Brower/Brewer Surname

Adam Brouwer was born circa 1620, probably in Holland or in Germany. He died on April 15, 1693 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.

There is debate as to the origin of Adam Brouwer. On his marriage record he is described as being from Cologne, Germany. If he was of German origin his given name may have originally been Adolph Brouwer. For whatever the reason, as a youth he joined the Dutch West India Company. Apparently in 1641 he traveled to Brazil aboard the ship "Swol." The following year in 1642 he immigrated to New Netherlands.

Adam was married at the Reformed Dutch Church in New York, NY, to Magdalena Verdon on March 21, 1644/5. They had 15 children together: Pieter (see next generation), Matthys, Willem, Maria, Jacobus, Fytie, Helena, Adam, Aeltje, Sara, Abraham, Nicholaes, Rachel, Anna, and Daniel. At one time Adam helped to build and operate a flour mill at what is now Brooklyn, New York. Adam is said to have died in the year 1693, probably in what is now New York City.

Magdalena was the daughter of Jacob Verdon and Maria Thomase.

1	Pieter Brouwer

Pieter Brouwer was born in about August or September of 1646 in New Amsterdam (now New York City), New York. He died after October 10, 1700.

Father: Adam Brouwer
Mother: Magdalena Jacobs Verdon

He was baptized there in the Reformed Dutch Church on September 23, 1646. Pieter was the oldest of 15 children of Adam and Magdalena Brouwer, but apparently was also something of a trouble maker. Pieter was cut off from his father's will of 1692 but with knowledge that his children would inherit his share of his parent's property. Pieter married in about 1671 to Petronella Kleyn. There is record that sometime after the marriage the family lived at Schenectady in Albany County, New York. They appear to have lived in a variety of places in New York including Brooklyn in 1697.

Pieter and Petronella had 10 children: Abraham (see next generation), Uldrick, Magdalena, Vroutje, Johannes, Cornelia, Jacob, Maria, Antje, and Adriaentje. By the year 1700 Pieter had moved to New Jersey, where he probably settled with his sons in Bergen County. He died after 1700.

Petronella was the daughter of Uldrick Kleyn and Baefje Pieters.

1	Abraham Brouwer
2	Uldrick Brouwer
3	Magdalena Brouwer
4	Vroutje Brouwer
5	Johannes Brouwer
6	Cornelia Brouwer
7	Jacob Brouwer
8	Maria Brouwer
9	Antje Brouwer
10	Adriaentje Brouwer

Abraham Brouwer was born in about 1675 probably in Schenectady, Albany County, New York. He died after March 29, 1725 in Hackensack, Bergen Co., New Jersey.

Father: Pieter Brouwer
Mother: Petronella Uldrickse Clein

Abraham lived in a variety of places with his family in New York before they apparently settled in Brooklyn. In the late 1690's Abraham moved to New Jersey. At the Reformed Dutch Church of Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey, Abraham married to Lea Demarest on March 29, 1700. Abraham and Lea had 10 children: David (see next generation), Petrus, Johannes, Samuel, Jacobus, Lea, Lea, Rachel, Daniel, and Maria.

Abraham was by occupation a weaver and lived in Hackensack for the remainder of his life. He wrote his will on March 29, 1725, which was proven on April 19, 1726. His widow Lea afterwards married Roelof Westervelt in 1731.

Lea was the daughter of Jean Demarest and Jacomina De Ruine.

1	David Brouwer
2	Petrus Brouwer was baptized on May 24, 1701.
3	Johannes Brouwer was baptized on May 2, 1703.
4	Samuel Brouwer was baptized on February 18, 1704/5.
5	Jacobus Brouwer was baptized on May 1, 1709.
6	Lea Brouwer was baptized on April 8, 1711.
7	Lea Brouwer was baptized on August 22, 1714.
8	Rachel Brouwer was baptized on December 9, 1716.
9	Daniel Brouwer was baptized on July 5, 1719.
10	Maria Brouwer was baptized on November 19, 1721.

David Brouwer was born before January 16, 1706/7 in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey, the date that he was baptized in the Reformed Dutch Church there. He died after 1758.

Father: Abraham Brouwer
Mother: Lea Demarest

David was married in about 1732 to Jannetje Harte. They began living at Schraalenburgh in Bergen County, New Jersey and used the Dutch Church there. They remained there until the mid 1740's, when David moved to New York, New York. David and Jannetje had 11 children: Abraham, Jacobus, David, Trientje, Johannes, Lea, Maria, Peter (see next generation), Rachel, Jakob, and Samuel. David and his wife both died sometime after 1758.

Jannetje was the daughter of Jacob Harte and Tryntje Straatmaker

1	Abraham Brouer was baptized on October 21, 1733 in Schraalenburgh, Bergen Co., New Jersey.
2	Jacobus Brouer was baptized on February 15, 1736.
3	David Brouer was baptized on September 3, 1738 in Schraalenburgh, Bergen Co., New Jersey.
4	Trientje Brouer was baptized on May 31, 1741 in Schraalenburgh, Bergen Co., New Jersey.
5	Johannes Brouer was baptized on February 12, 1743/4 in Schraalenburgh, Bergen Co., New Jersey.
6	Lea Brouer was born on January 5, 1746/7 in New York, New York Co., New York.
7	Maria Brouer was baptized on March 11, 1751/2 in New York, New York Co., New York.
8	Peter Brouer
9	Rachel Brouer was baptized on April 25, 1756 in New York, New York Co., New York.
10	Jakob Brouer was baptized on May 15, 1757 in New York, New York Co., New York.
11	Samuel Brouer was born on June 4, 1758 in Schraalenburgh, Bergen Co., New Jersey.

Peter Brouer was baptized on April 12, 1754 in New York, New York Co., New York. He died between April - November 1830 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York.

Father: David Brouwer
Mother: Jannetje Harte

He was baptized in the Reformed Dutch Church of New York on April 12, 1754. Sometime in his youth Peter moved to Columbia County, New York, where he settled at the town of Claverack. It was probably there that he was married to Maritje (Maria) Herder in about 1774. Peter and Maritje had 10 children: David (see next generation), Maria, Petrus, Michael, Benjamin, Janetje, Samuel, Johannes, Abraham, and Gertje.

Peter was a farmer in Claverack and a devout member of the Reformed Church there. His wife Maritje died in Claverack during the 1810's. Peter wrote his will on April 10, 1830 and died between then and November 29, 1830, which is the date that his will was proven.

Maritje was the daughter of Michael Herder and Maria Rees of Claverack, New York.

1	David Peter Brower
2	Maria Brower was born on July 27, 1778 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 5. She died after 1842 in New York. She married first John Herder circa 1797 in New York. (He was born on May 6, 1780 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York and died between 1798-1800 in New York.) They had one child: Comertje Herder (1798-???) md. David Neeley She married second Lawrence L. Land on June 1, 1800 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 8. (He was born on April 23, 1781 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York and died before November 14, 1837 in Durham, Greene Co., New York.) They had eleven children: Maria Land (1801-1860's) md. 1st. George William Hess md. 2nd. James Hood Laurance Land (1802-???) md. Caroline Hess Christina Land (1804-1879) md. 1st. Ezra Benton md. 2nd. Daniel Hood Johannes Casparus Land (1806-???) Jane Gitty Land (1808-???) md. Thomas Dewey Petrus Brower Land (1810-???) Mickel Abraham Land (1813-???) md. Cornelia Hess Elizabeth Cathlin Land (1816-1897) md. Wiley Eighmey David Land (1818-???) William Land (1819-???) Jeremiah Land (1822-???) md. Jane She married third Caspar Sheffer Dobbs on April 30, 1842 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York. (He was born on August 18, 1782 in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., New York.)
3	Petrus (Peter) Brower was born on March 18, 1781 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. He died between 1850 and 1860 in Livingston, Columbia Co., New York. He married Mary (Polly) Weaver on about November 15, 1812 8. (She was born circa 1790 in New York 9 and died between 1860-1870 in Livingston, Columbia Co., New York.) They had five children: Margaret Carolina Brower (1815-???) Henry Brower (1818-1870's) md. Caroline Anna Maria Brower (1820-???) John Benjamin Brower (1821-???) md. Eunice Weisel Brower (c. 1828-???)
4	Michael Brower was born on September 22, 1783 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. He died before 1830.
5	Benjamin Brower was born on January 11, 1786 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 7. He died before 1830.
6	Jannetje (Jane) Brower was born on May 4, 1788 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. She died between 1850 and 1860 in Shandaken, Ulster Co., New York. She married Michael McCann on October 16, 1822 8. (He was born circa 1795 in Ireland 9 and died between 1850-1860 in Shandaken, Ulster Co., New York.) They had three children: Peter McCann (c. 1823-???) md. Sarah Edward McCann (c. 1827-???) md. Johannah Abraham McCann (c. 1829-???) md. Margaret
7	Samuel Brower was born on June 28, 1791 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. He died after 1860 in Webster, Monroe Co., New York. He married Elizabeth Hess on December 11, 1810 in New York 5. (She was born on February 17, 1789 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2 and died after 1860 in Webster, Monroe Co., New York.) They had the following children: Petrus Brower (1811-???) Michel Hess Brower (1813-1866) md. Eliza M. Maria Brower (1815-???) Margreth Brower (1818-???) unknown male Brower (c. 1820-???) Cornelia Brower (1822-1866) md. John Drake Caroline E. Brower (c. 1833-???)
8	Johannes (John) Brower was born on November 3, 1793 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. He died after 1830.
9	Abraham Brower was born on April 24, 1796 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. He died after 1870 in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., New York. He is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery, Valatie, Columbia Co., New York He married Letitia (Letty) Smith on about April 19, 1824. (She was born circa 1804 in New York 9 and died after 1870 in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., New York. She is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery, Valatie, Columbia Co., New York.) They had at least four children: Maria Brower (c. 1828-???) John Brower (c. 1829-???) Peter Brower (c. 1835-???) Abraham Brower (c. 1839-???)
10	Gertrude (Getty) Brower was born on October 30, 1798 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. She died on September 29, 1885 10 in Stockport, Columbia Co., New York. She is buried in the Claverack Reformed Dutch Church Cemetery, Claverack, Columbia Co., New York. She married first Vernon Gardner between 1818 and 1822 in New York. (He died between 1826-1847 in New York.) They had the following children: Maria Gardner (1822-1897) Susan Champlain Gardner (1824-???) Jane Eliza Gardner (1826-???) Peter Gardner (c. 1829-???) md. Mary She married second Richard Race on May 22, 1847 in Valatie, Columbia Co., New York 5. (He was born circa 1789 in New York 9 and died on March 21, 1863 10 in Stockport, Columbia Co., New York. He is buried in the Claverack Reformed Dutch Church Cemetery, Claverack, Columbia Co., New York.)

David Peter Brower was baptized on July 28, 1776 in Claverack, Columbia County, New York ². He probably died between 1830-1840 in Delaware Co., New York.

Father: Peter Brower
Mother: Maritje Herder

David was named after his paternal grandfather, who along with Natge Witmar (???), were the sponsors/witnesses to his baptism. David apparently spent all of his formative years in the town of Claverack, New York. At some point after his marriage to Catharina Miesig/Mesick in 1801, he decided to move away from Claverack. Over the next fourteen years, David and his wife had five of their children baptized at the Reformed Dutch Church in Claverack (in 1802, 1805, 1809, 1811 and 1815). Despite this presence in Claverack, they had moved away from that area, probably in 1807. David and his family settled in Delaware County, New York; in a part of the town of Kortright that became Davenport in 1817. There, they lived near the village of Davenport Center. They took out a mortgage for 50 acres of land in what is now Davenport in May 1807. They were enumerated there in the 1810 census. He was also taxed there in 1813. Their faith and heritage being important to them, it seems that after the birth of each child, they made the trek back to their hometown of Claverack to have them baptized. Although considering the mobility of the Browers and Mesicks, they may have lived in various places in that time period. Either way, by the mid-1810s, they were permanently settled in Delaware County, New York as their two youngest children (born in 1819 and about 1822) were not baptized in Claverack.

In 1817, when the town of Davenport was formed from Kortright, David served as constable and tax collector. Then in 1818, he was pathmaster for Davenport. He was then enumerated with his family in Davenport in 1820. In September 1823, David transferred his land to his son Peter. Then a few months later, his son Peter and his wife sold the same land. He was still living in Davenport as late as February 1824. Then sometime between 1824 and 1827, David probably moved with his family to the nearby town of Tompkins. He was listed in a history of the village of Cannonsville in that town as having been an early resident (although that ambiguous record might have been referring to his son). During the 1820s they were living along Trout Creek in Tompkins; where it intersects with Loomis Brook and Sherruck Brook. In David's son's will of April 1828, there was provisions left for the care of David's wife Catharina in her old age, but not for David. This might have been an indication that in 1828, David himself was infirm and close to death. David was also described in his father's will of April 1830, suggesting that he was still alive. My guess is that he died soon after 1830, either in Tompkins or Davenport, Delaware County, New York. After his death, his widow lived with one of their children in Davenport where she died in 1841. David's place of burial has not been ascertained. If he did in fact die in Delaware County, he may have been buried in the Smith/Newell Cemetery in Davenport with his wife and daughter Jane. No tombstone survives there, but he may be in one of the unmarked graves or under a fieldstone. He may also have been buried in the Cannonsville Cemetery if he did in fact live there. If that is the case, his grave was not identified when the cemetery was exhumed during the 1960's and he would have been among the "unknown" burials that were reburied at Pepacton Cemetery in Andes, New York.

Father: Peter Miesig/Mesick
Mother: Elisabeth Helm

Catharine was baptized on June 17, 1781 in Claverack ¹². The witnesses at her baptism were Catharina Miesig (her grandmother and namesake) and Jonas Helm (her mother's brother). Catharine was the oldest child in a family of 10 children. Her earliest years were in Claverack, but in the mid-1780s, she moved with her family to nearby Kinderhook, New York. She was still living with them in Kinderhook in 1800. In 1801, 20-year old Catharine married David Brower in her hometown of Claverack, New York. Catharine and her husband began raising a family in Claverack. Meanwhile, during that same time period (sometime between 1801 and 1804), her parents moved to Berne, New York.

* This cemetery is also referred to as the Smith Cemetery or Abandoned Cemetery. It has several unmarked burial sites and illegible fieldstones that may mark the grave of her husband David.

1	Peter David Brower was born on September 12, 1802 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. He died before August 26, 1828 in Tompkins, Delaware Co., New York. He married Aurilla circa 1827 in New York. She was born in 1808 in New York and died in 1882 in Walnut Twp., Bourbon Co., Kansas. She is buried in the Rosedale Cemetery, Porterville, Bourbon Co., Kansas. They had one child: Peter Orlindo Brower (1828-1910) md. 1st Martha Marble md. 2nd Sarah Peter was baptized on November 2, 1802 in Claverack. Sometime between 1824 and 1827, Peter moved from Davenport to Tompkins, New York. Peter wrote his will on April 16, 1828 and it was proven on August 26, 1828. In his will, he mentions his wife, and son, his brother-in-law Andrew Smith, his parents and their unnamed "younger children." In 1830 in Deposit, New York, David's widow "Orilla" Brower was baptized at the First Baptist Church. She was also baptized with "Christiana Brower", whose identity is unknown. It is possible that Christiana was another daughter of Peter and Aurilla, born after he wrote his will in April 1828 - another possibility is that she was was a younger sister. Sometime during the early 1830s, his widow Aurilla married Daniel P. Strait. She later moved out west to Kansas.
2	Eliza Ann Brower was born on January 28, 1805 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. She died on June 1, 1879 in Davenport, Delaware Co., New York 6. She is buried in the Davenport Center Cemetery, Davenport, Delaware Co., New York. She married Andrew Smith circa 1826 in Delaware Co., New York. (He was born in 1801 in New York and died on December 26, 1859 in Davenport, Delaware Co., New York. He is buried in the Davenport Center Cemetery, Davenport, Delaware Co., New York.) They had the following children: Maria Smith (1828-1908) md. Arnold S. Day Peter Smith (1830-1897) md. Mary Elizabeth Copley David Brower Smith (c. 1833-1887) md. 1st. Alvina A. md. 2nd. Elizabeth Cavin George A. Smith (1842-1876) md. Martha E. Huntington
3	Maria Brower
4	Annatje Brower was born on August 9, 1811 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. Either Anna or her sister Sarah died before 1820.
5	Sarah Brower was born on February 17, 1814 in Claverack, Columbia Co., New York 2. Either Sarah or her sister Anna died before 1820.
6	Jane Brower was born on October 16, 1819 in Davenport, Delaware Co., New York 4. She died on October 29, 1886 in Davenport, Delaware Co., New York. She is buried in the Smith Cemetery, Davenport, Delaware Co., New York. 4. She married Henry Smith circa 1840 in Delaware Co., New York. (He was born on August 29, 1818 in New York 4 and died on October 5, 1858 in Davenport, Delaware Co., New York 4. He is buried in the Smith Cemetery, Davenport, Delaware Co., New York.) They had the following children: Eliza Ann Smith (1841-1855) Elijah C. Smith (1844-1856) John H. Smith (1849-1868) Orrin D. Smith (1853-1857) Andrew H. Smith (1857-1858)
7	Catharine "Kate" Brower was born circa December 1824 11 in Delaware Co., New York. She died on April 9, 1849 5,11 in New York. She is buried in the Pope Cemetery, Otego, Otsego Co., New York. She married David Millard St. John on November 28, 1843 in New York 5. (He was born on December 22, 1819 in Otsego, Otsego Co., New York and died sometime between 1900-1910 in Milo, Yates Co., New York.) They had no children. After her death, David married Catherine's niece Eliza Winters.

Maria Brower was born on March 11, 1808 ^1,2, probably in Kortright (now Davenport), Delaware County, New York. She died on January 22, 1864 in Cannonsville, Delaware Co., New York ^1,3. She is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery, Stilesville, Delaware Co., New York.

Father David Peter Brower
Mother: Catharina Miesig

Maria was probably born in what is now Davenport, New York, shortly after her parents moved there from Claverack, New York. She was baptized on January 29, 1809 (at 10 months of age) at the Reformed Dutch Church in Claverack ². She was named after her aunt of the same name, who along with her husband Lawrence Lant, were the witnesses to her baptism. Maria was raised in the town of Davenport (in what was then Kortright), New York, but she would have occasionally gone on trips to the family's hometown of Claverack, New York for the baptism of her siblings and to visit with relatives. In Davenport, they lived near the village of Davenport Center. Then in about 1824, Maria moved with her family to the town of Tompkins, Delaware County, New York. There, they lived on Trout Creek, between the villages of Cannonsville and Trout Creek. The small community where they lived went by many different names throughout history: Walleyville, Sherruck, Rockroyal and Mormon Hollow. Maria eventually met and married Joseph Winters, who probably lived in the village of Cannonsville in Tompkins. They were married in about 1826.

Joseph and Maria lived near the village of Cannonsville in Tompkins, Delaware County, New York. In 1835, they moved out west to Michigan and settled at Pine Run in Vienna Township, Genesee County, Michigan. They did not stay in Michigan long and moved back to Delaware County, New York by 1840. In 1840, they must have just returned to Delaware County because in the census of that year they were enumerated in the town of Davenport, right next door to Maria's sister Eliza. Having recently moved back to New York, they were probably staying on family land until they could get their footing back. They moved back to Tompkins in the 1840s Maria in 1864 at the age of 55. She was buried in the Cannonsville Cemetery at Cannonsville, but her body was exhumed in about 1963 and reburied at the Oakwood Cemetery in Stilesville, New York. Her husband remarried twice before his death in 1881.

For information on their children, see his page.

1. Tombstone inscriptions, Oakwood Cemetery, Stilesville, New York
2. Baptism Record of Reformed Church: Claverack, (Columbia County) Reformed Church 1727-1899. (Ancestry.com)
3. Death notice of Maria Winters, Bloomville Mirror, February 9, 1864
4. Cemetery index, Smith Cemetery, Davenport, New York
5. International Genealogical Index
6. Cemetery index, Davenport Center Cemetery, Davenport, New York
7. Baptism and Marriage Records of the Reformed Churches of Ghent, West Ghent, Mount Pleasant, and Stuyvesant Falls 1775-1899: Ghent Reformed Church 1775. (Ancestry.com)
8. Online gedcom family files
9. Assorted US federal census records
10. Online cemetery index, Claverack Reformed Dutch Church Cemetery, Claverack, NY
11. Tombstone inscriptions, Pope Cemetery, Otego, Otsego Co., NY.
12. Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of Claverack, N.Y., Vol. II. The Holland Society of New York.