Abstracts of Hunterdon County Probate Records (Concluded)

This is the final installment of Abstracts of Hunterdon County Probate records which began with the post of April 29, 2020, and continued with May 6, 2020, May 8, 2020, and May 10, 2020.

The remaining records of BREWERs found in the General Index for Hunterdon County Probate are from the early 20th century. Many of them have not been made available on the FamilySearch.org website. Perhaps in future years they'll show up, but for now we are limited and we will make due as best we can by simply abstracting those records that are available. A look at the main page for the available Hunterdon County Probate Records shows that most titles available end in the late 1800s or very early 1900s. Wills, which end with 1919, runs the longest. And so...

20. Arabella P. Brewer. Petitions for Probate 9:258. Wills 31:596. [The index tells us that these records are from 1925 and so are unavailable to view. A search of the New Jersey records on FamilySearch.org came up empty. Nothing for any Arabella Brewer is found. However, we do find a Belle S. Brewer on the 1920 U.S. census at Flemington, age 58, widowed, mother-in-law in the household of Andrew T. La Tourette, wife Inez, whom I believe would be this individual on the BGD, daughter of Charles W. and Belle Brewer. Picking up on this, we find that Chas. W. Brewer married Bella P. Scott at Flemington, 6 Junne 1884. Further research finds that Charles W. Brewer is a son of Richard Brewer and Miriam Lundy. (See nos. 23 and 24 below).]

21. Estella S. Brewer. Petitions for Administration 4:361 (not available). Letters of Administration 8:413. Dated 13 July 1912. Administration on the estate of Estella S. Brewer of Hunterdon County who died intestate granted to William M. Brewer of Hunterdon County. Administrators Bonds 8:520 (not available). [William M. Brewer and Estella S. Brewer, husband and wife, are found on the 1910 U.S. census at Frenchtown, Hunterdon County. Estella is age 50, born in New York. William is age 60, born in New York. They have been married for 29 years and have one child who is living. Also in the household are Asal A. Willcox, brother-in-law (to William who is the head of household), age 80, born in Massachusetts and Huldah Willcox, sister (to William, so wife of Asal Willcox), age 80, born in New York, married for 35 years, no children.]

22. Elizabeth Ann Brewer. Petitions for Probate 8:290. Letters of Administration 29:557. Inventory of Executor 30:550. Account 18:21. Releases and Refunding Bonds 39:10-11. [None of the records are available online. The Index gives the date as 1922. Therefore I would gather that Elizabeth Ann is the Elizabeth A. (___) who married Leonard Brewer (no. 10 on the May 8th post). A Find-A-Grave memorial tells us that she was Elizabeth A. Burdge, and died 17 March 1922, buried with her husband at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Flemington.]

23. Phoebe Ann Brewer. Petitions for Probate 5:392 (not available, but see Wills 25:52). Wills 25:50. (You will have to use the "tools" to flip the image. This is a typed copy). Phebe A. Brewer of the Township of Franklin, being of sound mind and memory. Executor to pay just debts and funeral expenses. To the directors of Locust Grove Cemetery, $100, placed in trust, the interest to be used to keep up my plot as a part of plot no. 44. To my sister Amy Goodfellow, my sewing machine. to my sister Eliza J. Long my watch and chain. To my above named sisters my wearing apparel, including a napkin ring marked W.R.B. If enough remains from my estate my executors are to erect a suitable granite monument on my plot with markers to my grave also to my Father and Mother... Appoints Clifford E. Snyder as executor. Dated 4 May 1912. Witnesses William Taylor, William Harvey Stout. Proved 15 October 1913. Clifford E. Snyder states that Phebe Ann Brewer died 20 September 1913. Inventory of Executor 28:85 (not available). Accounts 16:183 (not available). [Locust Grove Cemetery is in Quakertown, Hunterdon County. There are a handful of Brewer memorials for this cemetery on Find-A-Grave, but not one for Phebe. Cornelius L. Brewer (no. 9 on the May 8th post) as well as his brothers, John W. Brewer and W. T. (I assume this is Washington T.) Brewer are there (no real info on the page for W. T.). Also in the cemetery are Benjamin Brewer (1805-1875), and his wife Euphema Pownell, and their son, William W. Brewer, his wife, and son Howard Brewer. I am not finding a Phebe Ann Brewer on the 1910 U.S. census in Hunterdon County, however, I do find an Annie Brewer, at Franklin, age 68, single, border in the household of Burris Snyder. The household includes Burris' son, Clifford E. Snyder (the executor of Phebe's will) and William Taylor (one of the witnesses). Annie Brewer's occupation is "servant." In 1900 she is also enumerated as Annie Brewer, and is in Burris Snyder's household, a servant. Her birth date given as August 1843 in New Jersey. "Pheba" A. Brewer, age 6, is found on the 1850 census at Raritan, Hunterdon County, in the household of Richard and Miriam Brewer, of who an incomplete profile is found on the BGD. In just the past couple of years (since the time the BGD was last updated) a direct male descendant of this Richard Brewer has joined the Brewer DNA Project. His Y-DNA test results show that he, and therefore his direct male ancestor, Richard Brewer, are descendants of Jan Brouwer of Flatlands, L. I. Also since the last time the BGD was updated, I (and others) have done a bit more research on this family. If you have a subscription, you can find it on Ancestry.com here. Richard Brewer's parents are said to have been William Brewer and Anna King, who need further research, and the Brewer ancestry back to Jan Brouwer has not yet been found. Richard's daughter (Phebe Ann's sister) listed on the 1850 census as Anna W., is actually the sister Amy mentioned in Phebe's will. Amy married Samuel L. Goodfellow. The sister Eliza mentioned, was born in 1856 and married John Long. Any help from readers in completing this line back to Jan Brouwer would be greatly appreciated.]

24. Sarah Jane Brewer. Petitions for Probate 7:81(not available, but see Wills 27:220). Wills 27:219. Dated Yardley, Pa, May 29th, 1918. Sarah Jane Brewer, being of sound mind. All funeral expenses and other expensess to be paid first. To Locust Grove Cemetery at Quakertown, New Jersey, $50 for the perpetual care of my lot (sic). A headstone to be (e)rected (e)qually as nice as the one erected to my husband which is already there. All furniture at 939 Levere Ave., Trenton, N. J. belonging to me I bequeath to Alvin S. Brewer, my nephew, and all else at 939 Levere Ave. I bequeath Emma J. Brewer. My centre (sic) table at Hutchinson Road, N. J. to go to Orville W. Brewer who has it now in his possession. To Jennie Price, my niece at Hopewell, N. J., $25. My clothing to my sister Ellen Dilley, White House Station. All other goods to be divided between Ellen Dilley and Emma J. Brewer. Appoints Willard J. Parker of Flemington, N. J. as executor. Witnessed by W. P. Roberts and I. C. Wharton. Proved 12 June 1918 by Warner P. Roberts and Ivens C. Wharton. Testament of Willard J. Parker states that Sarah Jane Brewer died on 1 June 1918. Accounts 17:14 (not available). [Yardley is a borough in Bucks Co., Pennsylvania that borders the Delaware River and Ewing, Mercer Co., New Jersey. You will not find Sarah Jane Brewer, or the family members mentioned on the BGD. However, Sarah Jane Brewer has helped tie together some of those mentioned above. Sarah Jane Van Houten married Wesley R. Brewer at Flemington on 14 December 1878. Wesley R. Brewer is a son of Richard Brewer, the father of Phebe Ann, no. 23, above. Both Alvin S. Brewer and Orville W. Brewer, mentioned in the will, is a son of Willis L. Brewer and Emma J. Sigafoos. Willis L. Brewer is another son of Richard Brewer. Emma J. Sigafoos would be the Emma J. Brewer mentioned in Sarah Jane's will.]

25. William R. Brewer. Petitions for Probate 11:27 (not available). Wills 34:480 (? could be page 400, but not available online). [The date given in the Index for these records is 1928. William R. Brewer is buried in Union Cemetery, Grandin, Hunterdon County. His wife was Ella A. Housel who died in 1911. They were married about 1885 (1900 U.S. census at Alexandria, Hunterdon Co.). In 1910 they are found in Clinton, Hunterdon County, the census records that they did not have any children. In 1920, William R. Brewer, widower, is in Clinton. He was the son of Susan Brewer, who was born about 1841 in New Jersey, a daughter of David Brewer and his wife Elizabeth A., who is no. 8 on the post of May 8th. David Brewer was born about 1809/10 and is found in 1850 at Alexandria, Hunterdon County with wife, Eliza, and six children including Susan, age 9. On 10 January 1871, at Kingwood, Susan Brewer, daughter of David and Eliza Brewer, married William Bellis who was about 20 years her senior. In 1870, at Union, Hunterdon County, Susan Brewer, age 27, with William R. Brewer, age 7, is found in the household of the senior William Bellis, age 80, which also includes the younger William Bellis, age 48, and Henry Bellis, age 37, the later two being laborers. Susan is recorded as "House keeper." Susan and William Bellis had a son, John Bellis, born about 1877. It appears that William R. Brewer was born out of wedlock to Susan Brewer and was given his mother's surname. Susan was widowed by 1910 and was living in 1920 in the household of her son, John Bellis, in Union, Hunterdon County. We'll have to try and look for a probate record for both Susan and her husband, William Bellis. Here is the incomplete profile of William R. Brewer on the BGD.]

The above probate records from the early 1900s have helped tie up some lose ends that are found on the BGD. But there is much more work to be done in Hunterdon County. There are a number of different Brewer families (the surname, spelled as Brower, is completely absent although I do find Brewer individuals sometimes recorded with the name spelled as Bruer). It is not clear, how, or even if, these various Brewer families are related to one another.

BGB 687