Tracing The Sir Name Bilbrew Part I

 

TRACING THE SIR NAME BILBREW PART I
From England to Slavery

As we can see from our previous Blog the surname Bilbrew hails from the UK and is more than likely English. Another fact to be given close attention is the surname Bilbrew  in  America starts out 100% of Anglo-Saxon descent .

1.Thomas Bilbrew 1812
(Notations within “Peter N. to America“)
Source: Nafzger Heritage News Vol XVI No 3Raw OCR Page 4- 8/04/04

In 1795 Samuel was appointed surveyor of the highways with William Kyle. In 1798 he was appointed constable. In 1790 Samuel signed a petition together with other German Baptists Botetourt county asking that their military obligation be commuted into public service labor in the form of work projects. Whether it was accepted is unknown. In the history of Looney’s Creek, Samuel was named as a leader of the German group who settled in that area of the Shanadoah Valley. In 1810 census Samuel was enumerated with 7 other people in the household. In 1812 his daughter Elizabeth married Thomas Bilbrew, Samuel was also enumerated in 1820 and 1830 census. Samuel died prior to May, 1839. His will named his children as Elizabeth (married to Thomas Bilbrew), Abraham, Issac, Sally (Sarah) and Polly ….
Source: http://www.noffsinger.org/nafzger/NHN/ocr.php?issue=NHNvXVIn3

1.1Thomas Bilbrew  August 7, 1820
Lewisburg, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
Source: Ancestry.Com (1820 United States Federal Census)

1 Free White Male 26-44, 2 Free White Male under 10
1 Free White Female 16-25, 3 Free White Female under 10

1.2Thomas Bilbrew 2 Sept 1822
Source: (Muhlenberg County, Kentucky Court Orders [Book ? Page 333})

Know all men by these presents that we David Combs, Jonas WIGGINS, Thomas BILBREW and Mark OVERHOLS are held and firmly bound unto Martin KITTINGER in the penal sum of Three hundred dollars the payment of which well and truly to be made to the said KITTINGER his Heirs, etc. We bind ourselves our heirs to jointly or severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 8th day of May 1822.…
Source: http://www.combs-families.org/combs/records/ky/muhlenberg/

1.3 Thomas Bilbrew 1827
Will of Thomas Bilbrew 1827 Muhlenberg County Kentucky
 Source: Micro Flim of Wills Book2 Page 445 (Muhlenberg County, KY Court Records)

In the name of God Amen
I, Thomas Bilbrew of the County of Muhlenberg and State of Kentucky, being
of sound mind and memory and understanding, but considering the uncertainty
of this life think fit to make this my last will and testament in the
following manner Viz;……
Source: http://files.usgwarchives.org/ky/muhlenberg/wills/b4160001.txt

2.Dicy (Bilbrew) McFarland  1800
Source: Internet Archive (Genealogy of the Cloyd, Basye and Tapp Families in America)

144a. THOMAS EWING WILLIAMSON, (b. 2-15-1818 ; d. 6-
20-1870), son of George, 43, and Hannah (Mabray) (Crutch-
field) Williamson, m. 10-20-1847, Fannie Elizabeth McFarland,
(b. 6-3-1877 ; d. 1904), dau. of James P., and Dicy (Bilbrew) Mc-
Farland. He was a farmer, a Presbyterian and democrat. He
resided at Green Hill, Wilson Co., Tenn.
Source: http://www.archive.org/stream/genealogyofcloyd00cloy/genealogyofcloyd00cloy_djvu.txt

3.Dewel Bilbrew 1800
Source: Guy Zimmerman.Com. (from the1800 US census of NC)

Bilbrary, John Brn 20A [Brunswick]
Bilbrew, Dewel Edg 187 [Edgecomb]
Bilbry, John Cht 191 [Chatham]
Source: http://guyzimmerman.com/07112010/b51.htm or http://guyzimmerman.com/07042008/b50.htm

3.1Dewell Bilbrew , 1800 in Edgecombe, North Carolina
Source: Ancestry.Com (From the 1800 US Federal Census) Roll 30, Page 187, Image 189, Family History Library Film: 337906

Dewell Bilbrew (1Free white female  45 and over , 1Free white male  45 and over)
Source: http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=view&r=0&dbid=7590&iid=4440859_00189&fn=Dewell&ln=Bilbrew&st=r&ssrc=&pid=317463

4.Nathaniel Bilbrew’s/Bilbrue’s 1800 family and slave count in Edgecombe, North Carolina
Source: Ancestry.Com (From the 1800 US Federal Census) Roll 30, Page 181, Image 183, Family History Library Film: 337906

No. in Household: (1 Free white male age 26 to 44,1 Free white female age 26 to 44, 1 Free white female age 10 to 15, 3 Free white females under 10) and 4 Slaves

5.James C. Bilbrew’s 1850 family in Lincoln County, MO of the 1800s
 Source: linclon.mogen web.org (From the 1850 US Federal Census)

Surname    Name       Age   Sex    Race     Birth State    Birth Year    Page  Line

Bilbrew   James C       38     M        W           Virginia            1812             102    19
                   Judith W     38     F          W           Virginia            1812                        20
                   Julius           14    M         W           Missouri          1836                         21
                   Jesse W      10     M        W           Missouri          1840                         22
                  Martha J       8      F          W           Missouri          1842                        23
                  Penelopy       6     F          W           Missouri          1844                        24
                  Benjamin       2     M         W           Missouri          1848                        25
                  Lucy J        8/12   F          W           Missouri          1850                        26


Source: http://lincoln.mogenweb.org/census/1850-US-Census-Index-By-Name.htm orhttp://www.mogenweb.org/lincoln/census/1850-US-Census-Index-By-Page.htm

5.1 Slave Schedules Record for James C Bilbrew 1850
Source: Acestry.Com 1850 Slave Schedules (1850 U.S. Federal Census [database on-line 1850. M432, 1,009 rolls])

Male                  Age    Birth Year     Female                   Age    Birth Year

1 Male Black      60       1790           1 Female Black      19       1831

1 Male Mulatto  12        1838          1 Female Black       15       1835

                                                                   1 Female Black      10       1840

                                                                   1 Female Mulatto     6       1844

6.William P. Bilbrew’s 1850 family in Bedford County, VA of the 1800s
 Source: Ancestry.Com (From the 1850 US Federal Census)

Surname      Name          Age    Sex    Race     Birth State    Birth Year    Page   Line
Bilbrew      William          36      M        W          Virginia           1814              539      15
                       Mildred J.    27      F         W          Virginia           1823                            16
                       Mary J.          11      F          W          Virginia           1839                            17
                       John               10      M        W          Virginia           1840                            18
                      Ann R.              8       F         W          Virginia            1842                            19
                      Sarah                5       F         W           Virginia           1845                            20
                      Mildred A.      3       F         W           Virginia           1847                            21


6.1 Slaves owned by William P. Bilbrew 1840
Source:Acestry.Com (1840 U.S. Federal Census [database on-line 1840.Roll: 253; Page:550; Image: 514; Film: 0029683])

Male               Age            Female          Age

1 Male     24 to 35         1 Female     24 to 35

2 Males     10 to 23       2 Females    10 to 23

2 Males    Under 10      5 Females    Under 10

7.Allen Bilbrew 1836
Source: Acestory.Com 1870 United State Federal Cenusu

Allen Bilbrew  1836  34 White  VA now W VA      London, Kanawha, West Viriginia was Virginia
8.Foster (Bilbrew) Mount 1859
Source: FamilyTreeMaker.Genealogy.Com

+Foster Bilbrew MOUNT b: 26 Oct 1859 in Tennessee m: 15 Jan 1891 in Collin County, Texas d: 14 Apr1943 in McKinney, Texas (Descendants of John Sledge Jr)
Source: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/o/g/Herman-A-Rogers/PDFODT3.pdf

9.John J. Bilbrew  1863 Civil War Confederate Soldier
Source: Ancestry.Com (National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System)

J. J. Bilbrew VA (Private, 34th Regiment 34th Virginia Infantry Company H)
Source: http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/

10.Jacob Bilbrew 1870 and Spouse
Source: Ancestory.Com1870 United State Federal Cenusu

Jacob Bilbrew   1843   27  White  M   New Jersey          Wall, Mommouth, New Jersey
Elisabeth           1840   30  White  F    New Jersey          Wall, Mommouth, New Jersey
                                                                                                                 

SUMMARY

  The Sir Name Bilbrew appeared in America sometime before the American Revolution and at this time was100% White Anglo Saxon. The 1800 United State Federal Census shows Dewell Bilbrew  female was at least 45 years of age (b.1755) or older ,  Nathaniel Bilbrew was no younger than 26 (b.1774) and no older than 44 (b.1756), and Thomas Bilbrew  on the 1820 census was no younger than 26 (b.1794) and no older than 44 (b.1776) 

Based on my research up to this point our Sir Name is that of a possible slave owner. However I have not been able to connect a known family member to a slave owner. As you can see there were a few  slave owners with the surname of  Bilbrew in the following states  (James C. of MO,  Nathaniel of NC, and William P. of VA). I’ve also found a Black family with the surname Bilbrew on the 1870th U.S. Federal Census in Virginia (the 1st census after slavery). We know, after the Civil War,  the Emancipation, and the Thirteenth Amendment  millions of people of color required full names for the first time in their life. Some created names, some chose their master’s or previous master’s name, others were just given a name. History also state many people of color change their original name from one census to the next after migrating to other regions.

I will venture into more details in our next Blog: Tracing the Sir Name Bilbrew Part II (The Link to Slavery). Please feel free to join this Blog and receive new post email notifications. I look forward to your comments and input as our family journey takes us home.