Abstracts of Hunterdon County Probate Records (Continued)

For links to online probate records available at FamilySearch.org for Hunterdon County, New Jersey, please see the posts of May 6, 2020, and April 29, 2020. The information gathered below from the examination of the various probate records can be used to update and/or clarify info found on the Brouwer Genealogy Database (BGD).

8. Elizabeth A. Brewer. Petition for Administration 2:334, as found in the General Index, however this record is not found in the volume, nor is it listed in the volume's index. It is found in Petitions for Probate 2:334 and is listed in the index in that volume. Petition of Charles Hamm of Franklin, Hunterdon County, estate of Elizabeth A. Brewer, late of the Township of Union, Hunterdon County, who departed this life intestate, 20th January 1885. Next of kin and heirs at law: Charles Brewer (son, of Pittstown, NJ), Martha Baker (daughter), Mrs. Wm. Bellis (daughter), Mary Ann Stout (daughter of Philipsburg). Dated 7 February 1885. Letters of Administration 7:69. 7 February 1885. Granted to Charles Hamm of Hunterdon County. Administrators Bond 4:321. 7 February 1885. Bond of Charles Hamm. Minutes of the Orphans Court 16:781. April 1885 term (4 May 1885). Order to sell real estate to pay debts. MOC 17:99. Report of the sale made by Charles Hamm. House and lot in the Township of Alexandria, sold to Peter M. Taylor, the highest bidder. Dated 14 December 1885. Accounts 6:464. Among those who purchased from the estate is Mary A. Bellis. [Elizabeth Brewer can be found on the 1880 U.S. census at Alexandria, Hunterdon Co., New Jersey, age 64. In the household are her husband, David Brewer, age 70, and son Charles Brewer, age 22. Elizabeth's family name has not been discovered. The ancestry of her husband, David Brewer, has not been learned. Limited info on the family is found on the BGD. I would gather that her husband died prior to 1885, although his name is not found in the General Index to Probate Records.]

9. Cornelius Brewer. Petition for Administration 1:86, by Washington L. Brewer of Kingwood, Hunterdon County, on the estate of Cornelius Brewer of Kingwood, 19 October 1889. Heirs and next of kin named as Mary Brewer (mother, of Baptistown, NJ), Washington G. Brewer (brother, of Baptistown, NJ), John W. Brewer (brother, of Flemington, NJ). Letters of Administration 7:215. Granted to Washington L.(T?) Brewer. [Find-A-Grave memorial for Cornelius L. Brewer (1841-11 Oct 1889). The memorial includes an image of his death notice, which does not mention relations, but describes the unfortunate way in which he died. He is found on the BGD here, apparently a son of Thomas Brewer whose ancestry has not been discovered.]

10. Leonard Brewer. Petition for Administration 1:12, filed by Elizabeth A. Brewer of Raritan, 4 June 1888, asks for LOA to be granted to Henry R. Brewer, David W. Ewing and Wm. E. Trewin. Leonard Brewer died in the Township of Raritan, 17 May 1888. Heirs and next of kin: Elizabeth A. Brewer (widow, of Flemington), Margaret C. Brewer (daughter of Flemington), Eliza B. Ewing (daughter of Grandin), Alice Trewin (daughter of Flemington). Letters of Administration 7:172. Granted 4 June 1888, on the estate of Leonard Brewer of Hunterdon County, to Henry R. Brewer, David W. Ewing and William E. Trewin, of Hunterdon County. Administrator's Bonds 4:534. $2800 by the above administrators with Jonathan Higgins and Granville Classon. Accounts 8:35. [Leonard Brewer is a son of William Brewer (no. 6 on the May 6th post) and Elizabeth Young. He is found here on the BGD. Information in the probate records provide a date of death and a husband for daughter Eliza, both previously unknown. Daughter Margaret was married to Henry R. Brewer, one of the administrators, and a son of Israel P. Brewer (no. 3 on the May 6th post).]

11. William Brewer. Petition for Probate 1:51. Petition of Elisha W. Brewer and William W. Brewer. Heirs listed as Gertrude B. Brewer (widow, of Ringoes, NJ), Elisha W. Brewer (child, of Ringoes), William W. Brewer (child, of Ringoes). [Ringoes is an unincorporated community within East Amwell Township]. Wills 15:398. William Brewer of the Township of East Amwell. All debts and funeral expenses to be paid. Executors to erect a suitable headstone. To beloved wife Gertrude Brewer all household goods and furniture. To son William W. Brewer, $350. Should either of my sons, William W. Brewer or Elisha W. Brewer hold and notes or book accounts against me at my decease they shall be paid out of the estate before final settlement. My sons shall have my farm, "and I prefer that they should agree on the price for the same without selling at a public vendue." Instructions to executors should it be sold. Executors to sell all personal property. Residue to be invested with interest to be paid to wife Gertrude V. Brewer. Upon her death, residue to be divided equally between my two sons, Elisha W. Brewer and William W. Brewer, who are also appointed executors. Dated 1 November 1888. Witnesses: P. C. Young, Oliver I. Blackwell. Proved 11 March 1889. Minutes of the Orphans Court 18:89 (Just two lines about the middle of the page). Accounts 8:348 (a line item under the date of April 2, 1889 reads, "Est of Jeremiah Brewer" and a second line item reads "Jeremiah Brewer Est note & int". Also, mentions of notes involving W. H. and Wm. H. Brewer). [William Brewer is on the BGD, he is a son of William Brewer and Elizabeth Young, and brother of Leonard Brewer (no. 10 above)].

12. Jeremia Brewer. Letters of Administration 7:174. 17 July 1888, Administration on the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of Jermina Brewer, late of Hunterdon County, who died intestate, granted to William Brewer and Peter Brewer, of the County of Hunterdon. [I may have missed this individual when browsing through the General Index, but noticed an entry in the index for volume 7 of Letters of Administration. The rendering of this individual's name in the U. S. census records has caused some confusion as to his or her gender. On the BGD I have "her" as Jemima, a daughter of William Brewer and Elizabeth Young. The 1850 U.S. census at Delaware, NJ has "her" as Jemima, age 28, female (line 21). The 1860 census, at Delaware, NJ, has "him" as Jeremiah, age 40, male (line 35). The 1870 census at Delaware, NJ, has "him" as Jermina, age 48, male (line 3). I have not found him/her on the 1880 U. S. census. A Find-A-Grave memorial for "Jemima Y. Brewer," describes her as female and the photo of the gravestone shows the name as Jemima Y. Brewer. However, the gender is apparently based on the 1850 census record, which is included on the memorial page. Date of death is given as 10 March 1888, age 67, although this cannot be clearly seen on the photograph of the gravestone. The accounts of the estate of William Brewer (no. 11 above) include the estate of "Jeremiah Brewer," which could reasonably be that of a son, although it does not directly state this. Despite the fact that the gravestone is engraved, "Jemima," I am inclined to believe that this individual was a son of William Brewer and Eliza Young, and not a daughter. He apparently did not marry or leave known heirs.]

To be continued

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