Elias3 was likely born not long after May of 1698, when the census of the English province of New York was taken and Derck and Hanna Brouwer were listed in the Flushing Township, Queens County, N.Y. with their son, Jan, who was three. Elias was probably born at home on the 75 acre farmstead located near the borders of the townships of Flushing, Hempstead, and Jamaica in Queens County, N.Y. (in the modern vicinity of Queens Village). The farm was jointly owned by his father Derck2 and his uncle Hendrick2 Brouwer of Flatlands. No known baptismal record exists for Elias3 because there was no established Dutch church in Queens County when he was born. Queens, being an English settlement, had only a few Dutch citizens living in the entire county (there were only about 14 Dutch families in Flushing), and was predominantly Presbyterian and Episcopalian. In accord with Dutch naming traditions of the time, being the second son, he was named Elias after his maternal grandfather, Elias Daws of Gravesend, Kings County, NY. By 1700, his father Derck2 moved the family to the village of Jamaica where Derck's elder brother Johannes2 and his wife Sara Willemse were living.
Elias was not yet five years old when his paternal grandfather Johannes1 and his father Derck2 both died suddenly, possibly afflicted by the pestilence (both yellow fever and the small pox) that started in Manhattan in May of 1702. Circa 1703, Hanna and the boys returned to her family roots in Gravesend, Kings County, to arrange transport to New Jersey where her father, Elias Daws (about 50 years of age), was living with her sister Patience and her husband Peter Couwenhoven. Hanna was a 27 year old widow with six young children to raise and a small dowry remaining from the sale of Derck's property in Jamaica. She married Joseph Golder of Gravesend who was widowed and had a five year old daughter, Nelke, to care for. They married either in Gravesend or in Middletown, Monmouth County, NJ. Nelke, when she came of age, married Hans3 Pieterse Brouwer, Derck's nephew, the son of Pieter2 Brouwer of Flatlands]. The Golder family in Gravesend had long been friends of the Daws family and Hanna had known Joseph Golder, the son, since childhood (the family name is variously spelled Goulding, Goulder, Golder, and Golden. Joseph owned 41 acres of land 6 in the Gravesend township, (inherited from his father Joseph Golder Sr. in 1684) and in addition, only three years earlier, on 25 May 1700, he had purchased Lot 7 in Salt meadows, Gravesend. By early 1704 Joseph had sold his properties and likely made arrangements to move the family to New Jersey. So Elias at 6 or 7 years of age traveled together with his mother and brothers, and possibly his new stepsister Neeltje (also age 6 or 7), and new stepfather Joseph Golder, from New York to New Jersey to begin a new life on a farm near Middletown in Monmouth County.
Elias's family would have contracted with Cornelius Couwenhoven to sail the family to the Monmouth shore. The sloop of Cornelius, which he named the Carroway, sailed from Monmouth to New York and Kings county whenever there was a necessity for it, thereby maintaining communication links with the old people and transporting goods and passengers back and forth. They sailed from Gravesend Bay across the Great Bay and south past Sandy Hook to the spot where the Navesink river debauches into the sea. Sailing up the river they could then be transported to Middletown, the oldest of the three townships; Freehold, Middletown, and Shrewsbury. Upon arrival, they would most likely have first stopped at the Middletown or Freehold farm of Hanna's brother-in-law, Peter Couwenhoven to lodge there for a time while seeking to establish themselves, and to visit with Hanna's sister Patience and her father Elias Daws, the grandfather and namesake of our Elias3 Brouwer. Peter and Patience Couwenhoven are said to have settled in what is now known as the Manalapan township outside of Middletown, the oldest settlement, and near the newer township of Freehold. It is here that Elias3 will grow up, among many cousins, his Golder half- brothers and sisters, and a tightly knit community of family friends and relations, principally the Couwenhovens, the Schenks and the Williamsons who were the early Dutch settlers of Monmouth.
Elias3 Brouwer was 6 or 7 when, on August 28, 1704, Hanna delivered her first child fathered by Joseph, a half-brother to Elias3 and the other Brouwer children, whom she named Elias Golder. He would later go by the name Elias Golden. The fact that the family now had two children in the same household named Elias was unusual but not unheard of since they had two different surnames. This half-brother of our Elias Brouwer would marry twice, first to Adrianetje Aerson (Aerson =Harrison; she was born 24 June 1705 and died 10 April 1755), and secondly, in 1761, to Nellie Schenck Hendrickson. He would remain in Middletown all his life (he died 25 June 1765 and was buried in the Golden family Cemetery in Middletown). In 1706, the next child arrived, another half-brother, Joseph N. Golden Jr. born in Middletown. This half-brother to our Elias3 married Adriantje Lane (also spelled Laen or Laan; she was born in 1704 and was the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth VanDarkle Lane. She died prior to 29 May 1776). In 1709 the Rev. Joseph Morgan became the first pastor of the Freehold and Middletown congregations. The two congregations were treated as one ecclesiastical body since their respective meeting houses were not far apart. The First Reformed Church of Freehold is actually located at Marlboro only a short distance away and was to become known much later as "the old Brick Church" but in this early period, when Elias3 was growing up, it was called the Church of the Navesink. One of the first children baptised by Rev. Morgan was the daughter of Joseph Golder and Anneke Daws on November 6, 1709, a half sister of our Elias3 whom they named Maria. As early as 1711, Elias's uncle Peter Kouwenhoven was installed as elder and Jan Schenk deacon. His stepfather Joseph Golder and his mother Anneke (Hannah) were listed as Church members. Although the list shows Joseph Golder and wife Anneke, her husband's name was crossed out and I wonder if the crossed out name was that of her first husband, Derck Brouwer, who was then deceased. [ Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 1947, from original Dutch congregation records of Freehold and Middletown.]
Being aware of an increased immigration from New York to West Jersey, on March 18, 1715, Peter Couwenhoven, (the husband of Elias' Aunt Patience, living near Freehold) in conjunction with Lambert Jansen Dorlandt, purchased a tract of 500 acres of land in Montgomery Township, Somerset Co. NJ, known as the Harlingen Tract from Octavio Conratts. Nine days after uncle Peter Couwenhoven had completed his land transaction, Elias' s half- sister, Sara Golder, was baptized. The church recorded the baptism on 27 Mar 1715 in Navesink, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. It was sometime between Sara's birth and early 1716, that Elias' Mother Hanna died. She was only 39 years old and she may well have died giving birth to Sara, though it is not so recorded to my knowledge. Hanna's death is inferred from the fact that her husband Joseph married Maria (Maritje) VanDyke on 22 October 1716. This is Joseph's third marriage.
In 1716, shortly after Hanna died, Elias' cousin Leucretia, daughter of his uncle Pieter2 of Flatlands, N.Y., married Johannes Luyster and moved to Middleton, N.J. That same year, 1716, his cousin Jan Theunise Van Amak (a son of Elias' aunt Jannetje2, sister of his father Derck2) arrived and married Marika (Mary) Johnson of Freehold, Monmouth Co., N.J. In 1720, uncle Pieter2's son Hans3 Pieterse Brouwer came from Flatlands, NY to Middletown and married Nelke Goulder, Elias' stepsister. She was Han's second wife.
NOTE: Some of Hans3 Pieterse Brouwer children started using Pieterse as their surname, and it is claimed that it was they who began the family line of Pieterse (Peterson) in New Jersey. It is hoped that in the future we can collect DNA samples from descendants of the New Jersey Peterson line and compare them to the signature Jan Brouwer of Flatlands. Currently there is no adequate Peterson surname project to compare to.
During the ten year period 1720 to 1730, a new wave of settlers, probably including Elias3 and his brothers, left Monmouth county and moved to West New Jersey, principally to Hunterdon and Somerset Counties. After the loss of their mother and the remarriage by their stepfather Joseph, there would seem to be little reason for the Brouwer boys to remain in the Middletown/Freehold area and although there is no information currently available to me that indicates when they struck out on their own, it occurred during the sixteen years after 1715 (Elias3 would be 17 and considered to be of age), and certainly prior to 1731 when church records in western New Jersey, specifically in Somerville/Raritan and Harlingen (all in Somerset County) and Readington (in Hunterdon County), begin showing records of baptism for children of Elias3 Brouwer, as well as those of his brothers. It is possible that at this time some of Elias' brothers also move. His brothers Jan3 and Derick3 likely both left by 1716 to live and work on their uncle Hendrick's farm in Jamaica (The first son of Jan3 is baptized in Jamaica and we will see under “about Derck3” that in 1738 Derck3 joined the Queen County militia).
While these records show the Brouwers in West Jersey, their half brothers, the Golder boys and their step father Joseph remain in Middletown, Monmouth County in East Jersey. Joseph is thought to have died in Middletown sometime prior to 1731. I conjecture that Elias likely left Middletown before Joseph's death and prior to the settlement of Joseph's estate and any distributions to the Golder children or the Brouwer stepchildren, since by 1731 Elias3 was 33 years old, had married Lena (Helena) Willemse, and was starting his own family in Harlingen, Somerset Co.
As we have seen, Elias's uncle Peter Couwenhoven had earlier (1715) invested in land in the Raritan valley (the Harlingen Tract is located south of the village of Raritan between the Raritan river and the Millstone river ). It may have been uncle Peter that advised Elias that the Raritan valley was an up and coming area that might present opportunity for a young man seeking his own land. We can be a little more certain when it comes to the migration route Elias had to take to West Jersey and find that it is consistent with his meeting his wife Lena Willemse at Raritan Landing. The primary route from Freehold, leading to Raritan Landing, followed what was called the Burlington Path. When Elias arrived at Raritan Landing it was an already established and prosperous river port community. It was a small port on the north bank of the Raritan River about two miles upstream from New Brunswick. It was here that Elias met, and by 1731 married, his wife Lena (Helena) Willemse who lived with her stepfather Peter Bodine, her mother Marritie (Marytje) Van Neste and several half sisters and brothers. Peter Bodine and Marritie Van Neste Willemsen married about 1710 after David Willemsen, her first husband and the father of Lena Willemse, died suddenly. Lena (also spelled Helena or Lenah) Willemse was born between 1708 and 1710 in Raritan, the daughter of David Willemsen and Marytje Van Neste. She was named for her paternal grandmother Helena Aards (Aertsen) Middagh.
In 1732 Elias3 and Lena’s first child was born. The Harlingen Church records dated Aug 15, 1732, show the baptism of Derick, son of Elias Brewer & Lenah Williamson. Witnesses were Cornelius Middag and Alche Traphagen.38 Being first son, he was named Derick4 after his paternal grandfather Derck2 Brouwer. The baptism was performed by Domine Henricus Coens. As we will see in our discussion of the 4th generation, Derick Brewer, in the spring of 1759 at age 26, volunteered for service in the Kings county militia company. Recruited in New Jersey, he mustered in at New York where it was noted that he was 5 ft 7 1/2 inches and of light complexion. It is likely that this is a good description of his father Elias3 as well.
In 1734, consistent with the family’s later sequence of births about every two years, it is possible that another child was born to Elias and Lena. If so, the child would have likely been baptized at Harlingen but unfortunately the records of the church are virtually a blank for the ten year period 1734 to 1744 so we no longer have a record to view.
Nine miles west of Harlingen lay the village of Readington. Created by Royal Charter of King George II "Readings" or Readings Town was formed July 15, 1730. It was the first new township created after Hunterdon became a county. Containing almost forty-eight square miles, bounded on the north by the Lamington River and Rockaway Creek; on the east by Somerset County; to the south by the South Branch of the Raritan River; and on the west by the old West Jersey line, surveyed in 1711, which crosses the Cushetunk Mountains. Original settlements by the Dutch farmers took place in and around the Village of Readington, where a mill was erected (circa 1710 - 1715) by Adrian Lane.
Elias3 and his brothers brought their families to this area during the decade 1730-1740 and it is there that we pick up the Brouwer families in the church records of Readington. The church was made of logs and erected near the junction of the North and South branches of the Raritan River. It is likely the original church was located east of what is now Route 202 in the town of Branchburg. It was known at that time as the "Church over the North Branch" or as "North Branch Reformed Dutch Church," which began worship in the log building on Feb. 21, 1719.
As early as 1732, Elias' younger brother Peter3 Brouwer apparently moved to Readington since it is recorded that he and his wife Susanna (Tietsoort) had their son Peter4 baptised there on 6 Aug 1732. His brother Jacob3 had his first son Dirck4 baptised there on 29 May 1737. It was in this old log church building on May 23, 1736, that Elias and Lena baptized their daughter -- Judick4, likely named after her maternal great grandmother Judith Van Neste. On the same day Elias' younger brother Pieter3 Brouwer and his wife Suzanna (Tietsoort) baptised their daughter Annatje4, probably named after Hanna (Annetje) Daws Brouwer, her paternal grandmother.
The log church burnt down in 1737 and was rebuilt by the congregation, this time as a frame structure erected at Readington, about three miles from the former spot. Thus, by 1738 the Dutch Reformed Church of North Branch was officially moved west to Readington, no doubt because of the greater number of members residing there. Readington Township, in fact, became so predominantly Dutch that it was later referred to as “an outpost of the large Dutch Settlement of Somerset County." All of the rest of the children of Elias and Lena were baptised in this "new" frame church which was to serve the congregation for the next ninety-five years. The pastor was again Rev. Theodorus J. Frelinghuysen, collegiate with the three other churches at: Raritan, Six- Mile Run and Three-Mile Run.
In the newly rebuilt church, on May 13, 1738 the records show the baptism of David4 -- second son of Elias3 and Lena and named after his maternal grandfather David Willemsen. Once again, as with the baptism of Judick, we see that on the same day Elias baptised his child, his brother Pieter3 and Susanna Brouwer baptize their daughter Margrietje4. Two years later, Pieter3 and Susanna baptized their daughter Maria4 (Aug 10, 1740) and, of more immediate interest, occurred the birth of Elias4 Brouwer (Elias3, Derck2, Johannes1): 1740 -- The progenitor of the family branch of DNA participants listed under “Pedigrees” Elias4 Brouwer, is born and baptised.
It was on Christmas day, December 25, 1740 in that same framed structure housing the
Readington Reformed Dutch Church, that the good Reverend baptised, the third son of Elias3 and Lena -- Elias4 Brouwer. He was named after both his father Elias Brouwer and his paternal great grandfather, Elias Daws. He will marry Phebe (Femmetje) Lucas who herself was baptized at the church in Readington on 8 May 1749.
The last recorded baptism attributed to Elias and Lena is on 8 Jul 1744 a daughter whom they named Helena after both her mother Lena Willamse and paternal great grandmother Helena (Aards/Aertsen Middagh) Davidszen. I have been unable to find any subsequent documents recording any further events in the life of Elias3 and his wife Lena, nor do I know where or when either of them died. Presumably in Readington, N.J. but no will or grave has been found.