My Family Tree

From the Book "Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight CountyVirginia", by Boddie

chapter XXI.
Brewer of Somerset, London and Isle of Wight.

The Brewer family of Isle of Wight is shown in the Visitation of Londonin 1634 (Harl. Vol. 15, p. 101).

The family begins with William Brewer of Chard in Somerset who married,"Deanes, daughter of Mr. Baker of Crockehern in Somerset." Reference toCollinson's Somerset
(Vol. II, p. 473) finds mention of their monument in the Parish Church atChard bearing the Arms, "Gules, two bends wavy, or," and the followinginscription:

"Here lieth interred (expecting their Saviour) the bodyes of WilliamBrewer of Chard, Phisitian and Deanes his wife, who living forty years inHappy Wedlock, in full of age departed this life, shee dying 8 Nov. 1614and he 24 July 1618, having issue only six sons and five daughters allmen and women growne, and all comforts to them."

The original home of the Brewer family was Isle Brewer in Somerset fromwhich place the family seems to have derived its name and the familycould probably be traced back several generations.

The pedigree shown in the Visitation of London, was signed by JohnBrewer, son of the above William, and the following children of WilliamBrewer of Chard are shown.

1, Peter, son and heir, with children, Peter and Mary

2, William

3, Thomas, m. .......................... Drake and had childrenThomas and John

4. Christopher

5. John, citizen and grocer of London, in Bartholomew Lane, withchildren
John, Francis and Mary

Thomas Brewer, who married a Drake, was the father of John Brewer ofLondon and Virginia and outlived him, for in John's will dated September4th, 1631, he mentions "My father Thomas Brewer." Thomas' wife was asister of Roger Drake of London, for " my uncle Roger Drake, citizen andclothworker of London," is also mentioned in John Brewer's will.

John Brewer eldest son of Thomas of London was a grocer in London butmoved to Virginia before 1630 as he was a Burgess from Warwick in 1629-30(Journals, 1, p. xi.)
He was also a member of the Governor's Council 1632-34. His plantationwas called "Stanley's Hundred" or Brewer's Burrough" and his land inWarwick was adjacent to that of Colonel Miles Cary and Thomas Reade.

John Brewer's mother was a Drake of London and Somerset as previouslyshown and he and his children are mentioned in the will of his uncle JohnDrake of London.

John Brewer died in Virginia in 1635 and his widow soon afterwardsmarried Thomas Butler,

DEATH:

 

DEATH:
Inscription: Gules, two bends wavy, or,
Here lieth interred (expecting their Saviour)
the bodyes of William Brewer of Chard, Phisitian and Deanes his wife, who, living forty years in Happy Wedlock, in full of
age departed this life, shee dying 8 Nov. 1614 and he 24 July, 1618, having issue only six sons and five daughters all men
and women
growne, and all comforts to them."

DEATH: Birthplace: Crockehern, England
Death Date: 07/24/1618
Death Location: Chard, Somerset Co., England
Spouse: Deanes Baker Brewer

DEATH: Cemetery: St. Mary's Church
Location: Chard, Somerset Co., England