George Brewster

George Brewster grew up in the family of an agricultural labourer in Normanby le Wold, Lincolnshire. He immigrated to Canada in the 1850s and was living with his uncle, John Brewster, in Innisfil, in the 1861 census. After his marriage, he moved to Muskoka, where he acquired land on both sides of “Rocky Narrows” on the South Branch of the Muskoka River. He engaged in lumbering and farming. Despite having been baptized a Roman Catholic, all Canadian records show George to have been a Wesleyan Methodist during his time in Canada.

Events

Date of Birth: 9 September 1840.

Place of Birth: Normanby le Wold, Lincolnshire, England.

The date and place are given on George’s birth certificate. The date is also given on his baptism registration. His marriage registration gives his place of birth as “Normanby, England”. The 1851 census gives the place of birth as Normanby, Lincolnshire. His death registration gives the place of his birth as “Lincoln-shire England”.

Date of Baptism: 24 September 1840.

Place of Baptism: Osgodby (near Market Rasen), Lincolnshire (Osgodby Roman Catholic Mission).

The baptism is given in the Mission register.

Date of Death: 30 October 1888.

The date is given in his death registration and on his gravestone.

Place of Burial: Uffington, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada (Uffington United Cemetery)

A digital image of his gravestone from the Canadian Gravemarker Gallery.

Relationships

Father: Francis Brewster (1810 - 1882).

Mother: Mary England (1806 - 1840).

George’s parents are given as Francis and Mary in his marriage registration. They are given as "Franciscus Brewster & Mari England" on his baptism registration.

Spouse: Jeannetta Greaves (1850 - 1913). Married 13 April 1865 in Innisfil, Simcoe, Canada West.

George’s marriage registration records his wife’s name as “Jane Graves”. Jeannetta Greaves is the name inscribed on her gravestone.

A digital image of her gravestone from the Canadian Gravemarker Gallery.

Children:

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)

Mary Ellen Brewster (14 June 1865 Innisfil, Simcoe, Ontario - 12 October 1931 Dorset) married William Samuel Crozier 23 September 1891 in Draper township, Muskoka.

Agnes Elizabeth Brewster (3 July 1868 Draper township, Muskoka, Ontario - 19 October 1918 Bracebridge, Muskoka) married John Crozier 16 May 1888 in Draper township, Muskoka.

Ann Brewster (born 2 May 1871 Draper township - died 5 May 1871).

Francis James Brewster (born 3 February 1873 Draper township - died (1)5 October 1892; buried in Uffington, Ontario).

Thomas George Brewster (born 24 March 1878 Draper township - died 9 July 1944 in Whitby, Ontario).

Jessie Jane Brewster (19 December 1883 - 1953) married William Gavin 3 May 1905 in Muskoka.

Evidence

George Brewster’s baptism registration (1840, Osgodby, Lincolnshire)

Georgius Brewster

Georgius Brewster natus fuit nono die Septembris 1840 & bap:zatus 24’o die Parentes Franciscus Brewster & Mari England. J.S.

Sponsas: Joannes Tearn, Eliza Seal

George Brewster’s entry of birth (GRO)

Registration District: Caistor

Birth in the Sub-district of Caistor in the County of Lincoln

When and where born: Ninth of September 1840 at Normanby

Name, if any: George

Sex: Boy

Name and surname of father: Francis Brewster

Name, surname and maiden surname of mother: Mary Brewster formerly England

Occupation of father: Labourer

Signature, description and residence of informant: Mary [her X mark] Brewster Mother Normanby

When registered: Tenth of September 1840

1841 census (Normanby on the Wold, Lincolnshire)

Francis Bruster, 30, Ag. lab. Y. [“Y” means born in Lincolnshire]

Anne do. , 8, Y.

Thomas do., 7, Y.

Francis do., 3, Y.

Elizabeth do., 2, Y.

George do., 1, Y.

Elizabeth do., 20, F.S., Y.

1851 census (Normanby, Lincolnshire)

Francis Brewster, Head, Mar, 42, Ag. Lab., [born Lincolnshire] Rasen

Elizabeth do, Daur, 11, Scholar, [born Lincolnshire] Normanby

George do, Son, 10, Ag. Lab., [born Lincolnshire] do

John do, Brother, 23, Ag. Lab., [born Lincolnshire] Rasen

Susan Dann, Servant, U, 40, Housekeeper, [born Lincolnshire] Crosby

Betsy do, Visitor, U, 16, Servant, [born] Hesanton, Yorkshire

George Brewster - Jane Graves marriage registration

Name: George Brewster

Birth Place: Normanby, England

Age: 21

Father’s Name: Francis

Mother’s Name: Mary

Spouse Name: Jane Graves

Spouse’s Age: 17

Spouse’s Birth Place: Scotland

Spouse’s Residence: Innisfil township

Spouse’s Father’s Name: James

Spouse’s Mother’s Name: Agnes

Marriage Date: 13 Apr 1865

Marriage County or District: Simcoe

George Brewster death registration (Draper & Oakley, Muskoka)

Name and Surname of Deceased: George Brewster

When Died: October 30th 1888

Sex - Male or Female: M.

Age: 48 yrs.

Rank or Profession: Farmer

Where Born: Lincoln-shire England

Certified Cause of Death and duration of Illness: 14 days

Name of Physician, if any: Dr. Byers

Signature, Description and Residence of Informant: A. Scott Draper

When Registered: Nov. 15th 1888

Religious Denomination of Deceased: Methodist

Signature of Registrar: Robert T. Corrigan

Commentary

A family legend took root among George’s descendants in Muskoka that he was a Mayflower descendant. This is, of course, almost certainly untrue.

References

George Brewster entry of birth (certified copy). General Register Office. England and Wales. Civil Registration Certificates. (London, United Kingdom: General Register Office).

George Brewster baptism registration,Register of Births and Baptisms at the Osgodby Roman Catholic Chapel in the parish of Osgodby, Lincolnshire from 1799 to 1840. PRO RG4/ Piece 1320/ Folio 14; digital image thegenealogist.co.uk (accessed 29 March 2014).

Francis Bruster household, 1841 census of England, Caistor, Normanby on the Wold; digital image Findmypast.co.uk (http://Findmypast.co.uk : accessed 29 March 2014), citing HO107, piece 641, book/folio 7/4, page 5.

Francis Brewster household, 1851 census of England, Lincolnshire, Caistor, Thoresway; digital image Findmypast.co.uk (http://Findmypast.co.uk : accessed 29 March 2014), citing HO107, piece 2114, folio 321, page 11.

George Bruster household, 1861 census of Canada, Ontario, Simcoe, Innisfil, page 44, line 4; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-1073

A digital image can be viewed here:

http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4108345_00091.jpg

George Bluster household, 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, Muskoka (district 85), Draper Township (subdistrict H), page 15, family 59; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-10023

A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4396312_00133.jpg

George Bruster household, 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, Muskoka (district 131), Oakley and Ryde and Draper (subdistrict H), page 5, family 20; Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-13243

A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e338/e008443516.jpg

George Brewster - Jane Graves marriage registration, County Marriage Registers, 1858 - June 1869. Archives of Ontario, (Toronto, Ontario). Microfilm MS 248 reel 14.

George Brewster, Ontario death registration no. 011669, in Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869 - 1938. MS 935 reel 51.; digital copy Ancestry.com. A digital image can be viewed at FamilySearch: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDX6-5YX