Sunset at Gowanus Bay

Sunset at Gowanus Bay
Sunset at Gowanus Bay, Henry Gritten, 1851

Thursday, December 29, 2011

The Will of Jeremiah Brower (Jeury Brouwer, 1728-1776)

Digital images of the will of Jeremiah Brower, better known as Jeury Brouwer, can be accessed online at this location.
Jeury Brouwer was born in 1728, the son of Jeury Brouwer and Elizabeth Hilton, and the grandson of Abraham Brouwer and Cornelia Caljer, and of William Hilton and Anna Brouwer. His paternal grandfather, Abraham Brouwer, and his maternal grandmother, Anna Brouwer, were siblings, both children of Adam Brouwer and Magdalena Verdon.
Jeury was first married to Jane Elsworth (15 Feb 1750, NY Reformed Dutch Church), the daughter of Theophilus Elsworth and Joanna Hardenbroek. They had three children, Jeremiah, Theophilus and Jane. His second marriage was to Elizabeth Van de Water (Banns 24 Sep 1757, NY RDC) daughter of Hendrick Van de Water and Annatje Skillman. They had ten children, five of whom lived into adulthood, William, Hendrick (Henry), Johannes (John), Elizabeth and Abraham. All of the above mentioned children are named in the will, as is his wife Elizabeth.
Jeury Brouwer, or Jeremiah Brower as he is styled in the will, was a merchant of New York City. At the time he wrote his will (8 April 1776) he was living at New Barbadoes in Bergen County, (then) East Jersey. He was relatively wealthy for his time and mentions a silver tankard, plate, and furniture in his will. Apparently, he had an interest or was involved in shipping. His eldest son, Jeremiah Brower, died in Charleston, South Carolina, having married Susannah Miller of that place. No doubt he was introduced to Charleston as a result of his father's shipping and trading interests.
Additional info regarding Jeury Brouwer/Jeremiah Brower can be found at the Brouwer Genealogy Database website.

BGB 65

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