Jonathan Wever (abt. 1769 - 1841)

Born about 1769 in North Carolina [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 24 May 1841 at about age 72 in Edgefield, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jim Bass [send private message]

Biography

The identities of Capt. Jonathan Wever's parents are unknown; however, several online trees and publications mention John Weaver and Christina Rowe as his parents. After many years of research this assertion cannot be confirmed.

We calculate the year of his birth from his obituary (see image attached) which ran on 3 June 1841. According to the obituary he died "on the 24 ult. in the 72nd year of his age" after a distressing illness of about 15 days. His age in the 1830 and 1840 censuses align with the obituary.

The location of his birth is also unknown, but it is highly suspected that he was from Edgecombe Co., NC and was probably a relative (or perhaps the son) of the Jonathan Weaver who lived there in Edgecombe Co., NC in 1769.

Why was he known as "Captain" Jonathan Wever? I haven't seen any military records or bounty land grants, but there are unsourced notes on the internet which say he served in Ninety-Sixth District, SC in 1795 as a Captain, and that he received a land grant in 1795.

His first known wife is thought to be Rosa Grigsby. We have no marriage record or will to support this. According to DAR Lineage Book of the Charter Members of the DAR Vol 083, Rosa was his wife and she was born about 1799 and believed to be the daughter of Rhydon Grigsby, and the granddaughter of Enoch Grigsby. Another source of information regarding this relationship came from Chapman's History of Edgefield County Page 96 which says "Mr. [Enoch] Grigsby . . . left one son Rhyden Grigsby and four daughters: One daughter married Capt. Johnthan [sic] Weaver; one married Gen. Samuel Mays of Big Saluda; one married Lodwick [sic] Hill who lived near Richardsonville and one married Thomas Butler, a brother of General William Butler."

Based on Rosa's supposed age and the birth year of son John Rhyden Wever, it would appear that they married around 1817. Rosa died around 1820 after the birth of the her son John R. Wever. It appears that Capt. Jonathan Wever remarried shortly after to Mary Isabell who was born about 1800. There has been much speculation as to her identity. Was she previously married to Eugene Brenan? Or was he her father? When she died in 1836 at the age of 36 yrs, her obituary referred to her as "Mrs. Mary Isabella the late consort of Captain Jonathan Wever". Perhaps she was the daughter of Eugene Brenan and this is the reason why she gave the middle name of "Brenan" to 4 of her 6 sons (see below). See the Research Notes section below for more details theories about Mary Isabella and Capt. Wever.

Capt. Jonathan Wever was a wealthy man with a large plantation. He wrote his will on 1 May 1841 and he attorneys recorded it on 26 May 1841. His very large estate was sold on 27 Dec 1841. See attached will and the record of the sale of his estate. His oldest son, John R. Wever, was a major purchaser of the estate and there were other major purchasers as well. Perhaps these other buyers were husbands of Jonathan's daughters we have not been able to identify yet.

The following children were named in his will:

• John Rhyden Wever, 1818–1874
• Lawrence Brenan Wever, 1824–1859
• Lafayette Brenan Wever, 1826–1891
• Pickens Brenan Wever, 1828–1915
• Milledge Brenan Wever, 1830–1908
• Frances Virginia Weaver, 1833–1883
• George M. Weaver, 1834–1900
• Jonathan M Weaver, 1835–aft 1860

A note about the education of his son, Milledge: Wever, M. B. (Absent often) enrolled in the classical department of Edgefield Academy. He was on the merit roll, accumulating 27 points and the English departmental accumulating 43 points, Edgefield Advertiser 4/1/1846, p3; Milledge Wever accumulated 14 points with 2 studies, 4 absences and 6 missings in the courses of Latin and composition at Edgefield Academy for the last half of the session ending June 11, 1846. He accumulated 46 points with 5 studies, 4 absences and 26 missings in the English Classes at Edgefield Academy for the last half of the session ending June 11, 1846. Edgefield Advertiser 6/17/1846, p3; Milledge Wever attended Edgefield Academy, classical division, and the monthly report indicated he had earned 21 points, with 3 missing and 15 absences, Edgefield Advertiser 9/2/1846, p3

DNA

2021 YDNA testing of a descendant of Capt. Jonathan Wever (see David Wever) revealed Haplogroup R-M269 Lineage 1 with Big Y STR R-FTB9058. This lineage is the same as Clement Weaver of New England. The YDNA analysis is inconclusive at this time whether or not Capt. Wever was a descendant of Clement or a descendant of one his relatives.

Jonathan's Big Y result of R-FTB9058 is the same as descendants of Benjamin Weaver of Edgecombe Co., NC and Jethro Weaver of Morgan Co., AL. This would indicate these 3 men had a common ancestor between the late 1600's to the early 1700's.

To see full YDNA results on FTDNA, click here and look at R-M269 Lineage 1 at the top of the page.

Research Notes

It is very possible that Capt. Wever married around 1790 when he turned 21 yrs old; however, we have no record of the name of that potential wife or any children from such a union. Between 1810 and 1820 there are males and females unaccounted for. In the 1840 census, it looks like Jonathan may have married again or brought in someone to help care for his children after Mary Isabella died 1836, as there is an woman of child-bearing age in the household. Also, in 1840 there should be 6 sons, but there are only 5. Is it possible that the last son was borne of a wife whom Jonathan married after Mary Isabella died in 1836?

Theory about Jonathan's wife, Mary Isabella

• Over the years there has been much speculation around the identity of Mary Isabella and the curious name of Brennan being assigned to 4 of Jonathan's sons, but not to all sons born after the death of wife Rosa. Were these 4 boys Jonathan's step-sons born to Mary Isabella perhaps through a prior marriage? YDNA testing of a male descendant of one the 4 men with the middle name of Brennan gave us positive proof that he was indeed a Wever and not a Brenan. A scouring of early records of Edgefield Co., SC revealed legal document dated 7 Jan 1823 and recorded on 3 Feb 1823 (see attached 2-page PDF). This recorded the sale of 150 acres of land adjoining Jonathan's, from Jacob Free to Jonathan Wever. One of the witnesses names was "Mary I. Brenan". She would have been about 22-23 yrs old at the time. Her first child with Jonathan was born 1824, so they must've married shortly after the document was signed. As I researched another family in Edgefield Co., SC, I found a record of another family who gave the same middle name to multiple sons. Perhaps this was a local trend to honor a family name or hero. In this situation, I propose that Brenan was Mary's maiden name and that she was honoring Eugene Brenan who was old enough to be her father and had died around 1820-1830.

An alternate theory by HeidingsfelderFyock on Ancestry.com

• The four Wever boys with the middle name Brenan [Lawrence, Lafayette, Pickens & Milledge] create a middle group of Jonathan Wever children--between Jonathan Wever's eldest known son, John Rhyden Wever, and his youngest two, George and Jonathan Wever Jr. Giving these four sons only a quarter share inheritence to split (i.e., 16th vs the 1/8th share each would seem to deserve for being one of Wever's eight children) might be explained if they were Jonathan's GRANDKIDS. Perhaps there is a missing eldest son who married Mary Isabella Brenan, meaning the boys names never changed. Lafayette was always Lafayette Brenan Wever, with his mother providing his middle name; his father the last [ditto for Lawrence, Pickens & Milledge].
• The book John Chapman wrote about Edgefield County, South Caroina History claimed that Captain Jonathan Wever (b ~ 1769) married Sarah Grigsby. The Moore family [who list Sarah Grigsby as the wife of their ancestor, Jonathan Moore, and mother of his sons Davis Rhyden, James Llewellen & Jonathan Moore Jr, who were born ~ 1800, 1808 & 1811, as well as the mother of an eldest son b ~ 1790, William Drayton "Moore"], disputes this as a mistake. However, when Moore's (presumed) eldest son William Drayton was born [in 1790, at least a decade before the others], Jonathan Moore was but a lad of about 15. Near as I can find this William Drayton "Moore" born in 1790 [i.e., old enough to be the father of sons b in 1824, 26, 28 & 30--Lawrence, Lafayette, Pickens & Milledge, respectively], and died in 1829--just prior to the youngest Brenan Wever son (Milledge)'s birth ~1830.
• Why would John Chapman have made a mistake in his History of Edgefield County? He was a classmate of John Rhyden [Wever] and so he probably knew the family.
• A missing son such as William Drayton Wever/"Moore" would provide the DNA link too.

Another alternate theory from Jim Bass

• Perhaps the youngest sons named George M. Wever and Jonathan M. Wever were born of yet another wife and this would explain why their middle names were not "Brenan". If this is true, it would account for the female in Capt Wever's household in the 1840 Census. She was of child-bearing age. Of course, if this theory is true, then it would mean that both of these youngest sons were born slightly later than what we have seen in censuses and a grave marker. Since Mary died 1836, George and Jonathan would be born around 1837-38 and 1839-40, respectively, rather than 1834 and 1835 based on censuses.
• George's middle initial in the 1860, 1870, 1880 censuses as well as his SC Civil War records, all show "McD" as his middle initial. His descendants say his middle name was "McDuffie". Perhaps "McDuffie" was the maiden name of the mother of George and young Jonathan, and she was a different person from Mary Isabella.

Conflation

Over several decades in the 20th century, researchers and family members have conflated Capt. Jonathan Wever of Edgefield Co., SC with Jonathan Lewellen Weaver who died in Early Co., GA. In addition, these 2 Jonathans have been conflated with Jonathan Weaver , the son of Othniel 1750-1817. The middle name of "Lewellen" was applied haphazardly to all 3 men, causing many online trees to collide, and causing false positives on autosomal DNA matches. YDNA and additional genealogical and historical research has cleared up a lot of the conflation, but many online trees still show the inaccuracies.

• Conflation Theory #1 - Since Othniel Weaver 1750-1817 was believed to the son of Aaron Weaver of Edgefield Co., SC, and since Jonathan Lewellen Weaver was presumed to be his brother, many people connected him to Capt Jonathan Wever 1769-1841 of Edgefield Co., SC, the subject of this profile page.
• Resolution A - Capt Jonathan Wever was born about 1769 and died 1841 while Jonathan Lewellen Weaver was born about 1771 and died 1818. They cannot be the same man. Capt Jonathan Wever appears on multiple censuses in Edgefield Co., SC and his 1841 will identifies many children, none of whom match the names of the men in Early County, GA in 1830 and 1840. Note, too, how Capt Jonathan's surname has been recorded as "Wever" (without the "a") in censuses, official documents and in the surnames of his descendants right down to the 21st century.
• Resolution B - 2021 YDNA testing of a descendant of Capt Jonathan Wever revealed Haplogroup R-M260 Lineage 1 with Big Y STR R-FTB9058 which is the same Lineage and Big Y STR of Benjamin Weaver of Edgecombe Co., NC and Jethro Weaver also thought to have come from Edgecombe Co., NC. The same YDNA testing of descendants of Othniel Weaver 1750-1817 and Jonathan Lewellen Weaver revealed Haplogroup R-M260 Lineage 2B with Big Y STR R-FTA29916. They were descendants of John Weaver of Surry VA. Lineage 1 and Lineage 2B have a common ancestor around 1,000 years ago.

Sources

• 1800 Census, Edgefield Co., SC
  • 1 Free White Male 26 thru 44 yrs (Jonathan)
  • 1 Free White Females - 45 and over (presumably his mother?)
  • 15 Enslaved persons
• 1810 Census, Edgefield Co., SC
  • 1 Free White Male 10 thru 15 yrs (who is this? born between 1795-1800)
  • 1 Free White Male 26 thru 44 yrs (Jonathan)
  • 1 Free White Female 45 and over (presumably his mother?)
  • 30 Enslaved Persons
• 1820 Census, Edgefield Co., SC
  • 2 Free White Males Under 10 yrs (one of these must be John R. Wever)
  • 1 Free White Male 26 thru 44 (who is this? born between 1776-1794)
  • 1 Free White Male 45 and over (Jonathan)
  • 2 Free White Females 45 and over (who are these? Is one of them wife Rosa? If yes, then she was much older than the DAR book shows)
  • 49 Enslaved Persons
• 1830 Census, Edgefield Co., SC
  • 2 Free White Males Under 5 yrs (sons Lafayette and Pickens)
  • 1 Free White Male 5 thru 9 (son Lawrence)
  • 1 Free White Male 10 thru 14 (son John R.)
  • 1 Free White Male 20 thru 29 (who is this? born between 1801-1810)
  • 1 Free White Male 60 thru 69 (Jonathan)
  • 1 Free White Female 20 thru 29 (wife Mary Isabella)
  • 79 Enslaved Persons
• 1840 Census, Edgefield Co., SC
  • 1 Free White Male Under 5 yrs (son George or Jonathan)
  • 3 Free White Males 5 thru 9 (sons Lawrence, Pickens and Milledge)
  • 1 Free White Males 20 thru 29 (son John R. Wever)
  • 1 Free White Male 70 thru 79 (Jonathan)
  • 1 Free White Female 5 thru 9 (dau Frances)
  • 1 Free White Female 30 thru 39 (who is this? Mary Isabella died 1836)
  • 136 Enslaved Persons
• 1823 Sale of land to Jonathan Wever from Jacob Free, witnessed by Mary I. Brenan.
• Will of Capt. Jonathan Wever dated 1 May 1841 - South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980
• 1841 Obituary - see images attached
• 1841 estate sale - see images attached
• Chapman's History of Edgefield County, SC Page 96
• DAR Lineage Book of the Charter Members of the DAR Vol 083; page 346, member #82905; Sarah Z. Wever Litchgi (dau of Brig. Gen. John R. Wever) provides lineage and birth year of Rosa Grigsby