A Bit More On John Brower of Randolph County, North Carolina

 This past January we made a revision and update to the earlier generations of descendants of Hubert Brower, the 18th century immigrant to Pennsylvania and progenitor of arguably the second largest group of present day individuals bearing the Brower surname. [See the posts of January 10, 2021, and January 11, 2021]. David Schuler was the source of these revisions, and now in a recent email, David has added a bit more information regarding John Brower of Randolph County, North Carolina. There is nothing here to alter any family or genealogical relationships, however, there are some sources here which would help researchers focused on John Brower's life and possible relationships with families who lived near by. So that we are clear, the John Brower here was a son of Christian Brower, and a grandson of the progenitor, Hubert Brower. John Brower was married to Hannah Echlebaur, and was likely born about 1730. We know he was living in 1771. From what follows it appears that he may have been living as late as 1795.

We start with a couple of tax lists from Randolph County, North Carolina, images of which can be found at the FamilySearch.org website. This image is from a tax list that David estimates to be from the year 1785. Here you will find John Brower on the right hand page of the ledger, sixth down from the top. No other Browers are on this list, however, the other names found on this list should be explored as possible families for the wives of some of John and Hannah (Echelbaur) Brower's sons. This list is from FHL DGS no.005819562, "North Carolina, Randolph County, Tax Record." In a tax record from 1790, John Brower is found in the column on the left (there are three columns here). He is the 20th name down from the top. Jacob Brower is found in the middle column, the thirteenth name down from the top. No other Browers are found. From a quick glance, it appears that the surnames Eliot and Lamb are most numerous. The surname Cable is also found. We know that John Brower's son, Nicholas, was married to Mary Cable (sometimes spelled Coble). Again, perhaps the other family names found here are families where unidentified wives of some of John Brower's other sons can be found. This record is also found in FHL DGS no.005819562.

In a deed from 1795, Henry Eustace McCulloh conveys to John Brower, 305 acres on Sandy Creek next to John Brower's field. The area of land (305 acres) matches the acreage recorded on the above tax lists. The deed is found in Randolph County, North Carolina, Deeds, vol. 6, page 246 (as per the image here). [FHL DGS no.007517674 on this page]. This deed led David to look into Henry Eustace McCulloh and he found a record dated 19 March 1773 in which Henry Eustace McCulloh obligates himself to provide a deed to John Brower for 304 (sic) acres on Sandy Creek (then in Guilford County) upon payment of a bond for £165 plus interest bearing the same date. An image of this agreement is found in Henry McCulloh and Son Henry Eustace McCulloh, by Stewart Dunaway, published in 2016 (Lulu.com) found here on Amazon.com (perhaps available elsewhere as well, neither of us receives compensation on purchases of this book). This image from page 388.

Previously, on 1 March 1773, a bond had been issued to John Brower in the amount of £167 9s 6d for land in what was then Guilford County. Henry Eustace McCulloh was a Loyalist and lived in England. He had a grant for 1.2 million acres in North Carolina broken into twelve tracts of 100,000 acres each. The above referenced book includes a map of the southern tip of tract no. 11, in the northeast corner of Randolph County, which David believes would be the location of the 305 (or 304) acres belonging to John Brower. The delay in the delivery of the deed was likely due to the occurrence of the American Revolution which of course disrupted a great deal. Henry E. McCulloh's son, George McCulloh, evidently spent many years in North Carolina, after American independence, trying to collect on debts owed his father.

It should be noted that John Brower and Hannah Echelbauer had a son named John Brower who died in 1814 in Randolph County, North Carolina. He was perhaps born about 1770. While the 1773 indentures and the 1785 tax record certainly pertains to the elder John Brower, the 1790 tax record and the deed of 1795 could belong to either one of the two (the elder or younger). Neither a record of death, nor a record of probate has been discovered for the elder John Brower.

Thanks again to David Schuler for passing this on. It certainly should be of interest to those researching the branch of Hubert Brower descendants who removed from Chester County, Pennsylvania to Randolph County, North Carolina just prior to the time of the American Revolution. I would emphasize again the suggestion that those researching the sons of John Brower and Hannah Echelbauer, look to the names found on the 1785 and 1790 tax lists for leads as to the identities of wives of John and Hannah's known sons (there were seven of them, six of whom went to North Carolina) as well as any possible daughters who have yet to be identified (as of this writing, we know of none).

BGB 706