From the pension and census records, indication is that John R. Brewer was born in Alabama between 1817-1820. As you can see from the tombstone below, his birth is listed as December 18, 1818, the date that I'm using. We do know that his wife, Cynthia, did live in Jackson Co., Alabama about the time they would have married.Although at this time, we have no proof of the parentage of John R. Brewer, strong circumstantial evidence does point to James W. Brewer who was in Jackson Co., Alabama by 1825 and died about 1855-1856. His probabte does mention a son, John and this James did buy land near the village of Swaim (Larkin's Ford) - the same village mentioned in the pension application of John R. Brewer.
Cynthia Hall
Cynthia Hall was born about 1817 in Alabama and was the daughter of Thomas Hall and Sarah Milly Williams. As you can see from the census records below, when her father died in 1840, Sarah lived with Cynthia and John R. Brewer, even migrating to Missouri with them. A sister, Lydia (Hall) Stogsdill also made the trip to Missouri.
Sarah Angeline Pierce
About a year after Cynthia died, John R. Brewer married Sarah A. Pierce, a widow who was almost 19 years younger than he was. At the time of their marriage, John was about 71, while Sarah was about 52. Sarah had been widowed twice before.Sarah was born October 22, 1837 in Tennessee and died September 2, 1930 in Randolph Co., Arkansas. She was buried at Johnston Cemetery in Randolph County.
She had married first Benjamin Franklin 'Frank' Redwine on July 9, 1860 in Randolph Co., Arkansas. Just two years after they were married, her husband, died in the civil war on September 9, 1862. Sarah had one son, Thomas Jesse Redwine born January 23, 1861 Randolph Co., AR by Frank.
Sarah, being a young widow with a young son, married again about 1869 in Randolph Co., Arkansas to William Douglas. He was a widower himself with several young children and was 16 years her senior. The 1880 census shows Sarah, again a widow, with her two children.
We do have these census records for Sarah (before her marriage to John R. Brewer)
1860 - Randolph Co., AR, Little Black Twp, page 63,#71
--enumerated August 18, 1860Benjamin F. REDWINE 22 M farmer NC Sarah A. 22 F housekeeper Tenn Nancy REDWINE 46 F housekeeper India1870 -Randolph Co., AR, Little Black, written page 28, #202-218
--enumerated September 2, 1870Wm. DOUGLAS 49 m w farmer TN Sarah 32 f w keeping house TN Ellen 25 f w IL Martha 22 f w IL Mary Jane 18 f w IL Dora 11 f w Il Clemens 6 m w IL Thos Jesse 9 m w ILMY NOTE:
Sarah and William were newlyweds at the time of this census. Thos Jesse is actually Sarah's son, and his last name should be Redwine.1880 - Randolph Co., AR, Little Black, page 42B
Sarah DOUGLAS Self W Female W 43 TN Housekeeper TN NC T. J. REDWINE Son S Male W 18 AR Farmer KY TN John DOUGLAS Son S Male W 4 AR KY TN
John R. Brewer applied for a government pension based upon his service in the Indian Wars in 1836-1837 and the application was rejected. However, his second wife, after John's death, applied and was successful.Copies of the pension file, containing forms and affidavits filed by John and later by Sarah, can be found in the National Archives.John enlisted in the military at approximately 18 years of age. In his affidavit, John stated that for 18 years immediately preceding his enlistment in September of 1836
"I resided in Jackson Co., Alabama my post-office was Larkins Fork". (An 1868 map of Jackson Co.,, Alabama, indicates that the village later known as Swaim was, in 1868, and probably earlier, known as Larkin's Fork.) An affidavit signed by John R. Brewer's second wife, after his death, stated "that Mr. Brewer claimed he was born in the state of Alabama, the exact date being in doubt, but supposed to be about the year 1817".
Sally HALL --1 male 20-30 --1 female under 5 --1 female 15-20 --1 female 40-50
MY NOTES:
Ancestry as transcribed this name as Sully Hall, but I believe the name should be Sally Hall. Sarah Milly (Williams) Hall husband,Thomas Hall, died 1840 in Jackson Co., Alabama. I believe Sally is the female, age 40-50 (probably 50 - see census records below), the male age 20-30 would be John R. Brewer, the female age 15-20 would be Cynthia (Hall) and the female under age 5 would be Cela.Two doors away is Josiah Stogsdill family and next to him is the William Stogsdill family. Josiah Stogsdill had married Lydia Hall, sister to Cynthia (Hall) Brewer, and William Hall, Josiah's father, was married to Malinda 'Linny' Couch. Both of these families ended up in Dade-Oregon County, Missouri, very near John R. Brewer family.
John Bruer 30 AL Cintha 30 AL Cela 10 AL Sarah 7 MO Martha 5 MO ------(believe this should be Margaret - see 1860 census) Mary 4 MO Becky 6/12 MO Sarah Hall 60 TN
James R Brewer 40 AL (should be John R) Cynthia 40 AL Sarah E 17 MO Margaret 15 MO Mary J 14 MO Rebecca M 11 MO Emily 9 MO John W 5 MO
MY NOTE: John R. is listed as James R. Also Heritage transcribed his last name as Brown
Deed Abstracts -Pg. 612
Joseph T. and Rozeta Catherine Holt of Orgeon Co. to John R. Brewer 17 Nov 1865 $375.00 S 1/2 of lot #1 of SW 1/4 section 39 and N 1/2 of lot #1 & lot #2 of NW 1/4 section 31 T22N 2W, 130 41/100 acres,
Signed: Joseph T Holt, Rozeta C. Holt, Robert Allison, J.P
MY NOTE: This is Joseph Thomas Holt who married Catharine Simmons.
Deed Abstracts - Pg. 612
Joseph T. and Rozeta Catherine Holt of Orgeon Co. to John R. Brewer 17 Nov 1865 $375.00 S 1/2 of lot #1 of SW 1/4 section 39 and N 1/2 of lot #1 & lot #2 of NW 1/4 section 31 T22N 2W, 130 41/100 acres,
Signed: Joseph T Holt, Rozeta C. Holt, Robert Allison, J.P
JNO. R. BREWER Farmer, $800, $800 M 52 AL Sintha Keeps House F 52 AL Rebeca F 20 MO Jno. W. M 14 MO James M 13 TN Sarah HALL F 81 TN
BREWER, JOHN R. Head Farmer m M 62 AL KY TN
Cynthia Wife KpHse m F 62 AL TN TN
Wilkerson, R. Dau Wd F 30 MO AL AL
John F. Grandson M 8 MO AR MO
Rufus M. Grandson M 4 MO AR MO
Berry C. Grandson M 1 MO AR MO
Hall, Sarah M. Mother-in-law Wd F 89 TN NC NC
Sarah A. BREWER head w f Oct 1837 62 wd 2 children-2 alive TN TN NC pensioner
Sarah A. BREWER head f w 72 wd 2 children 2 alive TN TN NC Arnold DUGLAS gson m w 12 s AR AR AR Alice L. gdau f w 11 s AR AR AR
These pictures were photographed by Lanita (Scounce). In the background, you can see the church. The grave just to the left of John R. Brewer is Joseph Looney (1846-1887) who was married to Mary Jane Stubblefield.If John's 1st wife, Cynthia (Hall) is buried here, then it is unmarked. John's second wife, Sarah, is buried at the Johnston Cemetery, at Renyo, Randolph Co., AR.
A transcription of this cemetery was done by Lee and Betty Tucker and can be found on her Randolph Co., Arkansas Cemetery site.
Descendants, with many photos, are continued on the Jobe site.My 'Own' Jobe Branch - Southeastern Missouri and Northeastern Arkansas
