Henry (Brower) Brewer (1765 - 1829)

Husband of Sarah (Hawk) Brewer — married 14 Feb 1786 in Berkeley County, Virginia

Descendants

Died 20 Feb 1829 at age 63 in Adams County, Ohio

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Biography

Birth

Henry Brewer stated in his deposition for a pension for Revolutionary War service dated 1 Nov 1820 that he was 55 years old last March. This would mean he was born March 1765, but did not state where or who his parents were. ^[1]

Detailed research on Henry's birth and background has been discussed on the Brouwer Genealogy Blog. "Unplaced: Henry Brewer of Berkeley Co., Virginia and Adams Co., Ohio" Thursday, May 9, 2013 [3]

Marriage

Some researchers say he married Anna Hawk although the Berkeley County, Virginia marriage record clearly shows Henry Bruer married Sarah Hawke on 14 February 1786. ^[2]

Military

Henry (Brower) Brewer served with Berkeley County Militia, Virginia Militia during the American Revolution.

Henry (Brower) Brewer is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A015200.

He served in the Revolutionary War. ^[3]

He enlisted in December 1779 at Martinsburg, Berkeley Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) and served two years as a private in Capt. John Melon or Malon’s Co., Col. Joseph Crockett’s Virginia Regt. He again enlisted in April 1782 and served as a private in Capt. Shaffner’s Co., Col. Armand’s Legion and was discharged in the fall of 1782. ^{[4] [5]} In addition, records of the Library of Virginia show a Henry Brewer served as a Drummer in Second Virginia Continental Regiment. For this service in 1783 Henry Brewer was given a voucher (signed by Capt Js Mabon) that could be used to acquire bounty land in Ohio. ^[6] The fact his son did acquire land using Henry's Bounty Land Warrant would tend to lend credence the described service as a Drummer was the same person who received the pension for military service in Virginia. ^[7]

Henry Brewer filed an application for a pension in 1818 as a resident of Adams Co., Ohio. His date of death was given as 20 Feb 1829 in Adams Co. His widow died in May 1829. Children living in 1830 were: Mrs. Polly Davis of Romney, Virginia; Mrs. Peggy Hansberry of Fairfield Co., Ohio; Mrs. Sally Williams, Anna Boldman, wife of James Boldman, Elijah Brewer, Susan Brewer, and Charles Brewer all of Adams Co., Ohio. ^[8]

Revolutionary War Soldiers on the Continental Line who drew pensions in Adams County: Henry Brewer, Congressional Regiment 69, Feb. 2, 1819 ^[9]

Census

"Hary Brewer," was on the 1783 tax list at North Huntingdon, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He may or may not be the same person as Henry Brewer/Brower.

1789 Berkeley County, Virginia. No Henry Brower is found but there is a Henry Bower. ^[10] It should be noted Henry's military participation in the Revolutionary War may be the reason no Henry Brower is not found in lists for land owners of Berkeley County, Virginia 1784-1799. George and Jacob Bowers do appear at various times on the tax lists between 1784 and 1794^[11] In addition, Berkeley County Index for Wills, the name variation occurs. While no men named BROWER are found there are numerous entries for persons named BOWERS, including a Henry. ^[12] Whether Brower and Bowers have been misread is a possibility and further research needs to be done.

Census 1810 Berkeley Co., Virginia, Henry "Bower", household of 4 males under 10, 2 males 10-15, 2 males 16-25, 1 male over 45, 2 females 10-15, 1 female 16-25, 1 female over 45. ^[13]

Census 1820 Jefferson, Adams Co., Ohio, Henry Brewer, with a household of 2 males 16-26, 1 male over 45, 1 female 10-16, 1 female 16-26, 1 female 26-45, 1 female over 45, 3 persons engaged in agriculture. On the same page Jesse Hawk. ^[14]

Death

The date of his death (and that of his wife) comes from a claim for bounty lands filed by his heirs in 1830. On 15 April 1830, Elijah Brewer, one of the heirs at law of Henry Brewer, now deceased, applied to the United States Government to receive bounty lands that were due Henry. This application lists the heirs of Henry Brewer as Mrs. Polly Davis of Romney, Virginia; Mrs. Peggy Hansberry or Handsberry, of Fairfield Co., Ohio; Mrs. Sally Williams, Anna Boldman wife of James Boldman, Elijah Brewer, Susan Brewer and Charles Brewer, all of Adams Co.,Ohio.[4]

Research Notes

No will or record of estate settlement has been found for Henry Brewer. Wills for Adams County, Ohio only exist for the years 1849-1860. The book containing the wills for the years 1849-1860 was the only one to survive a fire in 1910. All others were lost. (Henry died in 1829). Also, the surname Brewer or Brower was not found in a search of Adams County, Ohio Deed Books, 1798-1818. If he owned land at the time of his death it would have been sold after his death in 1829 so the Deed Books 1818-1835 or so should be searched. Also the tax lists might shed some light on his residence. [5]

The identity of Henry Brower's parents and his ancestry is unknown. Claims that Henry is a son of Abraham Brouwer and Mary Wilts, are undocumented and unproven. See [6] for discussion of the various claims.

DNA

Henry Brewer Kit no. 182867. Henry died in 1829 in Adams Co., Ohio. A descendant has participated in the Brewer DNA Project, and the results of his Y-DNA test have confirmed that he, and his earliest confirmed direct ancestor, Henry Brewer, are descendants of Adam Brouwer of Gowanus, Long Island [7] [8] but the trail back to Adam is yet to be discovered. See "Unplaced Brouwers [9] [10] [11]

Sources

1. ↑ Rev War Pension File: NARA S42093
2. ↑ West Virginia Culture, Marriage Records. [1]
3. ↑ Henry Brewer served in Revolutionary War. [2]
4. ↑ Rev War Pension File NARA S42093
5. ↑ Gwathmey, Register of Virginians in the Revolution, p 92
6. ↑ Library of Virginia. LVA Catalogs. Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, reels 1-29.Document Images Henry Brewer, Drummer.
7. ↑ Library of Virginia. LVA Catalogs. Military certificate number: LO 626. Virginia Land Office. Military Certificates, reels 1-38. Brewer, Henry. Rank: Drummer.
8. ↑ "Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Applications", National Genealogical Society Quarterly Vol. 33 (1945): 33:55. Brewer (Brower), Henry (S42093, Va. and Cont. service, O. Agcy.; Cert. 6257 issued 2 Feb 1819 at $8 per mo.; BLwt. 1631-100)
9. ↑ Evans, Nelson W., and Emmons B. Stivers. 1973. A history of Adams County, Ohio. Evansville, Ind.: Unigraphic. p 330
10. ↑ Official Militia Roster, Berkeley Co., West Virginia, (tax list) 1782, FHL film #0848624, item 3
11. ↑ Land Owners Berkeley County, WV, 1784-1799,” FHL film #0163713, item 3
12. ↑ Berkeley County Index Wills, Inv. Sale Bills, etc. FHL film #0163713, item 1
13. ↑ 1810 US Census Berkeley County, Virginia NARA Ser. M252, Roll 66, page 541, FHL film #0181426, image 00539.
14. ↑ 1820 U S Census; Jefferson, Adams, Ohio; Page: 44; NARA Roll: M33_86; Image: 36

• Early Bergen County Families compiled by Patricia A. Wardell of Allendale, New Jersey [12]

• William B. Bogardus Collection of Brouwer, Brower and Brewer Family Material and Correspondence, Anneke Jans and Everardus Bogardus Descendants Association, Wilmington, Ohio, Box 8:D:293-B, Abraham Brower-Mary Wilts File 8:D:293-B. [13]
• Chester, Chris. Unplaced: Henry Brewer of Berkeley Co., Virginia and Adams Co., Ohio Thursday, May 9, 2013 [14]

• Chester, Chris. "Henry Brewer, Adams County, OH, Notes" [15]

• Henry Brewer b. March 1765, d. 20 February 1829, Family Search. Contributed By: FackrellRoxie43 on 10 March 2014 [16]

• https://brouwergenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/05/unplaced-henry-brewer-of-berkeley-co.html?m=1, with document