THE BREWER FAMILY HISTORY

By the late Lillie Brewer-Atkinson

Robert Brewer and Emiline Watts were born in Pageland, South Carolina in the county of Chesterfield. They were believed to have been slaves, therefore taking on the last name of their slave masters. After freedom, they were given the privilege of selecting a name of their choosing, but there is no record of any name changes. Robert and Emiline met and were married. From this union, eleven (11) children were born.

I. Vinnie Brewer (Gathings); 2. William Brewer ; 3. Joseph Brewer; 4. Lula Brewer (Huntley); 5. Isaiah Brewer (twin to Effie); 6. Effie Brewer (Nivens); 7. Robert Brewer; 8. Sarah Brewer (Robinson); 9. Thomas F. Brewer; 10. Houston Brewer; 11. Jaby Brewer.

Enough land was accumulated by Robert and Emiline to give each child a homestead. What they accumulated, continued to grow and spread from its pre-Civil War beginnings in rural South Carolina. Around 1877 is the earliest history of the foundation of what is now known as Oro United Methodist Church in Pageland, South Carolina. This is where the family worshipped. Some of the heroes who labored long and hard to build this church, as memory recalls, were Rob, Lee, and Bill Brewer. Lee is believed to be the brother of Robert Brewer, my grandfather. He is thought to have migrated to either Alabama or Georgia.

Robert Brewer played a part in the South Carolina Legislature and I am told that he walked to Columbia, South Carolina — some 80 miles away — to attend the meetings. There is no record of how long the walk took.

About 1905, a family church, known as Brewers’ Chapel, was built on family property. It was here on home grounds that the third generation received most of their religious training. Moral values were stressed, punctuated by hard work, and pride in a job well done. Among these third generation Brewers are listed lawyers, doctors, ministers, teachers, government officials, and a number of businessmen. There was no "big me" and "little you"; every life was precious.

Members of the family were God fearing, law abiding citizens, but if there was any just cause for which they needed to fight, they did that too.

If my memory serves me well, about 1938 or 1939, the third generation rebuilt the church now known as Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church. Here our forefathers and pioneers are laid to rest from their labor, while the third, fourth, fifth, and now even sixth generations will continue to build upon the foundation begun by Robert and Emiline Brewer many years ago. Robert Brewer, along with some other family members are buried in Oro cemetery.

By Arthur V. Brewer Jr., Esq.

Pageland, South Carolina is a town small in size, but great in significance for the Brewer family. It is where our family began, the place where two former slaves with nothing but dreams to sustain them set out to face an array of hostile forces. Success seemed remote, yet by their courage and wits, they managed to survive and even to achieve a degree of prosperity. Although the mists of time have obscured much of the history of this family, we are fortunate to be able to draw from the rich minds of our elders’ memories, both past and present, to obtain a wealth of information on our origins.

The Brewer family traces its origins to Robert Brewer and Mary Emiline Watts, known simply as Emiline. They resided in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, near what is now the town of Pageland, and are rightfully considered the patriarch and matriarch of the family. Unlike many black families of that era, Robert and Emiline fortunately managed to avoid the sharecropping system and its pernicious form of economic slavery by acquiring farmland of their own.

Much of Robert’s life is a mystery. It is unclear where he came from or when he was born. He has been described as a dark-skinned man of imposing physical stature. Though born a slave, he worked in the South Carolina Legislature during the era of Reconstruction. He was very diligent and conscientious in exercising the duties of his position, often traveling 85 miles by horse and buggy from Pageland to the Legislature in Columbia. Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Oro Methodist Church, a somewhat distant church that the family attended for a time.

In contrast to the mystery and uncertainty that surround Robert’s life, there are several relatives alive today who fondly recall memories and recount stories of "Grandma Emiline". Emiline was born into slavery in the early 1840’s near Pageland. Although the identity of her father may never be conclusively known, her appearance left no doubt that she was of mixed parentage. Her father is believed to have been a white slaveholder who was a member of the Watts family, where her mother, whose name remains unknown, is believed to have been one of his slaves. As was common for slaves during that time, Emiline adopted the surname of her owner.

Robert and Emiline had 11 children -- Vinnie, William, Joseph, Lula, twins Isaiah and Effie, Robert Jr., Sarah, Thomas, Houston, and Jaby — some of whom were born during the time of slavery. They made certain that their children took advantage of the education that slavery had denied them. Most of these children became farmers as their parents had been, with few exceptions. Life was hard, but by keeping their eyes on the prize and perpetuating strong family bonds, they were able to surmount the difficult obstacles that they faced.

Jaby, the youngest child, became a minister, store owner and farmer despite being blind in one eye. A graduate of Biddle College, now known as Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, he was the only one of the children to attend college. He was also the first member of the family to own an automobile, quite a luxury in those days.

Isaiah, another one of Robert and Emiline’ s seven sons, organized the construction of the first Wesley Chapel Methodist Church after the family had decided to leave Oro Methodist Church and form its own congregation near the Brewer homestead. The church became so associated with the Brewer family that it became known as "Brewer Chapel". After the church was built an old oak tree on the church grounds became a meeting place for the men folk of the family to make plans for the week or simply engage in small talk.

After Robert’s death at the age of 57, Emiline became the uniting force in the family. Her diminutive stature belied her stern demeanor and indomitable spirit. She was an accomplished midwife, with experience as her only teacher, and it was her worn and rugged hands that lovingly brought many of her grandchildren into the world. Her children and grandchildren returned her love by farming for her and ensuring that her needs were satisfied. Because she lived alone and was advancing in age, many of her grandchildren alternated staying with her at night in her rustic log cabin that sat on farmland shared by several cats, chickens and her cow, Cindy. This provided a welcomed opportunity for these youths to get apples, peaches, figs, and grapes from her numerous orchards. They could also count on being treated to some of her delicious ash bread, sweet potatoes and other goodies. After departing this life in 1925, well into her eighties, she was laid to rest at Wesley Chapel, and her portrait hangs there today in recognition of her contributions to the church and to the community.

Many of Robert and Emiline’s grandchildren decided to join the great black exodus to the "promised land" of the North after World War I in search of a better life. Most chose to migrate to New York, while others went to Chicago or other northern areas. While the streets were not paved with gold, they were certainly different from the dusty roads of South Carolina. As they had hoped, these descendants made their fortunes there. Many also met their spouses there, who had traveled North for the same reasons, and set about starting their own families in this new found land of milk and honey. Although they were far from the land of their origin, it was never far from their hearts.

Other descendants decided to remain in the South and try to improve their lot by farming, teaching, or preaching, which were the only career options available to Blacks in that area of the country. Although life was undoubtedly more difficult there than in the North, they too managed to prosper in their chosen professions and some even became pioneers is education, politics and entrepreneurial pursuits. These descendants continued to accumulate property and as a result of their efforts, the Brewers have become major landowners in the Pageland area.

All of the descendants of Robert and Emiline were successful, not only in a material sense, but also in building upon the strong family foundation established by their ancestors. Family loyalty, education, community service and religion have always become the hallmarks of the Brewer family. As is true of many other black families, these values were crucial to the survival of the Brewer family during the painful and turbulent periods in this nation's history. Our ancestors were strong men and women who were not afraid to stand up for what they believed and to unite in support of their own, even at the cost of jeopardizing their safety by disregarding the conventional rules imposed by a racist society.

At a time when the lack of traditional family values is often lamented, it is reassuring to note that the progeny of Robert and Emiline have continued this legacy by creating an environment conducive to the progress and growth of the family. From such humble beginnings, the family today includes educators, doctors, lawyers, ministers, military officers, business owners and members of other professions that Robert and Emiline could have scarcely imagined. From the cotton fields of Pageland, South Carolina, to the cosmopolitan city of Stockholm, Sweden, to the African country of Liberia, the Brewer family has spread to the far corners of the earth.

The sacrifices that our forebears made and the seeds that they sowed under adverse conditions have borne fruit in the accomplishments of their descendants. The path that they beat through the wilderness of racism, poverty, and ignorance has made the way clearer for us all. For their resilience and the rich legacy which has been left for us, we are eternally grateful. It is now our responsibility to keep the torch burning brightly and to pass it on for untold generations to came.