Tattnall-Evans-Ware County GaArchives News....."Nathan Brewton Family History Closely Tied with Story of Area" August 13, 1964
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Brian Nilsson BHNilsson@aol.com October 2, 2005, 10:00 pm

The Claxton Enterprise; Claxton, Georgia August 13, 1964
	Nathan Brewton, an original settler and pioneer of “Wiregrass 
Georgia,” was the forefather of the large Brewton family of Tattnall County, 
Georgia, which Evans County was a part of during the time of Mr. Brewtons 
settlement of this area.  Mr. Brewton was born in 1762, however his exact date 
of birth (Month) is unknown.  His birthplace is unknown, but is believed to be 
probably in Stafford or Gloucester County, Virginia.  Records of his birth and 
his parents are vague up until he migrated to Georgia on or about the year 
1794, when his name appears on the tax digest of Warren County, Georgia.  On 
June 4, 1794, he came to Tattnall County and bought 350 acres of land on the 
south side of the Canoochee River and settled there to make that his home for 
the balance of his life.
	Mr. Brewton, before his departure from Warren County, married Miss 
Nancy Fountaine, also of a family of great heritage which has left their mark 
on the shaping of colonial America.  An account is given, to be fact, that 
Nancy’s father, Francis Fountaine, was killed by the Tories of Georgia during 
the American Revolutionary War for Independence about the time of Nancy’s 
birth.  He died a Martyr and this incident has been passed down thru the 
generations to the present.
	Upon settling on the south side of the Canoochee River in 1794 and 
purchasing the land upon which he was to live the balance of his life, Mr. 
Brewton set about shaping a small empire of land and holdings which was 
secured from the State of Georgia in the form of “Land Grants.”  He secured 
his first grant in November of 1806 amounting to 300 acres of pineland on the 
waters of Cedar Creek and which incidentally is near what we know 
as “Hendricks Bridge.”
	Nineteen more grants were to be made to Mr. Brewton by the state 
giving him a total of 9,573 acres and a total of 9.923 acres in form of land 
grants and purchase. The final grant was made on August 2nd, 1836.  This area 
stretched basically from the Canoochee River-Cedar Creek area south to Bull 
Creek.  These grants can be found on record in “Land Grant” book 1802-1837, 
State of Georgia, in the ordinary’s office of Tattnall County, Georgia.  Upon 
searching the records further, indications are that Mr. Brewton received the 
largest total land grant of this area now known as Evans County.  It is also 
surprising that a good portion of this land is still in the hands of the 
Brewton family after being split, divided, subdivided and portions sold 
throughout a span of five or six generations, with an untold number of 
descendants.  Mr. and Mrs. Brewton were also the parents of twelve children, 
listed here in order of birth.  Also listed are the parties to whom these 
children married.
Fountaine - died age 12.
Benjamin - Charlotte Bacon.
Jemima - John Hendricks.
Emanual - Caroline Bacon.
Nathan, Jr. - Nancy Miller.
Nancy - Martin T. Miller.
Elizabeth - John Sikes.
Samuel - Mary Smith.
Mary - died in infancy.
Martha - Uriah Rogers.
Clarisa - Simon P. Smith.
Simon J. - (married twice - Matilda Tippins and Parthenia Tippins.
	It is impossible to enumerate the descendants of each of these 
children, however records kept by several members of the family show a 
complete family tree up to our present generation.
	Mr. Brewton died November 25, 1855, and was buried at the Brewton 
Cemetery near Claxton and Hagan, Georgia.  The amazing part of this incident 
is that the land for this cemetery was given by two of his sons, Samuel and 
Benjamin, and Mr. Brewton was among the first to be buried there.  Thus the 
name “Brewton’s Cemetery.”  Mrs. Brewton’s last years were spent with her son, 
Simon J., but before her death went to live with her daughter, Mrs. Martha 
Rogers, at whose home she passed away.
	As previously stated it would be impossible to show a complete history 
of the Brewton family, however there are a few with which the present 
generation of this county should be familiar, and thus the reason for some of 
the names mentioned.  These people have been a great asset to the development 
of Evans County and the State of Georgia.
	1.   Mr. S. T. Brewton, known to everyone as “Mr. Turner,” being a 
direct descendant of Nathan Brewton in which order appears: 1.  Nathan, 2. 
Samuel, 3. Simon, 4. Milton, and 5. S. T. Brewton.  Mr. Brewton has been a 
lifelong resident of this county and the Brewton family has a right to be 
proud of his long and enviable contributions to Evans County and surrounding 
area in serving as Representative, Judge of the City Court (which he is 
holding at present), and numerous other County and city positions and his many 
active contributions in civic and county projects.
	2.   J. Saxton Daniel, known to everyone as “Sack” and being the son 
of Nancy Brewton Daniel and I. C. Daniel, was a native of this county and held 
public office here for some 32 years more or less.  He was a graduate of 
Claxton High School and of Mercer University and gained his license for the 
practice of law upon graduation.  He began his practice in Claxton in 1908 and 
after 11 years was elected Solicitor General of the Atlantic Judicial 
Circuit.  In 1926 he won the nomination as Circuit Judge.  He resigned from 
that post in 1933 to take the position of United States District Attorney with 
offices located in Savannah, Georgia.  Mr. Daniel has now retired from active 
service and is continuing to make Savannah his home.  Order of descent:   1. 
Nathan, 2. Samuel, 3. Nancy, 4. J. Saxton Daniel.  Mrs. Nancy Brewton Daniel 
was the wife of I. C. Daniel.
	3.   Dr. Benjamin Daniel was another leading citizen of this county 
and of the same heritage and parentage as J. Saxton Daniel.  He served on many 
active programs in Evans County and was County Commissioner for a number of 
years.  He was also a physician in this area and practiced medicine up until 
his death.  It is interesting to note that Mr. Daniel was instrumental in 
passing the first bond issue for a brick school building in Claxton and in the 
building of the first concrete bridge across the Canoochee River, known 
as “Moore’s Bridge.”
	4.   Dr. J. C. Brewton was born in this county and became a Missionary 
Baptist Minister and Educator.  It is interesting to note that he, along with 
Mr. C. H. Parker, founded and established Brewton-Parker Junior College 
located at Mt. Vernon, Georgia.  This school is sponsored by the Missionary 
Baptist Church.  Dr. Brewton left Evans County to aid in establishing the 
college and died there and was buried in a local cemetery at Vidalia, Georgia.
	5.   Dr. Marcus Bradley was born in Evans County but made Waycross, 
Georgia his home until his death recently.  According to information from his 
home town he was very active in many civic affairs of that community and was 
active in his practice until his death.  His order of descent:   1.  Nathan, 
2. Simon, 3. Janie, 4. Dr. Marcus Bradley.  Dr. Bradley’s mother was the 
former Miss Janie Brewton.
	6.   Dr. James Hinton Brewton was also a resident of Waycross, Georgia 
up until his death a short time ago.  He practiced dentistry and his order of 
descent is: 1. Nathan, 2. Samuel, 3. Sammie, 4. James Hinton Brewton.
	7.   Simon Hearn was born in this county and became a Methodist 
Minister and shows a line of descent in this order: 1.  Nathan Brewton, 2. 
Simon Brewton, 3. Emily Brewton Hearn, 4. Simon Hearn.
	8.    Anthony Hearn was the son of Simon Hearn and Emily Brewton Hearn 
and also became an outstanding Methodist Minister who was selected as Savannah 
District presiding Minister during the years 1954-55-56-57.
	9.   Elder Willie Wilkinson was an outstanding Primitive Baptist 
Minister and a teacher during his lifetime and was considered by many in this 
area to be one of our most outstanding men in religious and educational 
activities.  His order of descent is as follows: 1. Nathan Brewton, 2. 
Benjamin Brewton, 3. Adaline Matilda Brewton Wilkinson, 4. Willie Wilkinson.
	10.   Theodore Brewton, who has been a lifelong resident of this 
community and has served the majority of these years as school teacher and 
county school superintendent, has also been a great asset to his family and to 
the people of Evans County.  Mr. Brewton also has a great storehouse of 
knowledge of the Brewton Family and of many of the pioneer settlers of this 
area.
	11.  Many other residents could be mentioned as being a part of the 
large Brewton family, which brings to mind Mrs. Frances Cobb and Mrs. Genie 
Smith.  It is interesting to note that these two ladies are also holders of 
property which was granted to their forefather, Nathan Brewton, and has been 
passed down thru the generations to them.  Their order of descent is: 1.  
Nathan, 2. Samuel, 3. Nancy Brewton Daniel, 4. Frances and Genie.  These two 
ladies devoted their life to teaching until their retirement.
	Numbers of other people and incidents could be enumerated concerning 
this family but thru their contributions to this county and state the 
residents of this area must and do realize the vastness of the Brewton Family 
and their influences on the lives of this our present generation.  “Evidence 
of their contributions is Testimony to their Greatness.”
	This Documentary was conceived out of research in both Tattnall and 
Evans counties, and all names and places mentioned are facts to the best of 
knowledge furnished by records and by several of the Brewton Family 
descendants.  It should also be understood that all the names of this family 
could not be mentioned in and no feeling of malice on the part of the persons 
gathering this information was involved.  Also there could be, in some of the 
minor details of this article some discrepancies.  However, this is to the 
best of knowledge of members of the family and records, a true account is 
given.
	Information and formation of article gathered by: Mrs. Frances Cribbs, 
Mrs. Genie Smith, and John D. Kennedy.
Photos included in article:
1/	RUINS OF HOME – Built in about 1863 this was originally the home of 
Asbury and Caroline Brewton Alexander.  It stood in the field across from the 
present Shuman Stock Market.
2/	SAMUEL BREWTON - Married Mary Smith.
3/	POLLY (Mary) SMITH – Wife of Samuel.
4/	CAROLINE BREWTON – Daughter of Samuel, married Asbury Alexander.
5/	JAMES F. BREWTON – Son of Samuel, Married Eliza Futch.
6/	SARENA BREWTON - Daughter of Samuel, Married Wm. Southwell.
7/	MARTHA BREWTON - Daughter of Samuel, Married Charlie Strickland.
8/	SAMMIE BREWTON, son of Samuel Brewton, who married Miss Janie Sullivan 
of Liberty County.
9/	CLARISSA BREWTON and her son, Elliott.  A daughter of Samuel Brewton, 
she married Dr. Thomas Morgan.
10/	NANCY BREWTON, Daughter of Samuel, Married I. C. Daniel.
11/	MARY BREWTON - Daughter of Samuel, Married Aaron Strickland.

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