Update: John Brewer, Revolutionary War Patriot, of New Jersey and Pennsylvania

 This post is an update to the post of October 28, 2012.

Back in late 2012, in the above post, I suggested that John Brewer, born about 1749 or 1750, who's wife was Hannah Timpson, might be a descendant of Jan Brouwer of Flatlands, L. I. Some recent research developments suggest that this initial suggestion may not be correct. Specifically, I suggested that John Brewer might be Johannis, son of Jan Brouwer and Helena Van Cleef who was baptized at the Readington, New Jersey Reformed Dutch Church on December 26, 1749, as this baptism date and suggested age for John Brewer match. Again, this may not be correct.

Particulars for John Brewer and Hannah Timpson are mentioned in the October 28, 2012 post and I will not repeat them here. However, some new information can be added. The previous post mentions the appearance of a John Brewer on the 1820 U.S. census at Loyalsock, Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania. What is not mentioned are findings on the 1810 U.S. census, and here we find John Brewer at East Buffalo, Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania with a household of 2 males under age 10, 2 males age 10-15, 1 male age 26-44 (presumably John), 1 female under age 10, 1 female age 26-44 (presumably Hannah). A D.A.R. application gives John and Hannah a son Matthew Brewer, born 13 January 1787 in Pennsylvania (see the 2012 post). Matthew is also found on the 1810 U.S. census at East Buffalo with a household of 1 male aged 16-25. Not previously mentioned, but also found at East Buffalo in 1810, is a Thomas Brewer, with a household of one male age 16-25. Neither Matthew or Thomas are apparently married at the time of this census. Names on this census were recorded alphabetically, so we can't determine whether or not the three Brewers were living near or next to each other although we do know from the D.A.R. application that John and Matthew were father and son, and I'd suspect that the young Thomas is a son as well.

 

Recently a new member of the Brewer DNA Project, received his results from a BigY-700 (Y-DNA) test. The results confirm that the tested individual is a descendant of Adam Brouwer of Gowanus, L.I. This new member is a direct male descendant of a Thomas Brewer and his wife, Anna Maria Stroh, and is found on the 1820 U.S. census at Annville, Lebanon Co., Pennsylvania (formed in 1813) with a household of 2 males under age 10, 1 male age 26-44, 1 female under 10, and 1 female age 16-25, so, a young family. Thomas Brewer, recorded in 1810 as Thomas Bruer, is otherwise not found as a head of household in 1810, and I suspect that he is the Thomas Brewer found (in 1810) with John Brewer and Matthew Brewer in East Buffalo, Pennsylvania. 

A deed dated 18 April 1828 in Lebanon County is summarized as follows: Anna Maria Stroh of Annville, widow and relict of John Stroh late of the same place deceased, David Spotz and Elizabeth his wife, John Stroh, Thomas Brewer and Maria his wife, John Brewer and Rebecca his wife and Hannah Stroh, all of Annville, the said Elizabeth the wife of the said David Spatz, John Stroh, Maria Brewer wife of the said Thomas Brewer, Rebecca the wife of the said John Brewer and Hannah Stroh, all being children and legal heirs of John Stroh deceased aforesaid, for consideration of the sum of eighty dollars paid by Abraham Herr of Annville convey to Abraham Herr all right to that messauge or house and lot of ground with apurtanences situate in the Township of Annville, late the real estate of John Stroh, deceased... Signed by all the grantors, some with their marks. Recorded 6 Dec 1830. [Lebanon Co., PA Deeds D:595-6].

The deed tells us that sisters, Maria and Rebecca Stroh were both married to men named Brewer, Thomas and John respectively. It's reasonable to assume that the two sisters married brothers. Thomas Brewer and John Brewer are likely brothers. John Brewer (recorded as Bruer) is also found in 1820 at Annville, Pennsylvania, with a household of 2 males under age 10, 1 male 16-25, 1 female under age 10, and 1 female age 16-25. John Brewer is found again in Annville in 1830 with a household of 1 male under 5, 2 males 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 30-40, 2 females under 5, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 30-40. Enumerated next to Mary Brewer. Thomas Brewer is not found in 1830 (nor in any later census records) and he likely died sometime between the date of the above deed and the taking of the 1830 census, the official enumeration day having been June 1, 1830. Mary Brewer's household consists of  2 males under 5, 2 males 5-9, 1 male 10-14, 1 female under  5, 1 female 10-14, 1 female 30-40. Mary Brewer is again found in 1840 at Annville and then in 1850 at Millerstown, Pennsylvania, as "widow" Brewer with (presumed) children Gideon Brewer (age 22) and Mary Ann Brewer (age given as 16, which I believe is understated, as she is 29 in 1860). Anna Maria Stroh was baptized February 8, 1796 at Hill Evangelical Lutheran Church in Annville. She was born October 6, 1795 and was the daughter of John (Johannes) Stroh and Anna Maria Muese. She evidently went by her "call name" Maria or Mary, in later records. A baptism record has not been found for her sister Rebecca, the wife of John Brewer. In the 1800s Annville (or Anville) was a village in Millersville Township, Lebanon County.

As mentioned, we know from Y-DNA testing of a direct male descendant of Thomas Brewer, that Thomas is a descendant of Adam Brouwer of Gowanus, L.I. If we are correct in our assumption that Thomas is son of John Brewer (of Northumberland and later Lycoming Counties, PA) and Hannah Timpson, then the 2012 suggestion that John Brewer is a descendant of Jan Brouwer of Flatlands, cannot be correct. It would also be apparent that in addition to a son Matthew, John and Hannah (Timpson) Brewer had sons Thomas and John (and apparently from the 1810 census, other children as well). No probate records for either Thomas or John Brewer were found in an initial search. To emphasize, the assumption that Thomas and John Brewer are sons of John and Hannah (Timpson) Brewer is just that, an assumption. Further evidence should be located, but proximity and the fact that the younger John Brewer also named a son Matthew, suggest that we are on the right course with this assumption.

From some preliminary research done on Ancestry.com it appears that Thomas and Maria/Mary (Stroh) Brewer had perhaps eight children, six of whom were sons. John and Rebecca (Stroh) Brewer apparently went to Auglaize County, Ohio and had at least two sons (Matthew and James) and perhaps a daughter Elizabeth (married Henry Nye). John Brewer's estate was probated in Auglaize County in 1859 and is found in this probate court entry in Auglaize County. See also, this entry.

John and Hannah (Timpson) Brewer's son Matthew Brewer was still in Pennsylvania in 1840, at Penns, Union County. He died 3 January 1849 in Tazewell County, Illinois. He and his wife Mary White (d.1853) had a son Matthew T.* Brewer who died 28 February 1850, also in Tazewell County, Illinois. He and his wife, Mary Bequeath (Beckwith?) who afterwards married Isaac Dwyer, had two children, a son Vitruvious Mathew Brewer (1848-1934) and a daughter Mary E. Brewer (b. ca. 1850). Interested researchers should be able to easily trace more recent descendants further using Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org.

*Is that a T for Timpson? Hannah Timpson's ancestry has not been researched.

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