John Brewer (1743-1825) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Col. John Brewer

Born 26 May 1743 in Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Son of Josiah Brewer and Hannah (Woolson) Brewer

Brother of Isaac Brewer, Hannah Brewer, Josiah Brewer, Mary Brewer, Lydia (Brewer) Mirick, Mary Brewer, Beulah Brewer and Miriam Brewer

Husband of Martha (Graves) Brewer — married 1 Jun 1769 in Worcester, Massachusetts

Descendants

Father of Josiah Brewer, Betsey Brewer, Eleanor Brewer, Francis Brewer, Lavina Brewer, Cyrus Brewer, Cyrus Albert Brewer, Martha Brewer and Martha Brewer

Died 31 Jul 1825 at age 82 in Brewer, Penobscot, Maine, United States

Problems/Questions

Profile last modified 3 Dec 2023 | Created 5 Apr 2017

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Biography

Captain John Brewer served with Col. Josiah Brewer's Regiment, Massachusetts Militia during the American Revolution.

John Brewer is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A014116.

John Brewer is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-120619
Rank: Captian

This profile is part of the Brewer Name Study.

John Brewer was born on May 26, 1743^[1] in Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, son of Josiah Brewer (1702– ) and Hannah Woolson (1704– ).

John married Martha Graves on Jun 1, 1769^[2] in Worcester, Massachusetts. Their known children were:

Josiah Brewer (1770– )
Betsey Brewer (1772–1803)
Eleanor Brewer (1774– )
Francis Brewer (1776–1822)
Lavina Brewer (1778– )
Cyrus Brewer (1781–1781)
Cyrus Albert Brewer (1782– )
Martha Brewer (1785–1785)
Martha Brewer (1789–1818)

John married Ruth Prescott 3 August 1810^{[citation needed]} in Orrington

John married Abigail White 25 Jun 1819^[3] in Brewer

John died Jun 31 1825 ^[4] in Brewer, Penobscot, Maine, United States, aged about 82. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Brewer, Maine.

Brewer, John. Captain, 1st co., Col. Josiah Brewer's (Penobscot) regt.; list of officers of Mass. militia; commissioned July 20, 1770. ^[5]

Brewer was incorporated February 22, 1812 from a portion of Orrington and became a city in 1889. The area was part of Lincoln County until 1789 and Hancock County until 1816. Portions of Brewer were later set off to Eddington and to form Holden. Parts of Brewer were once known as Segeunkedunk; Knapp's Plantation; and Knapp's Square

Brewer Orrington Holden Eddington History and Families has the following:

It is altogether fitting the was strod off this list of biograhies with the fist citizen and founder, Colonel John Brewer
Founder, outstanding citizen, and prime motivator in the establishment of our city, is John Brewer. He is described as a slender, but rugged figure of a man, "A pioneer in every sense of the word, a mind well-balanced and sound, rather than aspiring; a countenance sedate, rather than brilliant."
We have found new facts about the early lief of this man. He was born in Weston, Massachusetts, May 27, 1743, the son of Josiah and Hannah Brewer. They are believed to have been the parents of nine children of whom John may have been the youngest. John's father served as representative to the General Court of Massachusetts for several years. After moving to Worcester he served as selectman there. John Brewer acquired his early education in Weston, and continued it in Worcester, where he was living when he decided to make the settlement in Maine. There is some thought that he may have sailed up the Penobscot River on either fishing or trading voyages before his final decision to settle here and erect his mill.
Be that as it may, he came here in 1770, chose the spot for his mill, laid the foundation for it, and also for a dam; felled the trees with which to build a temporary home; but the one which was first in our town. His permanent home is described as "unusually large and well built." After this foundation work for the heart of his little community, Brewer went back to Worcester. The next year he came again, bringing his family with him, and established his permanent home here. He was to be for over a half a century, the outstanding figure in the development of the community.
A few short years after the beginning of this enterprise, the War of the Revolution broke out. During this affair, Brewer, since he was affiliated with the Whig Party, found it necessary to return to his old home and remained there until after the hostilities had ceased. When peace was declared he again returned and took up his work where the war had caused it to be interrupted.
In 1783 he received an appointment as deputy sheriff, the first to hold this office on the Penobscot River. He was in command of the first military company of the plantation; and when the militia was formed, in 1785, he was elected colonel of the first regiment in the second brigade of the eighth division. Robert Treat of Bangor was major.
When the plantation was incorporated as a town and a post office was established Brewer became the first postmaster in 1800. He held the office for 18 years first in the post office under the name of Orrington; and later under the name of Brewer. His sawmill was one of the first on the river.
John Brewer was married to Miss Martha Graves of East Sunbury, Massachusetts. The couple is believed to have had ten children, two of whom died in infancy. Martha Brewer died in 1808 at the age of sixty-four. In 1810, Col. Brewer was married to Mrs. Ruth Prescott, widow, of Augusta, Maine. In 1818, his second wife died, and in 1819 he again remarried to Mrs. Abigail White of Bucksport. We find the names of Brewer's children playing a prominent part in the story of the growth of the town.
John Brewer died in 1826 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. In the words of an old article regarding him, when he died he left behind him "a prosperous town, the nucleus of the present city; the records of a rugged, masterful, progressive life, and a tombstone in the cemetery."^[6]

Sources

↑ Birth: "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", citing Page: p 77; Digital film/folder number: 007009670; FHL microfilm: 892239; Image number: 46; Packet letter: J; Indexing batch: I00961-5, FamilySearch Record: F4JJ-FN5 (accessed 23 November 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G97M-Y9JG-1, John Brewer born on 26 May 1743, son of Josiah Brewer & Hannah, in Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
↑ Marriage: "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921", citing Digital film/folder number: 007592505; FHL microfilm: 000010580; Image number: 6, FamilySearch Record: Q283-PHNN (accessed 23 November 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-99FP-F9DD-B, John Brewer marriage to Martha Graves on 1 Jun 1769 in Penobscot, Hancock, Maine, United States.
↑ Marriage: "Maine Marriages, 1771-1907", citing Digital film/folder number: 007592505; FHL microfilm: 10580, FamilySearch Record: F4FS-M2S (accessed 23 November 2023), John Brewer marriage to Abigail White on 13 Jul 1819 in Brewer, Penobscot, Maine, United States.
↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image), Find A Grave: Memorial #86413148 (accessed 23 November 2023), Memorial page for Col John Brewer (1742-31 Jul 1825), citing Oak Hill Cemetery, Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine, USA; Maintained by Ben York (contributor 47157501).
↑ Massachusetts. 1896-1908. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War : A Compilation from the Archives. Boston: Wright and Potter Print. Co. State Printers. Volume 2, page 466
↑ Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington: History and Families History by Mildred N. Thayer and Families by Mrs. Edward W. Ames; 1962; 150th Anniversary Committee; ISBN: 083284750X; Page 234-235.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Charlotte Shockey for starting this profile.

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John Brewer (1743 - 1825)

Biography

Sources

Acknowledgments