Nimrod Brewer (abt. 1793 - 1875)

Born about 1793 in Georgia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Louisa (Short) Brewer — married 1817 in Madison, Missouri, USA

Descendants

Died 1875 at about age 82 in Lesterville, Reynolds, Missouri, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Donna Henderson [send private message]

Biography

Nimrod Brewer was apparently born in Georgia. The 1850, 1860, & 1870 censuses all say he was born in Georgia. The census evidence for his year of birth is conflicting; one census saying '1791', and another saying '1794'.

He is often claimed to have been named 'Howell Nimrod Brewer', upon the basis of oral family tradition only. However, there is not a single known historical document which gives him a supposed 'first name' of 'Howell'. Therefore, this is hearsay, and is inadmissible as evidence.

Nimrod was the presumed son of an older Nimrod Brewer (b.ca. 1766) who relocated from Georgia to St. Clair County, Illinois.

This Nimrod's (b.ca. 1793) presumed brother, a younger Howell Brewer, died in Missouri in 1828 without a will and Nimrod administered the estate settlement.

State of Missouri, County of Madison
The county court of the county of Madison.
To all who shall see these presents Greeting:
Whereas Howell Brewer lately died without any will as is sworn to, and whereas Nimrod Brewer hath given bond with security, and taken the oaths required by law, full power is therefore granted to the said Nimrod Brewer to administer according to law, all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits of the said deceased and to pay his debts as far as his assets will extend and the law direct, and the said administrator is hereby required to make a true and perfect inventory of all the said good and chattels, rights and credits, and the same to make exhibit into the office of the county court of Madison County at or before the second Monday in May next, and to make settlement with said court, at least once in every year until his business be fully completed.
Witness Thomas Moseley, Clerk of said Madison County court this 13th day of February AD 1828, being the third day of February term year aforesaid,
Tom Mosley Clerk, Filed and recorded this 21st day of February, 1828, Tom Mosley, clerk

^[1]

The Nimrod Brewer on the 1794 Hancock County Georgia tax list cannot possibly have been this man, because this man would have only been around a year or two old in 1794! This was definitely an older Nimrod Brewer who was most likely the father of this younger Nimrod Brewer.

^[2]

Another oral family tradition says that this Nimrod's presumed father Nimrod Brewer "sent his sons to Missouri" to buy land.

This younger Nimrod Brewer may have been the man who showed up in Missouri on the 1815 Tax List for Lawrence County, Missouri Territory, although it could have also been his presumed father, also named 'Nimrod Brewer'.
(Lawrence County, Missouri was created in Jan 1815 from New Madrid County, Missouri and included the southern strip of Missouri along with the northern part of Arkansas; Arkansas Territory was then created in 1819. Madison County, Missouri was organized in Dec 1818).

Nimrod married Mary Louisa Short (the 'Short' last name has never been documented) in Madison County, Missouri in about 1817.
In 1830, 1840 & 1850 they were residing in Liberty Township, Madison County, Missouri.

1830 Liberty Township, Madison County, Missouri, p349^[3]
Nimrod Brewer - 211001-011001 (6 children)
Brewer head - 30-40 (Nimrod-37)
. . . . wife - 30-40 {Mary Louisa-31)
. . . . 1 girl - 10-15 (Nancy-12)
. . . . 1 boy - 10-15 (William-10)
. . . . 1 boy - 5-10 (John-9)
. . . . 1 girl - 5-10 (Mary-7)
. . . . 2 boys - 0-5 (Nimrod Jr-5, Howell-4)

1840 Madison County, Missouri, p. 38^[4]
Nimrod Brewer - 212101-111101
Brewer head - 30-40 (Nimrod-47)
. . . . wife - 30-40 (Mary Louisa-41)
. . . . 1 girl - 15-20 (Nancy 22)
. . . . 1 boy 15-20 (John-19)
. . . . 1 girl 10-15 (Mary-17, Eliza-11)
. . . . 2 boys 10-15 (Nimrod Jr-15, Howell-14)
. . . . 1 boy 5-10 - (Nicholas-5)
. . . . 1 girl 5-10 - (Hetty-6)
. . . . 1 girl 0-5 - (Jane-3)
. . . . 2 boys 0-5 - (Jackson-1, Joseph-0)

1850 Madison County, Missouri, p. 231A, line 17 ^[5]
Brewer, Nimrod - 56 Georgia
. . . . Mary L - 40 Mo
. . . . Hetty - 19 Mo
. . . . Nicholas - 15 Mo
. . . . Jane - 13 Mo
. . . . Jackson - 11 Mo (Andrew Jackson "Jack")
. . . . Joseph - 9 Mo
. . . . George - 5 Mo
. . . . Martha A - 4/12 Mo
. . . . Jackson W - 11 Mo
. . . . Nimrod W - 9 Mo [ Jackson W.-11 and Nimrod W-9 were sons of son William & his first wife who died in 1844].

Also in 1850 in Madison County Missouri was Nancy Anne [Brewer] and husband John Deguire, John and Sierra Brewer with 5 children, William and Rachel Brewer with 3 children, and Mary "Polly" [Brewer] and Joseph Colyott with 3 children.

By 1857 the whole family had moved to Reynolds County and the sons started buying farms there. Oct 30, 1857 either he or his son Nimrod Jr bought 200 acres (twp 32N, rng 2E, in sec 36, on Hyatt’s creek, CR 364) — (but this land is SE of Lesterville and on the 1860 census he was living NW of Lesterville.) https://www.acrevalue.com/plat-map/MO/Reynolds/

1860 Black River Township, Reynolds County, Missouri^[6]
Brewer, Nimrod - 69 Ga
. . . . Mary - 56 Mo
. . . . Hettie - 26 Mo
. . . . Jane - 21 Mo
. . . . George - 15 Mo
. . . . Martha - 11 Mo

By 1860, two of his sons Howell and Nimrod Jr. had died (in 1850 and 1860). His daughter Eliza was married and living in Oregon County, Missouri and another daughter, Mary "Polly" and sons Nicholas, Andrew & Joseph were all living in Reynolds County, Missouri. William, John or Nancy can't be located in Missouri after 1850.

1870 Lesterville, Reynolds County, Missouri^[7]
Brewer, Nimrod - 77, b Ga, farmer
. . . . Mary - 71, b Mo
. . . . Hetty - 34, b Mo.
. . . . Loydd, Lewis - 20 Mo (son-in-law)
. . . . Martha - 20 Mo (daughter)

Also living in Reynolds County were "Polly" Colyott, Andrew, George, and Nicholas. His daughter Eliza was still living in Oregon county, Missouri.

Nimrod died in 1875, probably in Lesterville, Reynolds County, Missouri. Mary soon died, sometime after 1877. His burial place is unknown.

Children

1. Nancy, b Sept 18, 1818, Madison County, Missouri; m John Deguire 1839
2. William, b Nov 17, 1820, Madison Co, Mo; m Anna Jane Lemmons, 1839; m Rachael Chambers 1846
3. John b 1821; m Siena or Sierra 1842
4. Mary "Polly", b Feb 1823; m Joseph Colyott ca 1843; d 1905 Iron co, Mo; Find A Grave: Memorial #44800520
5. Nimrod Jr, b 1825; m Susan Strickland 1844; d bef 1860
6. Howell, b 1826 Mo; m Nancy J. Sutton 1848; d Jan 1860 Reynolds County, Mo (age 35)
7. Eliza C., b Apr 1, 1829; m William Sampson Huddleston 1848; d 1892, Oregon Co, Mo
8. Hetty, b 1834; lived with parents, not married
9. Nicholas, b 1835; m Caroline Lane 1859; m Polly Ann Hackworth 1863; d aft 1880
10. Nancy Jane, b 1837; m James W. McNeely
11. Andrew Jackson "Jack", b Jan 1839; m Elizabeth Mary Morris; m Mary Ann Johnson 1870; d 1903
12. Joseph "Joe", b 1840; m Paralee Johnson 1859
13. George Washington, b July 10, 1841; m Cynthia Myers 1863; d 1923; Find A Grave: Memorial #53840096
14. Martha A., b 1850; m Louis Loyd 1869; d 1939
15. Andrew Brewer, b after 1850; d 18?? [This child is listed in Reynolds County Historical Society Book, but I can find no other documentation. Seems a bit unlikely since they already had an Andrew Jackson.]

Sources

1. ↑ Nancy [Brewer] & John B. Dequire, and Mary Louisa [Short?] and Nimrod Brewer are listed as Howell's beneficiaries in 1832 probate records. (These are surely Howell's sister Nancy and brother Nimrod.)
2. ↑ 1794 Tax list GA - https://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/donna/picturebook/210f.htm
3. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPZ-2ZZ
4. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHT5-KQR
5. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDZ6-GMM
6. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHZM-2H3
7. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M46L-RDV

Acknowledgements

• Contributors: Mary Jo Freeman and Donna Mae Smith Terry White.