Brewer, William Thomas
Father of Doctor Franklin Brewer

William Thomas Brewer
b 11 Sep 1845 Franklin Co. NC
d 6 May 1929 Clark Co. AR,
bur Richland Cem
m (1) 14 Feb 1867 Franklin Co. NC
Nancy Lewis Nunn Nash (wd)
b 13 Apr 1840 NC or VA
d 1 Sep 1879 Franklin Co. NC
dau of Joshua & Mary Chandler Nunn

Note: Nancy Nash was a widow with
2 sons when she married William
Thomas Brewer: Billy & Johnny Nash

m (2) 14 May 1885 Franklin Co. NC
Mary Blount Swanson
b abt 1860
dau of Joseph G. & Caroline Wood Swanson

William Thomas Brewer was the son of Penelope "Penny" Brewer
who was the daughter of William "Billy" & Betty King Brewer of
Franklin Co. NC.

The following is family tradition:
 It's said his father was a Lanier and Penny's father refused to let her
marry him.  Supposedly, the Lanier was half Indian.
William "Billy" Brewer adopted William Thomas and gave
him the Brewer name.  In his 8 Jul 1856 Franklin Co. NC will, Billy stated:
"I give to my Dear daughter Penelope Brewer, one bed and furniture...
and all of my property then remaining together with my land to be sold,
and equally divided between my wife Sally Brewer and daughter Penelope
Brewer, and daughter Betsy Brewer and daughter Sally Brewer...
It is my desire if my daughter Penelope should marry or die,
her son Thomas shall become heir to her property that portion
which I have given her."

At the writing of the will, William Thomas was 10 years old.

He served in the Civil War from 1862 - Jun 1865.  About nineteen months
after returning home he married widow Nancy Lewis Nunn Nash.
They had six children.

After Nancy died in 1879, he married a second time to Mary Blount Swanson
who bore him three children.  It was then the story takes a strange twist.
In 1891, William Thomas gathered up his children by his first wife, and
Lula, the four-year-old daughter by his second wife, and left North Carolina.
He migrated to Clark County, Arkansas, leaving his second wife and
two-year-old son, Kenneth, in North Carolina.  The story goes that
son Kenneth was left because he was still a nursing baby.

There has been much discussion in the Brewer family through the years
as to why this happened.  Being left behind, Mary Swanson Brewer had
to find the means to support herself and infant son.
 William Thomas prospered in Clark County.  My mother, his
granddaughter, often remarked about the wonderful times she had
at her Grandpa Brewer's homeplace.

Lula, the four-year-old daughter by Mary, never again saw her mother.
On becoming an adult she moved to Texas and lived there the remainder
of her life.

We cannot know the pain and suffering caused by this situation but my
mother remarked that "Grandpa Brewer, as he aged, often walked
the yard, crying and begging God's forgiveness and pleading for God to
come back to him."

After growing up, Kenneth, the youngest son did visit Arkansas
once to visit his relatives.

On a visit I made to North Carolina in the 1980's, I discussed this
story with cousins who verified the truth of it.  We will probably
always wonder as to how William Thomas could take his baby girl
away from her mother and leave another child behind.
 He didn't remarry after migrating to Arkansas.
 Mary Swanson Brewer died in North Carolina many years
later.  It's said she never recovered from the loss of her child.

William Thomas served in the Civil War (Navy) on the Ironclad
North Carolina.  Was captured April 6, 1865 at Harper's Farm and
arrived at City Point, VA on April 15, 1865.  Was taken to Point
Lookout, Maryland.  There was an outbreak of Smallpox and
because he was immune to it, he helped treat the other prisoners.
Took the Oath of Allegiance and was honorably discharged
June 23, 1865 at Point Lookout, Maryland.
 Signed with his (x) mark.
 Several of his Civil War papers still survive.  Among them are
the Certificate of Release of Prisoner of War
and Oath of Allegiance.

According to the below paper, William Thomas had
a Florid complexion, Auburn hair, Gray eyes and was
5 ft. 9 1/4" tall.

Civil War Oath of Allegiance
23 June 1865
(Copy of original paper)
His CW papers are still in possession of our Brewer family.
He drew a Civil War pension in the State of Arkansas.

Marriage License
Thomas Brewer to Nancy Nash

William Thomas Brewer
Clark Co. AR

Deaths
Penny Brewer died Feb the 16th 1875 AD
J. R. Brewer died
N. G. Brewer died Sept the 1st 1879 AD
J. C. Brewer died Nov the18th 1886 AD

I this day the 5th day of Dec 1890
present to Rev. J. H. Colbert this
Bible to keep as a keep sake
/s/ W. T. Brewer
All who see this think of &
pray for me & my children

(Note: Did William Thomas give the Bible to his minister upon
anticipation of his migrating to Arkansas?)

Births

W. T. Brewer was born Sept the 11th 1845 AD
B. E. Brewer was born _____ the 12th 1867 AD
J. R. Brewer was born _____ the 8th 1869 AD
D. F. Brewer was born _____ the 8th 1870 AD
G. T. Brewer was born ____ the 7th 1872 AD
N. G. Brewer was born Dec the 4th 1874 AD
A. S. Brewer was born Oct the 23rd 18__ AD

N. L. Brewer was born Apl the 13th 1840 AD

Mary Blount Swanson Brewer

William Thomas Brewer
Clark Co. AR - Richland Cem