the ship "Planter" in 1635 and settled in Ipswich. He had a daughter Mary (James Savage Genealogical Dictionary of New England, II:151). There is no proof that she is the wife of Josiah Browne, but no other Mary Fellow(s) has been found.

Josiah (as Josias) joined the church at Reading on the 12th of the 3rd
month in 1670. At his father's death in 1673, Josiah inherited ten acres of
land and half of his father's farm, plus 50 acres beyond the Ipswich River,
and two acres of meadow; he was to pay his mother 20 shillings yearly upon
demand. He also received additional land from the town of Reading in 1684 and
1686 (Records of the Town of Reading, 91, 102).
He served the town as Surveyor in 1704 (ibid., 145), but little else is
known about him. His untimely death at the age of 54 occurred when his
youngest child was only two years old. His estate was settled by his eldest
brother, Capt. John Browne, Deal Benjamin Fitch and Hananiah Parker (his
brother-in-law) who were nominated a "committee to make proposals for the
settlement of the estate to the widow and children." Administration was
granted to Mary Browne, relict, and to her eldest son, John Brown, who
presented an inventory in January of 1692 (Middlesex Probate, 3120).
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