Brewer's Grocery Owned by James Robert Brewer. Plus Bristol Irene Brewer Huffman, one of our most senior family members

This photo was taken in the 1940s in front of Brewer's Grocery, owned by James Robert Brewer (1886-1956), in Mooresville, NC.  James' family is discussed later in this blog.  Pictured here are Bristol Irene Brewer Huffman (born 1927) on the left and Josie Cochran.  Bristol Irene is the daughter of James Robert. See her picture today on Page 2. Josie is not a direct member of our Brewer family, but we're happy to present her picture.  James Robert cut a door in the master bedroom of his home and built the store connected to the side of the house.

Stories from Our Ancestors

The various genealogy reports about our family are useful and interesting, but most of us also enjoy reading stories.  One of our family members, Susan Johnston Moore, volunteered to periodically provide narratives based on the research into our family. You can read our first story about the life of Lucretia Stout Brewer by clicking each link (in gray or blue) below.  Check this blog in the future as more stories are added.  If you're aware of an interesting story about our family, let us know, and we would be glad to help publish it here.

Family Snapshot: Lucretia Stout Brewer

Ora Una Brewer Connolly Family Stories:  Audio recording originally was transcribed by Sandy Brewer in 1981.  It was converted to digital text by Nancy Brewer Sloop.  The story is written just as Ora stated it.  Where clarification is needed, brackets [ ] are used.

James Paul Brewer's Early Military Service.  This details James Paul Brewer's service during and immediately after World War II in the Naval Reserves and US Navy.  He later continued to serve in the Merchant Marines and earned the rank of Captain.

A Trip to Pikeville, Kentucky.  A branch of our ancestors settled here in the 1860s.  Nancy Brewer Sloop recently made a trip to Pikeville.  Here is the story.

The US Navy Service of Wayne Joseph Brewer (1926-2004).  Wayne had an exciting naval career both during World War II and in the years after the war.  Susan Moore captured his service in this story.

Letters from Our Ancestors

Our family has collected letters written by our ancestors in the 1850s and 1860s.  Those letters have been transcribed, and they are much easier to read.  The majority of these letters were written by members of the Stout family, a significant branch of our ancestors.  By reading them, you’ll learn much about both our family and our nation’s history.  Particularly of interest are the letters concerning the Civil War and how attitudes changed during that period.
 
To read the letters, click on this link:  Letters from Our Ancestors.  You’ll see a series of folders by the various writers.  Click on any folder to read the individual letters by that writer.  You should not need any particular software on your computer.   In each file you’ll see two transcriptions.  The first section is a literal transcription of the letter.  The original language, misspellings, and errors were included.  The second section is an interpretation of what we believe was the author’s original intent.  Be sure to cursor down the page to see both sections.

We have electronic scans of each original letter although they often are challenging to read.  If you’d like to see scans of one or more of the original letters, let us know.

There likely are more letters written by our ancestors in the homes of our family’s descendants today.   By making these transcriptions available to everyone, we hope more descendants will share the letters in their possession .   Your original letters will not be harmed or modified in any way, and they will be returned to you.

Thanks go to Sandy Brewer, wife of Bill Brewer, and to Susan Moore, wife of Jim Moore, for the transcriptions and to Preston Brewer for electronically scanning the original letters.   Their work represented a monumental effort.

 

Harron Bidwell Brewer

Harron Bidwell "Bid" Brewer (1892-1951), son of Jerry Milton Lee Brewer, holds his grandson, Lonnie Watkins Brooks III.  In about 1916, Bid and his family made the move from Alexander County, NC to Lunenberg, VA.  This photo, made in about 1945, is the only photo we have of Bid.  

The following article is from the Statesville Daily Record appearing on June 25, 1951.  Bid died two days after the article was printed.  We hope his brothers were able to visit Bid before his passing.  

Bid Brewer and his wife, Mattie Jane Herrin Brewer (1894-1978), had seven children.  Below is Bid's and Mattie's sole surviving child.  Lessie Lucille Brewer Wagstaff (b. 1924) and her husband Cleveland Wagstaff, Jr. (b. 1922) still live not too far from the homestead of her father in Virginia.  She not only is the most senior member of that branch of the family, Lucille is the most senior member of our Brewer family whom we've identified. 

Our cousin, Nancy Brewer Sloop, made a trip in June 2015 to the area where Bid and Mattie settled in Virginia. She visited with Lucille and her family.  Read about Nancy's experiences by clicking here

Lucretia Stout Brewer's Antiques

Below is an article, dated September 1905, from the Statesville Landmark concerning historic artifacts owned by Lucretia Stout Brewer (1828-1922) wife of Wiley Brewer.  Lucretia and Wiley are ancestors of most of the people reading this blog.  It would be wonderful if we knew where these artifacts, particularly the vest, are today.  We assume Lucretia was speaking of the Stout side of her family.  There have been suggestions the Stouts have a Revolutionary War Patriot in their ancestry. 

Brewer Lane, Mooresville, NC

Most towns have streets named after respected citizens. In Mooresville, NC, Brewer Lane was named by our family! Michael Gene Brewer and Frances Earlene Cockrell, both grandchildren of James Robert Brewer (1886-1956) and Bessie Dean Shoemaker (1888-1964), live in sight of the sign.  Mike named the street when he moved there, and he runs a store near Brewer Lane.  Our Nancy Dianne Brewer Sloop (pictured below) stopped by after the reunion and purely by chance discovered the homes of Mike and Earlene.

2012 Brewer Family reunion

We had another wonderful Brewer reunion at the Covenant AR Presbyterian Church in Statesville on Saturday, June 9, 2012.  Our numbers were small this year likely due to conflicts with high school graduations, but we plan to find a solution for the 2013 reunion.  Below are our family members grouped by ancestry.  Click on any photo for a larger view.

Family of Dewey Samuel Brewer, Sr.:  Standing:  Michael Shannon Brewer, Brent Brewer, Bill Brewer, Bobby Brewer, Willa Dean Brewer Sigmon, Ronald Hill.  Seated:  Vallie Brewer Rogers, Freddie Brewer, Judith Brewer Lance, Gentry Brewer.

Family of Orlando Roy Brewer:  Standing:  Pamela Jean Templeton Collins, Janet Templeton, William Preston, Brewer, Jr.  Seated:  Roy Brewer, Jean Brewer Templeton,  William Preston Brewer, Sr., Rosemary Brewer Ramsey.

Family of Joe Sephus Brewer, Sr.:  Mike Kent Brewer, Sr., Mike Kent Brewer, Jr.

Family of Ora Una Brewer:  Barbara Mayberry Hawks.

Family of Thomas Benjamin Wiley Brewer:  Nancy Brewer Sloop.

Jerry Milton Lee Brewer (1861-1903), husband of Mary Elizabeth Willet and son of Wiley Brewer and Lucretia Stout.  This is the only portrait we have of Jerry.  Nancy Brewer Sloop rescued and scanned the original portrait.  Susan Johnston Moore (wife of James Reid Moore) restored the portrait.  You'll see two versions:  the original damaged graphic and the restored graphic after Susan worked her magic.  We hope you'll find and share such photos or paintings of our ancestors.  Susan would be happy to restore them as she did with Jerry's portrait.  The original versions of your photos or portraits will not be affected.  Send me an e-mail if you have any of these important components of our family's history.

Obituary of Jerry Milton Lee Brewer from 1903 newspaper article:

Death of Mr. Brewer, of Alexander. Corrspondence of The Landmark. Mr. J. L. Brewer, near Grade, Alexander county, died October 8th, 1903, of chronic indigestion. He had been confined for some time. He was about 40 years, was born and raised in a half mile of where he died. He leaves a wife and six children, a mother and one brother--J.P. Brewer, of Grade--and three sisters to mourn their loss. He was buried at Pilgrim church, where he was a member. Grade, N.C., Oct. 14, 1903.

Gentry Lee Brewer

We lost our most senior Brewer descendant on July 17, 2014.  Gentry was born on November 7, 1921. He was the son of Dewey Samuel Brewer (1898-1977); the grandson of Jerry Milton Lee Brewer (1861-1903); and the great grandson of Wiley Brewer (1832-1864).   Gentry lost his wife of 72 years, Billie on March 19, 2014.

Gentry Lee Brewer with his bride Willa Dean Williams Brewer (1926-2014) in the 1940s. 

Gentry Michael Brewer (1945-2013), son of Gentry Lee Brewer and Willa Dean Williams Brewer.  Mike served his nation in the War in Viet Nam.

Family of Shubert Pharis Brewer and their Sacrifice in World War II

James Coite Brewer (1919-1944) and Ernest William Brewer (1926-1945), sons of Shubert Pharis Brewer and Daisy Mae McDaniels Brewer, gave their lives for their country in World War II.  A third brother, Lee Ransom Brewer (1914-1973) was wounded in battle.  See the April 23, 1945 edition of the Statesville Daily Record below about these three sons.  Two other sons, John Woodrow Brewer (1916-1969) and Clifford William Brewer (1924-1971) served their nation in World War II.  That's a total of five sons of Shubert and Daisy who were involved in the War.

Ernest William Brewer (1926-1945).  The picture below appears to have been taken when he was in basic training.

Margaret Amelia Carson Brewer and Sarah Catherine Brewer Meadows

Margaret Amelia Carson Brewer (1867-1940), wife of John Preston Brewer and her sister-in-law, Sarah Catherine "Cas" Brewer Meadows (1857-1920), daughter of Wiley Brewer and Lucretia Stout Brewer and wife of Augustus F. Meadows.

Brewer Family Reunion, June 12, 2011

We had a grand Brewer Family reunion on Sunday, June 12, at the Statesville Civic Center.  About 80 attended--the best attendance in our history.  Below are pictures of the event.  To see a larger version of any picture, just click on it.  If you want a high-resolution photo, let me know. 

Our senior members, the grandchildren of Jerry Milton Lee Brewer and John Preston Brewer

  

Family of Orlando Roy Brewer

Family of Ila Etta Elizabeth Brewer

Family of Dewey Samuel Brewer, Sr.

Family of Izetta Margara Brewer

Family of Joe Sephus Brewer, Sr.

Family of Shubert Pharis Brewer

Family of Thomas Benjamin Wiley Brewer and James Robert Brewer

Several members of the Brewer family were unable to attend our reunion on June 12, but these members got together a couple of months ago.  Below are pictures of the folks who were not with us in June:

Family of Ora Una Brewer

Family of Edna Bonnie Brewer

Family of Maldon Oscar Brewer

 

Shoot Out Between the Duckworth Brothers and the Brewer Brothers

At our mini-reunion in October of 2010, we discussed the shoot out between our ancestors and the Duckworth brothers.  At the request of several family members, below is the newspaper article of August 18, 1892 in the Statesville Landmark.  We believe the Brewer brothers are John Preston and Jerry Lee Brewer.  Our Brewer ancestors were particularly skilled with their pistols.

A UFO is Spotted by Our Ancestor

Samuel Goodwin Stout (1843-1919) was the brother of Sarah Ann Stout Willet and the brother-in-law of Wiley Brewer.  Below is an interesting article from the December 5, 1899 edition of the Statesville Landmark.

John Preston Brewer

John Preston Brewer (1851-1918), son of Wiley and Lucretia Stout Brewer.  He was born in Chatham County, NC, and moved with his family to Alexander County, NC about 1861.  At various times, he was a photographer, sawmill owner, blacksmith, merchant, magistrate, postmaster, and wagon maker.

Sarah Catherine Potts Brewer (1854-1892), John Preston Brewer's first wife.

John Preston Brewer's second wife, Margaret Amelia Carson Brewer (1867-1940).

Sawmill owned and operated by John Preston Brewer

Descendants of John Preston Brewer (1851-1918)

Ora Una Brewer Connolly Family:  
Back row:  John Wade Connolly (1894-1959), Ora Una Brewer Connolly (1896-1983), Marvin Preston Wesley Connolly (1914-1970). Front row:  Robert Wayne Connolly (b. 1925), Margaret Annie Mae Connolly (1919-2000), Edna Pauline Connolly (1921-2011).

Arnie Angus Brewer (1900-1981), son of John Preston Brewer, and Arnie's son, Robert Preston Brewer (1925-2006).

Four of the six children of John Preston Brewer:  Back:  Edna Bonnie Brewer Poole (1907-1985), Izetta Margara Brewer Troutman (1902-1990), and Ora Una Brewer Connolly (1896-1983).  Front:  Arnie Angus Brewer (1900-1981).  Picture likely was taken about 1980.

Ruth Adelia Overcash Brewer (1899-1971), wife of Arnie Angus Brewer, holding son, John E. Brewer (b. 1945), and son Richard Arnold Brewer (1939-1998).

Arnie Angus Brewer's garage in St. Petersburg, FL.  We believe Arnie and his family migrated to Florida from the Alexander and Iredell County area sometime before 1925.

Robert Preston Brewer (1925-2006), son of Arnie Angus Brewer, and his wife Beverly Jean Knotts Brewer (1932-2004)

Thomas Robert Brewer (1953-2009), son of Robert Preston Brewer, and his wife, Marlene.

Edna Pauline Connolly (1921-2011), daughter of Ora Una Brewer Connolly and wife of Chester A. Mayberry, Jr.

Janet Izetta Brewer (1922-1941), daughter of Shubert Pharis and Daisy Mae McDaniels Brewer and wife of George Galliher.  She died in childbirth at only 19 years of age.

Joyce Beatrice Brewer (1933-2008), daughter of Shubert Pharis Brewer, and her husband John Lee Keller (1928-2005)

Larry Carlton Brewer (1905-1979) and his mother, Pearlie Idocus Williams Brewer, wife of Maldon Oscar Brewer

Larry Carlton Brewer served in the US Navy in World War II and Korea

Center, Ora Una Brewer (1896-1983) daughter of John Preston Brewer.  Ora's daughters:  Left, Edna Pauline Connolly (b. 1921) and Right, Margaret Annie Mae Connolly (1919-2000)

Nannie Kishma Brewer (1878-1948), daughter of John Preston Brewer and wife of Thomas Dalton Mayberry, and two of her sons:  Charles Capp Maybery (1895-1975) on the left, and Abraham Lincoln Mayberry (1899-1978) on the right.

Effie Louise Mayberry (1908-1995), daughter of Nannie Kishma Brewer, her husband Cletus Haymore Campbell (1899-1982), and their son, Jimmy Ray Campbell (1930-1993).

Effie Louise Mayberry Campbell (1908-1995) and her sister Eva Estelle Mayberry Gill (1911-2000).

Jimmy Ray Campbell (1930-1993).  In addition to serving his nation in the US Navy, Jimmy was an engineer supporting the USA at the height of our space program.  This included Projects Apollo and Skylab.  Jimmy touched the landing leg of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module which carried the first humans to the surface of the moon.  Today his fingerprint remains on the moon and likely will be there for millions of years.  The first picture shows Jimmy in the late 1940s during his service in the Navy.  The second shows the Apollo team in mission control.  Can you pick out our Jimmy?  Click on the photo to enlarge it

William Thomas Gill (1929-2013), grandson of Nannie Kishma Brewer.  Bill served his nation during two tours in Korea and one tour in Viet Nam.  He retired from the US Army as a Command Sergeant Major.  In the photo, Bill is with his wife of 61 years, Billie Fae Gerard.

Izetta Margara Brewer, daughter of John Preston Brewer and Margaret Amelia Carson.  This photo had "Victory" handscribed along the bottom border.  Was it associated with the end of World War I?

Miles Reid Troutman (1894-1970) and his wife Izetta Margara Brewer (1902-1990).  

Betty Sue Troutman Sharpe (1934-1993), daughter of Miles Reid Troutman and Izetta Margara Brewer.  Betty Sue was injured in an automobile accident in 1949 at age 15.  She became a paraplegic, and her courage and energy are captured in the 1952 article below from the Statesville Daily Record.  In 1970 she married Donald Ray Sharpe.  Click on the image to permit easier reading.

Troutman Family:  1st row:  Betty Sue; 2nd row:  Miles Reid Troutman and Izetta Margara Brewer; 3rd row:  Marilyn, Carson, Lila, and Maxine

Five of the seven children of John Preston and Margaret Amelia Carson Brewer :   From the left:  Izetta Margara Brewer Speece (1902-1990); Ora Una Brewer Connolly (1896-1983); Arnie Angus Brewer (1900-1981); Viola Dorothy Brewer McCurdy (1894-1983); and Edna Bonnie Brewer Poole (1907-1985)

Viola Dorothy Brewer McCurdy on the Paddlewheel Queen in October 1961.

Family of Orlando Roy and Mary Ellen Bailey Brewer:  Roy Maurice Brewer, Margaret Lucille Brewer, Orlando Roy Brewer, William Preston Brewer, Jean LaVerne Brewer, Mary Ellen Bailey Brewer, Hilda Evelyn Brewer, Rosemary Brewer

(in front).

Roy Maurice Brewer (1936-2014), son of Orlando Roy Brewer and Mary Ellen Bailey Brewer.  Roy served his nation in the United States Marine Corps.

Larry Arland Smith (1943-2008), son of Hilda Evelyn Brewer and Woodrow Wilson Smith.

Maldon Oscar (or Oskay) Brewer (1876-1936).  Maldon was the son of John Preston Brewer and John's first wife, Sarah Catherine Potts (1854-1892).

Maxine Verimilla Troutman (1922-1971), on the right, daughter of  Miles Reid Troutman and Izetta Margara Brewer;  Edna Pauline Connolly (b. 1921), on the left, daughter of John Wade Connolly and Ora Una Brewer.  This photo confirms children today are the same as they were 80 or so years ago.  What could be more fun than feeding chickens?