Tennessee Court Case: Ruben P. Elam vs. John W. Brewer, et als. (1910)

Date: 1910 to 1910
Location: Coffee, Tennessee, United States
Surnames/tags: Brewer Elam

Within the Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, there is a folder for Brewer, John (1910). It contains wills, court cases, land deeds that involve John Brewer (1818-1894) and his descendants. In his Will, John Brewer only named three family members. However, the court case file identifies his children, the names of some of his daughter’s spouses', and some of his grand childrens’ names. The following is a list of the names and relationships that have been identified in the case file.

Litigates & Heirs

Complainant: Rubin P. "R P" Elam

Defendants: John Brewer & Isabella "Icy Bely" McFarlane

John married "Icy Bely" McFarlane around 1835, and they had eight together:

1. Johanna S. Brewer
2. Russell B Brewer
3. Loye Isaiah Brewer
4. John Calvin Brewer
5. Joel (Joseph??) Brewer
6. Mary Catherine Brewer
7. Nancy Brewer
8. Andrew Jackson Brewer

His first wife “Icy Bely” died October 27, 1875. A year later - November 7, 1876, he married Elzady "Zady" Crow and they had two children together.

1. John William Brewer
2. Nelson Brewer

TIMELINE

Dec 4, 1882: Elzady Crow is named as beneficiary of John’s last will and testament along with his two minor children – John W. and Nelson. The three inherit equal shares his estate as ‘tenants in common’, meaning each holder has a distinct, separately transferable interest in the property. The property itself is not divided.

June 6, 1894: John Brewer dies in Coffee, Tennessee and was buried in Trousdale, Tennessee. Registrar's Office of Coffee County, Tennessee; Deed book “X”; pages 182-183

June 2, 1896: Half-brother – Joseph (Joel) Brewer dies intestate leaving heirs: Jesse Brewer, Luella Brewer married to James Mathis (deceased with heirs), Jane Brewer married to William Melton (deceased with heirs), Kate (Mary Catherine) Brewer (deceased) married Charley Teal leaving three children; Dovey Teal, Eckie Teal, Jesse Teal.

1901: Nelson Brewer, according to the case file (R.P. Elam, a citizen of Coffee County, Tennessee, Complainant vs. J.W. Brewer, a resident of Coffee County, Tennessee, and others), died "on or about nine years ago, intestate, unmarried and childless." The case is dated April 2, 1910. Having died intestate, Nelson’s 1/3rd undivided interest is inherited by his full blood brother – J.W. (John W.) Brewer and his half brothers and sisters: Joseph (Joel) Brewer, (Andrew) Jackson Brewer, Isaiah (Loyle) Isaiah Brewer, (John) Calvin Brewer, Russell (B) Brewer, (Mary)Catherine Brewer, Nancy Brewer and one other half-sister whose name is unknown (perhaps Johanna S. Brewer).

Mar. 5, 1910: Elzady Crow Brewer sells her 1/3 ‘commen tenancy’ interest in husband – John Brewer’s estate to R.P. Elam.

• Registrar's Office of Coffee County, Tennessee, Deed Book “18”; page 170

Aug. 13, 1910: The property was sold to R.A. Espey and John Clancy for a bid of $1100.00.

Aug. 20, 1910: R.P. Elam petitioned the court requesting that the sale of property to R.A. Espey and John Clancy be set aside and the bidding re-opened, as he submitted a higher bid of $1210.00. The court set the sale aside as requested. And. ordered the bidding be advertised and open until September 5, 1910.

Sep 5, 1910: R.P. Elam purchased the property for the highest bid of $1210.00.

1912-1915: Distribution of funds to the heirs of John Brewer. A complex formula was calculated for the purpose of distributing the proceeds from the sale of the lands of John Brewer. The size of the distribution varied between 1/3 for R.P. Elam (who had purchased the right from Elzady Crow Brewer March 5, 1910), 1/27 share allotted to John Brewer's children, and 1/243 allotted to John Brewer's grandchildren.

Descendants of John Brewer

(as identified in the case file)

1. J.W. Brewer = John William Brewer: He is a son via 2nd wife: Elzady “Zady” Crow and the primary defendant (largest share of father’s estate).
2. Jackson Brewer = Andrew Jackson Brewer 1858-1927. He is a son via 1st wife: Isabella McFarlin.
3. Nancy Mitchel = Nancy Brewer: She is a daughter via 1st wife Isabella McFarlin: She is married to Canny Mitchell.
4. Jesse Brewer = Jesse Hill Brewer: He is the son of John’s son Joel Brewer.
5. Russel Brewer = Russel B. Brewer: He is a son via 1st wife: Isabella McFarlin.
6. Calvin Brewer = John Calvin Brewer: He is a son via 1st wife: Isabella McFarlin.
7. Catherine Dowdy = Mary Catherine Brewer: She is a daughter via 1st wife: Isabella McFarlin. In the case file she is noted as married to "Unk Dowdy" believed to be Henry Clay Doughty (1844-1925).
8. Unknown = Johanna Brewer (833-1891): Identified in the case file as one other heir of John Brewer who is deceased; name and residence is unknown. Hypothesis : Johanna Brewer who was a daughter via 1st wife: Isabella McFarlin.
9. Luella Mathis = Luella “Lula” Brewer: She is the daughter of John’s son Joel Brewer. She married James H. Mathews (1868-1951).
10. Charlie Teal = Charles Henry Teal (1863-1924): He is a son-in-law married to John's daughter Melinda Catherine Brewer. Melinda is deceased when the case was filed.
11. Dovey Teal = Dovie Ada Teal (1886-1923): Dovey is a granddaughter. She is daughter of John's daughter Melinda Catherine Brewer and Charles Henry Teal.
12. Eckie Teal = Eckie Thomas Teal (1891-1969): He is a grandson. He is the son of John's daughter Melinda Catherine Brewer and Charles Henry Teal.
13. Jesse Teal = Jesse F. Teal (1898-1983): She is John's granddaughter. She is the daughter of John's daughter Melinda Catherine Brewer and Charles Henry Teal.
14. Jane Melton = Jane Brewer (1865-1910): She is Johns granddaughter. She is the daughter of John's son Joel Brewer and the wife of William C. Melton (1858-?).
15. Nancy Owensby = Nancy Brewer (1867-1886); She is John's granddaughter. She is the daughter of John's son Joel Brewer and the wife of Henry Owensby (1861-1916).
16. Isaiah Brewer = Loye Isaiah Brewer (1839-1892): He is John's son via 1st wife: Isabella McFarlin.
17. Jody Brewer: He is John's grandson. He is the son of Joel Brewer and his 2nd wife: Margarett E. Shipp.
18. Mattie Brewer = Mattie Prince: She is John's granddaughter. She is the daughter of Joel Brewer and the wife of Elijah Prince (1885-?).
19. John Brewer: He is John's grandson. He is the son of Joel Brewer.
20. Millie Brewer: She is John's granddaughter. She is the daughter of Joel Brewer.
21. Elzady Brewer = Elzady “Zady” Crow: She is John's 2nd wife. She sold her 1/3 inherited interest in John Brewer’s estate to R.P. Elam.
22. Nelson Brewer = Nelson Brewer (1881-Abt. 1901): He is John's son via 2nd wife: Elzady “Zady” Crow. Nelson died intestate with no wife or children; his full brother John William Brewer and 8 half siblings become his heirs. They inherited shares of his 1/3rd interest in father – John Brewer’s estate.
23. Joseph Brewer: Joseph is John's son via 1st wife: Isabella McFarlin. Hypothesis: Joseph Brewer and Joel Brewer are the same person. The children named in the complaint as heirs of Joseph Brewer are proven heirs of Joel Brewer. Perhaps Joel was a nickname for Joseph.
24. Kate Brewer = Melinda Catherine Brewer (1869-1902): She is John's granddaughter. She is the daughter of Joel Brewer and the wife of Charles Henry Teal (1863-1924)