The Brewer Reunion
1886
Newspaper clipping – unknown newspaper in Michigan, presumably the Romeo
Observer
Contributed by Joan Brewer
There is no farm in northern Oakland from which has
graduated a more prominent family than the Peter Brewer farm in Addison. One by
one during the past thirty-five years, this family of nine children left the old
home to battle with life as their parents had done before them. Last Christmas
the nine brothers and sisters met at the residence of the brother Abram in
Addison, the children in unbroken union, the only break being the absence of the
parents who had gone on before.
We are indebted to the Romeo Observer for the following report of the gathering, with its interesting history of this, in some respects, remarkable family.
Many of out readers will remember the late Peter Brewer and Mary, his wife, who resided for so many years at their home a few miles west of Romeo. They lived to a good old age, honored and respected by all. They died on the same day, the 23rd of September 1866 and were buried together. Their remains now rest in the Romeo cemetery. Mr. And Mrs. Brewer came to Michigan, and to the farm in the town of Addison, on which they resided to the close of their lives, in the Fall of 1833. They came from Greene County, New York. This aged and honored couple left a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters, all of whom are still living. Addison P. and Peter W. are residents of East Saginaw. John A. is a resident of Romeo, while Abraham N. remains on the old homestead. Of the daughters, Anna E. Brewer, now Hannah, resides in Tuscola county, Mary L., now U_a_, resides near Flushing, Genessee county, Lydia M., now Marvin, near Ovid, and Sarah E., now McMasters, in Clare county. The sons are all well-known business men, and personally known to most of our citizens. Mark S. Brewer, as everybody knows, has been, and still is quite prominent in public life, being Congressmen elect, of the sixth Congressional district, for a third term.
More than thirty-five years has elapsed since these brothers and sisters had met together in their old home in Addison. On Christmas day just passed, at the earnest solicitation of Abram Brewer and his excellent wife, they all met there, - not one of their number being absent, although some of them came from a considerable distance; some of the brothers and sisters were accompanied by their families, while a number of the old neighbors and friends of the family, joined with them in the festivities of the occasion, and in partaking of the bounties which had been so generously provided.
Before the company separated, Mark S., the youngest of the brothers, was called upon to make some remarks, which he did, suitable to the occasion. He referred to the many years which had elapsed since they had all met together, to the struggles which their good parents had, in the infantile days of the speaker, and to their own poverty and privations in early life, and also to the measure of success which all had attained in their honorable efforts to better their condition. He said: “Life has its sunshine and its shadows,” and briefly and feelingly alluded to the death of their honored, loving and indulgent parents twenty years previously, and to his own recent and great bereavement in the loss of his wife. He referred to the fact that, while their gathering was one that gave them all great pleasure, yet like the silver cloud, it had its dark lining, and it tended to make their hearts heavy when they came to reflect that it was quite probable that they never should all assemble together again. He counseled them that death was but paying the debt of nature, and that it was the best for all not to borrow trouble, but to ever try to look upon the bright side of life. There was one thing that must give all pleasure when we reflect upon the fact, that we were permitted to live during that age of the world which is more interesting than any which has preceeded it.
This century having surpassed all others in all that which tends to the general advancement of our race – in value of its inventions, its patriotism and love of liberty, and in all that which pertains to the welfare of mankind. He closed by thanking all those friends who had assemble to greet them, and especial thanks to Abram and his wife for the deep interest they had taken in bringing them together and bountifully and liberally entertaining them. He said he hoped they and theirs would all live to enjoy many a merry Christmas at “the old house at home.”