Abstracts of Land Records found in Hunterdon County, New Jersey involving persons named BREWER. Links provided to digital images of filmed records at FamilySearch.org, "Deeds, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, 1785-1911."
As a reminder, the Grantee Index for those whose surname begins with the letter B begins here with image 130 of FHL film #008210909. The index is arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the grantees' given name. For the Grantors Index, the B's begin with image 228 of FHL film #007901977. Also see BGB post 680, "More Hunterdon County, New Jersey Land Records at Family Search," published April 19, 2020. The deeds found in these books are all post-colonial period deeds, in other words, those recorded after the formation of the United States and the State of New Jersey. However, many will involve individuals who were born and lived during the later colonial period. There may be some genealogical clues within the deed records.
Vol. 174, p. 388. Dated 12 March 1878. Aaron H. Brewer and Margaret his wife of the Township of Franklin, to the Trustees of the M. E. Church at Quakertown in the Township of Franklin, for $114 and contingent that it be used under terms of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a partial of land in Franklin Twp. The parcel bounds that of Aaron Brewer and that of Theodore Holcombe. Contains thirty-eight hundreths (38/100) of an acre.
Vol. 180, p. 203. Dated 28 October 1878. Indenture between Wesley Billis, Sheriff of the County of Hunterdon (of the first part) and Charles W. Hauson, Executor of Joseph S. Hardenbrook, deceased, of the County of Hunterdon (of the second part). Upon a certain decree obtained in the Court of Chancery of New Jersey issued to the said Wesley Billis...whereas on 11 April 1878 a certain decree made in the Court of Chancery before our chancellor at Trenton in a certain cause therein depending wherein Elener Smith is Complainant and William S. Harden and Ella W. Harden hsi wife Nathan Stout Aaron H. Brewer Willis L. Brewer Wesley R. Brewer and James J. Fisher and John Fisher Executors of the last will and testament of (blank) Fisher deceased are defendants it was ordered adjudged and decreed thats certain mortgaged premises with appurtenances in the bill of complaint...lying and being in the Township of West Amwell...bounded and described as follows (see original at p. 204). [There are four pieces of property described. Later in the indenture (bottom of p. 206) it is recorded that James J. Fisher and John Fisher are executors of the will of William J. Fisher, deceased.]
Vol. 180, p. 211. Dated 28 October 1878. [This indenture is in conjunction with the above which began at page 203. Again, among the defendants listed here (p. 212) are Aaron H. Brewer, Willis L. Brewer, and Wesley R. Brewer. The will mentioned is that of Joseph S. Hardenbrook, and the other defendants are William S. Harden and Ella M. Harden his wife.
The above two indentures prompts us to look for the will of Joseph S. Hardenbrook. It is found in Hunterdon County Wills Book 13, p. 84. Joseph S. Hardenbrook is of the Township of West Amwell. He does not mention a wife, children, or any direct descendants. He leaves legacies to his sisters Margaret Race, Rachel Harden and Sarah Ann Van Dyke. He leaves his bed, bedding and "bed room," among other items, to Joseph S. Hauson, the grandson of my sister Margaret Race. He leaves to Samuel Hoagland, "a certain book account I have against him." To John S. Harden, twenty-five dollars, and to John Hartpace(?), a note held against him of fifty dollars." Property left to sister Rachel Harden, should, upon her decease, be left to John Harden and Mary Hoagland, her children. He appoints as executor, Charles W. Hauson, the husband of Jane Hauson, my niece. Witnesses are Charles Hauson, Willis L. Brewer and Caleb F. Fisher. The will is not dated, but Caleb Fisher's testimony as witness (dated 12 October 1877), states that it was made "on or about the first(?) day of April 1877."
Vol. 54, p. 390. Dated 1 May 1833. William Brewer and Eliza his wife of the Township of Amwell, for consideration of $550, convey to William Durham, a parcel of land, bounded by lands of Christopher Row, John Carkhuff, "said Voorhees land," containing six acres more or less. Signed by William Brewer and Elizabeth Brewer. Witnessed by Jacob J. Young.
Note: The above post has been sitting in the draft file for some months now. In fact, going on a year. From a geographical perspective, Hunterdon County, New Jersey is a location where many of our Brouwer/Brower/Brewer "brick walls" are found. In undertaking this exercise of combing through and abstracting the land records (deeds) of Hunterdon County my hope was to find undiscovered clues that would help prove genealogical relationships. The initial intention was to abstract all the deeds in which persons named Brouwer, Brower or Brewer were found. As you can see, in the months since I began, I haven't gotten very far. And right now, I do not anticipate perusing this activity any further. I'm frankly just tired of sitting in front of a computer anymore. The ten minutes or so it's taking me to write this last paragraph is about my current limit of endurance for sitting and typing in front of a screen. So, for what it's worth, I'll simply publish this little bit of work and leave it at that. Perhaps it will help someone. Perhaps it will at least point anyone interested to a (probably) untapped source of previously undiscovered genealogical leads or evidence regarding their Brouwer/Brower/Brewer "brick walls."
Good luck, and should anyone find anything, please share it with the rest of us through us of the comments section for this post.
BGB 705
