TIMELINE OF LIFE EVENTS
WITH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Vital records are next to impossible to find given the time periods and places in which Elizabeth lived. However, I will endeavor to show what evidence I can of the various events that she would have lived through and who her parents were, as well as my reasoning for reaching various conclusions. I hope you enjoy browsing through these valuable records and getting a feel for what her life might have been like.
Proof of Parentage
Father - Isaac Brewer (1763-1852)
Mother - Sarah (about 1773-1854)
The following four documents, to my estimation, give clear, first hand, indication that Elizabeth and Joseph were siblings and that both were the children of Isaac and Sarah Brewer. At this time Sarah's maiden name is unknown.
The first document is part of Elizabeth's affidavit, given in 1851 concerning her father's military service. It included the following statement which proves who he was: "Elizabeth Brewer... saith that she had always from earliest childhood understand that her Father Isaac Brewer, the claimant for a Pension in this case, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War..."
The second document is the latter portion of the first. At the bottom of the page begins the affidavit of Joseph Brewer wherein this statement is made: "Joseph Brewer... saith that he well remembers that the said Buckhannon alluded to in his sister's statement above was a reputable old soldier..." This clearly indicates that Elizabeth was his sister. Notice also that the previous document shown below states that Joseph Brewer was a son of Isaac and Sarah Brewer, thus again proving that Elizabeth's parents were Isaac and Sarah Brewer.
In the third document, a portion of a letter which was written in 1853 in behalf of Isaac Brewer's widow, Sarah Brewer, the following declaration was made regarding Isaac's will: "... and in that will he left that claim, should any thing be allowed, to me my lifetime & to the use of me and a sickly daughter or ours, and also some other things which be thought would aid us in our helpless situation to live. This offended a contrary & headstrong son of ours & he is trying & has been to prevent the will, & mar my claim..." It is helpful to note that, in the last census (1850), the only person living with Isaac and Sarah was Elizabeth. The next page gives the son's name as Joseph Brewer.
The first document is part of Elizabeth's affidavit, given in 1851 concerning her father's military service. It included the following statement which proves who he was: "Elizabeth Brewer... saith that she had always from earliest childhood understand that her Father Isaac Brewer, the claimant for a Pension in this case, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War..."
The second document is the latter portion of the first. At the bottom of the page begins the affidavit of Joseph Brewer wherein this statement is made: "Joseph Brewer... saith that he well remembers that the said Buckhannon alluded to in his sister's statement above was a reputable old soldier..." This clearly indicates that Elizabeth was his sister. Notice also that the previous document shown below states that Joseph Brewer was a son of Isaac and Sarah Brewer, thus again proving that Elizabeth's parents were Isaac and Sarah Brewer.
In the third document, a portion of a letter which was written in 1853 in behalf of Isaac Brewer's widow, Sarah Brewer, the following declaration was made regarding Isaac's will: "... and in that will he left that claim, should any thing be allowed, to me my lifetime & to the use of me and a sickly daughter or ours, and also some other things which be thought would aid us in our helpless situation to live. This offended a contrary & headstrong son of ours & he is trying & has been to prevent the will, & mar my claim..." It is helpful to note that, in the last census (1850), the only person living with Isaac and Sarah was Elizabeth. The next page gives the son's name as Joseph Brewer.
The last image contains additional proof of Elizabeth's parentage: "The name of my son alluded to is Joseph Brewer & I further say that myself and the said Isaac Brewer was married before 1800." Remember that Elizabeth was born in 1809.
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1809 (Birth)
Captain William Hays’ District, Jackson County, Georgia
Elizabeth's birth year was estimated from the 1850 Census (shown below on the left), at which time she was 41 years old, on or before 12 Dec 1850. It is also interesting to note that Elizabeth and her parents were illiterate. This was very common for people that grew up during times of war, or for those raised on the frontier.
Her birthplace was determined according to where her father, Isaac, was living in 1809. His pension papers (see image below on the right) indicate that he was in Jackson County well before 1809. The following statement was made therein: "This service he thinks was performed somewhere between 1798 and 1800... From this time up to the War of 1812 with Great Brittain he says that he engaged in domestic life with his family, and moved from Warren County Georgia to Jackson County in the up country..."
Isaac appears in the Georgia tax records for Captain William Hays’ District in Jackson County in 1809 (see middle image below). Isaac's whereabouts are not a complete indication of where Elizabeth's mother was when she gave birth to her, but it gives us a pretty good idea. Isaac's statement about spending time with his family between 1800 and 1812 suggests that they all lived together during this time.
Her birthplace was determined according to where her father, Isaac, was living in 1809. His pension papers (see image below on the right) indicate that he was in Jackson County well before 1809. The following statement was made therein: "This service he thinks was performed somewhere between 1798 and 1800... From this time up to the War of 1812 with Great Brittain he says that he engaged in domestic life with his family, and moved from Warren County Georgia to Jackson County in the up country..."
Isaac appears in the Georgia tax records for Captain William Hays’ District in Jackson County in 1809 (see middle image below). Isaac's whereabouts are not a complete indication of where Elizabeth's mother was when she gave birth to her, but it gives us a pretty good idea. Isaac's statement about spending time with his family between 1800 and 1812 suggests that they all lived together during this time.
Note that Isaac said that Jackson County was in the up country, a phrase used to indicate that it was in the inland hills where the middle class land owners lived, rather than along the coast where the larger plantations of the wealthy were located.
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| 1851 Declaration of Isaac Brewer (Pension Papers) - States that he joined the Silver Grays and then hired out as a teamster & was received into service (War of 1812) Image Source ➚ |
1812 (age 3)
Father joined Silver Grays in GA - War of 1812
I would guess that Elizabeth was too young to remember much about this, and it is my understanding that Isaac remained close to home during this time and would have only been gone when his company was doing drills or training new recruits, since the Silver Grays were never called upon to fight.
The document to the right is part of Isaac Brewer's declaration given in 1851 of his military service, as found in his pension file. The following portion refers to his time with the Silver Grays: "... being used to a soldier's life went again in the service. While in said [Jackson] County there was a great call for soldiers, and he being off of the muster lists years back, encouraged up and joined a company of silver grays, which were old grey headed men who still gelt patriotic, and determined to show that if the country needed them they were ready - also to excite younger persons. This company was not called for however, and he restless to be in service, hired himself to two men by the name of Pentecost & Lowry to drive a team in said service..."
Father enlisted for two tours of duty during the War of 1812
As mentioned above, Elizabeth's father became restless to be of service during the war. When the Silver Grays was not called into service, he hired himself out as a teamster and then "went on to Fort Hawkins on the Oakmulgy [sic Ocmulgee] River on the frontier of Georgia, and then was received into the service in March & to the best of his recollection in 1814 for three months and actually performed said service, under the command of Capt Simons who was the Capt of the waggon yard... The places they sent him to alternately was Fort Decator, Fort Mitchel, Fort Hull, Fort Lawrence, Fort Bainbridge and Fort Jackson all in the Indian Country - or Creek nation but now in Georgia and Alabama." So this service was from about March to May of 1814. It appears that he, then, returned home for a few months to tend to his family and farm in Jackson County. "The next service he engaged in was as a substitute for one John Ore of Jackson County Georgia which he went into about the first of Nov 1814 for the term of 6 months... and went to Mobil [now in Alabama] and served the term out there which service ended the war & peace was made. He received his discharge and returned home about the 1st of April 1815, which ended his service as a soldier in the Battles of his Country." (taken from the above image and the one to the right)
The document to the right is part of Isaac Brewer's declaration given in 1851 of his military service, as found in his pension file. The following portion refers to his time with the Silver Grays: "... being used to a soldier's life went again in the service. While in said [Jackson] County there was a great call for soldiers, and he being off of the muster lists years back, encouraged up and joined a company of silver grays, which were old grey headed men who still gelt patriotic, and determined to show that if the country needed them they were ready - also to excite younger persons. This company was not called for however, and he restless to be in service, hired himself to two men by the name of Pentecost & Lowry to drive a team in said service..."
1814-1815 (age 5-6)
Father enlisted for two tours of duty during the War of 1812
and was gone from home for a total of 9 months
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| 1851 Declaration of Isaac Brewer (War of 1812) - States that was a substitute soldier for 6 months and was sent to Alabama, and discharged in 1815 Image Source ➚ |
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| 1851 - Elizabeth's Affidavit of Isaac's Service - States that she remembers him being gone all those and watching him leave with his knapsack and return with is, during the War of 1812 Image Source ➚ |
Unlike the time when Elizabeth's father was in the Silver Grays, we know for certain that she remembered his absence during these two tours of duty, even many years later. In one of her two 1851 affidavits found in Isaac's pension file, the following was stated regarding this time: "Elizabeth Brewer... deposeth and saith, that she well remembers that Isaac Brewer the claimant for service rendered in the War of 1812, did leave home for the purpose of driving the team in said service as he states in his declarations, and that he staid away from home some months, then returned home from said service, that she believes he performed the said service as he states, and that he staid at home but a short time and went back to the wars again as a substitute in the place of the said John Ore alluded to in the claimant's statements Page 11& 12, and that he staid away some 6 months or more, and again returned home, and that she honestly believes did serve as he states. She says he started with his knapsack, and accoutriments [sic accoutrements (supplies)] and returned home with them." (see image on the right) One can only image her feelings as she watched him leave, possibly a mixture of sadness, pride and uncertainty as to whether she would ever see him again.
1819 (age 10)
Moved from Jackson County, Georgia to Blount County,Tennessee
Her father stated in his pension papers that when he left Georgia he moved his family to Blount County in East Tennessee. His uncle, William Brewer, had moved there over 15 years before and it was a beautiful area in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of the Appalachian Range. As far as I can figure the move took place in about 1819, probably following the nationwide financial panic of that year.
Isaac's account goes as follows: "He then led a domestic life with his family in the callings of farming, carpentering & millwriting as before mentioned. Not long after this he moved to Tennessee in the Eastern part of it & there followed his said business sometimes adding mill keeping to it..." (see second image below)
His earlier account is shown in the first image, shown below, in which it is stated: "From thence he was removed to Chatham County No. Carolina where he resided until he was twenty for or five years old [ca. 1787-1788]. He then moved to Hancock County in the state of Georgia where he resided upwards of twenty years. He then removed to Blount and afterward to McMinn County, Tennessee in which last state resided until about five years ago [ca. 1841]..." This is much more generalized than his later account, given in 1851, in which he clearly outlines moving to Georgia from North Carolina in 1790 or 1791 rather than 1787 or 1788, and living in several counties there rather than only in Hancock. The events while in Georgia, to which he alludes in the 1851 account, cover about 1790-1815 and a bit beyond, which is at least 25 years rather than the 20 years he mentioned in his 1846 declaration.
There are several possible reasons for these differences. One is that he gave his first account in open court in Talladega (after traveling there, which would have been taxing) and he may have been nervous or unwilling to take up too much time. It is also possible that the judge was trying to hurry him along. During the second account he was appearing, instead, before the local justice of the piece, a neighbor of his. This would have meant that he could take his time and ponder as needed, and that he was much more comfortable with the setting. It was also determined, after his first attempt at getting a pension was fruitless, that he needed to go into more detail. It makes complete sense to my why he gave a more thorough account the second time around, and I am very glad that he did! Anyhow, going off of his latest declaration, it would put his departure from Georgia fairly soon after he returned from the war in 1815, after farming for a while, possibly several years. After researching migrations for that area during that time, and going through some of the history of what was going on, I would put his departure from Georgia in about 1819.
His earlier account is shown in the first image, shown below, in which it is stated: "From thence he was removed to Chatham County No. Carolina where he resided until he was twenty for or five years old [ca. 1787-1788]. He then moved to Hancock County in the state of Georgia where he resided upwards of twenty years. He then removed to Blount and afterward to McMinn County, Tennessee in which last state resided until about five years ago [ca. 1841]..." This is much more generalized than his later account, given in 1851, in which he clearly outlines moving to Georgia from North Carolina in 1790 or 1791 rather than 1787 or 1788, and living in several counties there rather than only in Hancock. The events while in Georgia, to which he alludes in the 1851 account, cover about 1790-1815 and a bit beyond, which is at least 25 years rather than the 20 years he mentioned in his 1846 declaration.
There are several possible reasons for these differences. One is that he gave his first account in open court in Talladega (after traveling there, which would have been taxing) and he may have been nervous or unwilling to take up too much time. It is also possible that the judge was trying to hurry him along. During the second account he was appearing, instead, before the local justice of the piece, a neighbor of his. This would have meant that he could take his time and ponder as needed, and that he was much more comfortable with the setting. It was also determined, after his first attempt at getting a pension was fruitless, that he needed to go into more detail. It makes complete sense to my why he gave a more thorough account the second time around, and I am very glad that he did! Anyhow, going off of his latest declaration, it would put his departure from Georgia fairly soon after he returned from the war in 1815, after farming for a while, possibly several years. After researching migrations for that area during that time, and going through some of the history of what was going on, I would put his departure from Georgia in about 1819.
They would have taken the Federal Road from Athens or Jefferson, Georgia, likely traveling by team and wagon, and would have had to secure passports prior to their departure since they were to be passing through Indian lands during their journey. As the crow flies, the journey was roughly 150 miles. However, obviously the road was not straight so it would have been much farther than that (see my map below). I doubt that Elizabeth ever forgot the wonder of the new sights she beheld or, possibly, the monotony of this long journey of her youth. She was described years later, as mentioned above, as sickly. If her condition was a lifelong one, which is purely speculation, this would have been a rather difficult trip and she would have spent more time in the wagon, while many of her age would have walked much of the way.
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Wow, this is really well researched. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Wyatt!
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