Corrections to Johannes (John) Brouwer and Perkins Lambert

An incomplete profile of Johannes Brouwer (a.k.a. John Brower or Brouwer) and his wife Perkins Lambert is found on the Brouwer Genealogy Database (BGD) here. Newly found records forwarded to me by Sara Brower corrects data found in this profile for John and Perkins, their son Thomas, and especially their daughter Susannah.

Regarding son Thomas, placed as a son with the stipulation, possible, a baptism record for "a son" of "John & Pirkins Brouwer from New York," is found in the baptism records of the Second Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The date of baptism is recorded as June 13, 1779. The entry records the child as "son." A given name is not recorded. The identity of this son as Thomas, therefore still needs further verification. However, it is apparent that John and Perkins did have another son born after the five children whose baptisms are found in the New York Reformed Dutch Church between 1769 and 1776 (see the BGD profile for citations).


John and Perkins (Lambert) Brouwer's daughter, Susannah, baptized 11 August 1776 at the New York Reformed Dutch Church, is shown on the BGD as the Susannah Brower who married David Osborn (Osburn, Asburn) on 16 November 1800 at Poughkeepsie, New York (First Reformed Church), and with a date of death of 21 September 1873 and a burial at the New Hurley Reformed Dutch Church cemetery. This marriage, date of death and burial are incorrect.

Records of the Old Swede's Church, Philadelphia, include an entry under December 1795, which reads: "Joseph Cole, son of Andrew Cole in N. W. Jersey, and his dec'd wife Latitia, twenty five (and) Susannah Browers, dr. of the dec'd John and Perkins Browers, heret. of Philadelphia, nineteen."

Therefore, the Susanna Brouwer who married David Osborn, is not a daughter of Johannes (John) Brouwer and Perkins Lambert. In addition to Susanna's profile on the BGD, a Find-A-Grave memorial for Susannah Brower Osborn is also incorrect in placing her as a daughter of John and Perkins (Lambert) Brouwer. Although David Osborn did marry a woman named Susannah Brower (they had a daughter, Sally, baptized at Poughkeepsie, 23 August 1801, that Susannah is not a daughter of John Brouwer and Perkins Lambert. The marriage record of Joseph Cole of Salem Co., New Jersey and Susannah Browers (sic) of Philadelphia, tells us otherwise. The identity and parents of Susannah Brower, wife of David Osborn, is now unknown. She is, however, the Susannah Osborn who died 21 September 1873 and is buried in the New Hurley Reformed Church Cemetery (with her husband) and the Susannah, John and Perkins Brouwer's daughter, is not buried there. In that regard the Find-A-Grave memorial is correct and it does include a photo of David Osborn's gravestone (a repair of the stone apparently obscures his wife's name).

The marriage record also tells us that John and Perkins Brouwer, both died prior to December 1795. John did not die in 1823 as shown on the BGD. The Find-A-Grave entry for Johannes Brouwer is therefore incorrect. I'll note that the Find-A-Grave page for Johannes Brouwer cites the BGD, and you know, if you are creating a Find-A-Grave memorial you really shouldn't do that! Find-A-Grave was intended as a website were one could post memorials, backed up by actual graveyard records and photos obtained through visits, and not as a place to post genealogical summaries that were previously published elsewhere, whether online or in printed format (books or genealogical journals) without ever visiting the graveyard to see if some certain individual is in fact actually buried there. I could go on regarding this but I won't except to say that Find-A-Grave started out as a good, well intentioned idea, but it's become a site that unfortunately propagates a terrific amount of incorrect information. There is in fact a terrific amount of incorrect burial information regarding descendants of Adam Brouwer (including Adam Brouwer himself) found on Find-A-Grave. It's unfortunate, but enough said.

Sara sent me images of published transcriptions of these records. The marriage record of Joseph Cole and Susannah Brower can be found online at FamilySearch.org in "Early marriage records of Pennsylvania Churches: Old Swedes Church..." by Mildred C. Williams, p. 39, where the year is incorrectly transcribed as 1775 (which is impossible based on Susannah's baptism date). I imagine that the complete record as quoted above can also be found here, although this digitized film can only be viewed at a Family History Library location. I would gather that the 1779 baptism record for "a son" of John & Pirkins Brouwer from New York, can be found in this digitized film, again only viewable at a FHL location.

The marriage record of David Osburn (sic) and Susannah Brower in found in Kelly, Arthur C. M., Poughkeepsie Reformed Church Marriages, 1746-1824. Rhinebeck, N. Y.: Kinship, p. 25, no. 546. Parents names are not recorded. The baptism record for their daughter Sally is found in Kelly, Arthur C.M., Baptism Records - Poughkeepsie Reformed Church, 1716-1824. Rhinebeck,N.Y.: Kinship, 1998, p. 102. (Sally, b. 3.13; parents: Davis Asburn, Susannah Brower; no witnesses recorded).

Much thanks to Sara Brower.

BGD 692