Which one married Elizabeth "Betsy" Strong?
I have often seen researchers confuse two North Carolina men by the name of Isaac Brewer. On the surface, it is an easy mistake to make. Both were about the same age and, of course, went by the same name. However, though they are probably closely related, they are clearly not the same person. I will endeavor to explain how I have come to this conclusion.
The one who is most often quoted, because of his extensively detailed Revolutionary War pension file, is the man to whom I made reference on my homepage. Much information is available about his life, for those who are willing to do some digging. This Isaac Brewer, son of Howell Brewer Jr, was born 15 May 1763 in the Creek and Cherokee Nation, in an area that later became Wilkes County, Georgia. He grew up in Chatham County, North Carolina in the vicinity of the Haw River where many of his family lived for generations. This was his place of residence when he enlisted in the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War.
A few years after peace was established, he and his father migrated back to Georgia, this time to the Oconee River region which was then considered to be the frontier. The Oconee, more specifically, formed the border between the white settlements and Indian lands. Here he married his first wife, whose name remains unknown at this time, when he was about 30 years old (ca. 1793). Some mistakenly state that the name of his first wife was Elizabeth "Betsy" Strong, but I will explain below why this cannot possibly be the case.
A few years after peace was established, he and his father migrated back to Georgia, this time to the Oconee River region which was then considered to be the frontier. The Oconee, more specifically, formed the border between the white settlements and Indian lands. Here he married his first wife, whose name remains unknown at this time, when he was about 30 years old (ca. 1793). Some mistakenly state that the name of his first wife was Elizabeth "Betsy" Strong, but I will explain below why this cannot possibly be the case.
Following the death of his first wife, sometime prior to 1800, Isaac remarried. His second wife's given name is Sarah, but her surname has not yet been discovered. It was this woman to whom he remained married until his death in 1852. At some point he moved from Georgia to eastern Tennessee (Blount County). After careful examination of well over 100 handwritten pages in his pension file, I have estimated this migration to have taken place in about 1819. He later moved to McMinn County and then Bradly County before leaving the state and finding a home near his son, Joseph, in close proximity to the community of Silver Run in Talladega County, Alabama. This location is supported by land and census records. It was there, up in the spurs of the mountains on government land, that he lived out the remainder of his days, as indicated in his pension file. His obituary states that he died at home 25 May 1852.
As mentioned above, many erroneously believe that the Isaac Brewer who died in Talladega County, Alabama was the Isaac Brewer who was married to Elizabeth "Betsy" Strong of Hanover County, Virginia. When I first started learning about this family I, too, assumed this was true. However, I have since spent several years researching this man's life and, without any doubt whatsoever, I now believe this to be false.
As far as I have been able to determine, the initial assumption that this Isaac Brewer married Elizabeth "Betsy" Strong was based upon the will of Elizabeth's father, Johnson Strong, ca. 1846. Within this document is mentioned Johnson's daughter, Elizabeth, and son-in-law, Isaac Brewer. There is also a slave transfer to which researchers have referred as evidence. There are so many problems with this conclusion that I hardly know where to start.
First of all, in 1846 this Isaac Brewer was still married to Sarah. In a letter that she had written up in her behalf (she was illiterate and could not do it herself) which was to be sent to the pension office, Sarah clearly stated that she met the widow's pension requirement, namely that she married Isaac Brewer before the year 1800. It is extremely doubtful that he was married to Sarah and Elizabeth at the same time.
Coincidentally, though Johnson Strong enlisted in Virginia during the Revolutionary War, he fought in the same area of North Carolina part of the time as did this Isaac Brewer. Johnson's pension application indicates that he fought in the Battle of Guildford Courthouse. Both men also lived in Georgia for a while after the war. It is easy to see why many have quickly concluded that this Isaac Brewer was the man who married Johnson's daughter, but I digress...
Coincidentally, though Johnson Strong enlisted in Virginia during the Revolutionary War, he fought in the same area of North Carolina part of the time as did this Isaac Brewer. Johnson's pension application indicates that he fought in the Battle of Guildford Courthouse. Both men also lived in Georgia for a while after the war. It is easy to see why many have quickly concluded that this Isaac Brewer was the man who married Johnson's daughter, but I digress...
Secondly, all of the affidavits in Isaac's pension file specifically state that he was dirt poor and never had accumulated much in the way of worldly wealth. There was no way that he could have supported slaves or that he would have had any use for them in his poverty. I have also carefully examined all of the census records that remain, on which he is shown. In none of them (1830 - McMinn County, Tennessee, 1840 - Bradly County, Tennessee, and 1850 - Talladega County, Alabama) does he own any slaves.
Some might assume that he simply sold the transferred slave before the next census was taken, explaining why records do not show him owning any. However, even if this were true, the controversies do not end there. Each of Isaac's residences are discussed in his pension file. It appears that the man who was married to Elizabeth Strong lived in a completely different locale during at least part of his adult life. Namely, he was found in Hardman County in western Tennessee in 1830, 1840 and 1850. The aforementioned Isaac Brewer did not, at any time, live in western Tennessee, though his father and others certainly did.
Also, the 1850 Census of Hardman County states that the latter Isaac Brewer was born in North Carolina, whereas the former Isaac Brewer was born in Georgia, as proven by his pension declaration and the 1850 Census of Talladega County. It is also interesting to note that, though the Talladega County Isaac Brewer is not shown in census records to have had any slaves, the Hardman County Isaac Brewer had two slaves in both 1830 and 1840, and seven slaves (three adults and four children) in 1850, increasing the likelihood that he is the Isaac Brewer that was involved in the slave transfer with Johnson Strong. Additionally, it is very important to recognize that the wife of the Isaac Brewer appearing on the 1850 Hardman County, Tennessee Census was shown to be named Elizabeth.
Also, the 1850 Census of Hardman County states that the latter Isaac Brewer was born in North Carolina, whereas the former Isaac Brewer was born in Georgia, as proven by his pension declaration and the 1850 Census of Talladega County. It is also interesting to note that, though the Talladega County Isaac Brewer is not shown in census records to have had any slaves, the Hardman County Isaac Brewer had two slaves in both 1830 and 1840, and seven slaves (three adults and four children) in 1850, increasing the likelihood that he is the Isaac Brewer that was involved in the slave transfer with Johnson Strong. Additionally, it is very important to recognize that the wife of the Isaac Brewer appearing on the 1850 Hardman County, Tennessee Census was shown to be named Elizabeth.
I have not yet determined the Hardman County Isaac Brewer's parentage. The one who died in Talladega County, Alabama stated in his pension file that he was the son of Howell Brewer. Research indicates that, more specifically, he was the son of Howell Brewer Jr. On a side note, there are many who do not realize that there was a Howell Brewer Jr and a Howell Brewer Sr. Thus, they mistakenly state that this Isaac's mother was either Rebecca Willis or Marian May, In actuality these two ladies were his grandmother and step-grandmother, but that will be discussed in a separate post.
The Hardman County Isaac Brewer, however, might well have been a son of the above mentioned Howell Brewer Sr by his second wife, Marian May. Howell Sr had a large family which spanned quite a number of years, so it appears that he did have children that were about the other Isaac's age even though they were a generation apart. I have seen it listed that one of Howell Sr's children was an Isaac Brewer who was born in about 1764, but I have not spent a great deal of time setting out to prove this. It does seem like a possibility given that he was born in North Carolina, and Howell Sr was living there at that time, whereas Howell Jr was in Georgia.
If Howell Sr is, indeed, the father of the Hardman County Isaac Brewer, that would mean that this Isaac Brewer was the Talladega County Isaac Brewer's uncle (his father's half brother) even though the two Isaac Brewers were about the same age.
If Howell Sr is, indeed, the father of the Hardman County Isaac Brewer, that would mean that this Isaac Brewer was the Talladega County Isaac Brewer's uncle (his father's half brother) even though the two Isaac Brewers were about the same age.
Suffice it to say that the widely known Isaac Brewer, who was born 15 May 1763 in the Creek and Cherokee Nation, in the area that later became Wilkes County, Georgia and died in Talladega County, Alabama 25 May 1852, was NOT married to Elizabeth "Betsy" Strong.
By Mary Andersen (2015)
By Mary Andersen (2015)
Update -
I have attempted to put together a summary of where each family lived during the same time periods, to make this less confusing. I will go ahead and post it below even though it is not yet complete.
I have attempted to put together a summary of where each family lived during the same time periods, to make this less confusing. I will go ahead and post it below even though it is not yet complete.
| Year | Isaac Brewer 1 born 1763 in GA |
Isaac Brewer 2 born 1763 in NC |
Johnson Strong born 1758 in VA |
William Strong born 1781 in VA |
| 1794 | Worthen District, Hancock Co, GA (tax digest) |
Whitfield District, Hancock Co, GA (tax digest) |
-- | -- |
| 1796 | -- | Whitfield District, Hancock Co, GA (tax digest) |
-- | -- |
| 1798 | -- | -- | John Cunningham's District, Jackson Co, GA (tax digest) |
-- |
| 1799 | -- | -- | Strong District Jackson Co, GA (tax digest) |
-- |
| 1801 | David Neals District, Warren Co, GA (tax digest) |
-- | Preston Reynold's Dist, Jackson Co, Ga (tax digest) |
-- |
| 1809 | William Hayes Dist, Jackson Co, GA (tax digest) |
-- | -- | -- |
| 1812 | Jackson Co, Georgia | -- | Contract that slaves would go to William if Johnson hadn't split them among his children before his death | -- |
| 1817 | Jackson Co, Georgia | -- | Missouri | -- |
| 1818 | Jackson Co, Georgia --did not ever live in Missouri-- |
-- | While in Missouri --slave transfer to Isaac Brewer, who'd married daughter, Elizabeth Strong-- Then moved to Alabama |
-- |
| 1820 | Blount Co, Tennessee (pension file) |
Son born in Missouri | Alabama (court records) |
-- |
| 1830 | McMinn Co, Tennessee --no slaves-- (census) |
Hardeman Co, Tennessee --2 slaves-- (census) |
Fayette Co, Alabama --11 slaves-- (census) |
-- |
| 1840 | Bradley Co, Tennessee --no slaves-- (census) |
Hardeman Co, Tennessee --2 slaves-- (census) |
Fayette Co, Alabama --9 slaves-- (census) |
Fayette Co, Alabama --9 slaves-- (census) |
| 1850 | Talladega Co, Alabama --wife Sarah age 80 from Georgia-- --no slaves-- (census) |
Hardeman Co, TN --wife Elizabeth age 74 from Virginia (Elizabeth literate. Isaac 2 was not)-- --7 slaves-- |
Deceased | Died before Johnson Strong, according to the court record |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
In 1812 Johnson and his son William Strong made a deal that William could have all of his slaves and property upon Johnson's death if he had not split them among his other children first. He also reserved the right to use them during his lifetime. In 1818 Johnson deeded some slaves to his daughter Elizabeth Strong and her husband Isaac Brewer. They rented the slaves back to Johnson for his use during his lifetime. Later, there was a lawsuit, seemingly because William Strong thought he had rights to the slaves that had been given to Elizabeth and Isaac. This is outlined in Report of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Alabama, Volume 17, pages 706-714
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