Tombstone Tuesday–Brewster, Pearl & Philip

Philip & Pearl Brewster, Riverside Cemetery, Adams County, Indiana

This is the tombstone of Philip and Pearl Brewster, nee Reid. The gravestone is located in Riverside Cemetery, one mile east of Geneva in Adams County, Indiana. The tombstone reads: BREWSTER—Pearl (1880-1962), Philip (1868-1935).

Philip and Pearl were my great-grandparents, Philip was born 9 Aug 1868 in Adams County, Indiana, the son of Daniel and Sarah Brewster, nee Fetters. He died 21 January 1935 in Adams County, Indiana. Pearl was born 20 September 1880 in Salina, Kansas, and died 19 February 1962 in Adams County, Indiana. She was the daughter of William and Emily Reid, nee Bryan. Philip and Pearl were married 1 Dec 1895 in Adams County, Indiana. (Book G:145) Pearl was in the five generation photo featured in my blog A Snapshot of the Past—Five Generations of My Family.

Obituary: The deceased, Philip H. Brewster, was born August 9, 1868, and peacefully departed this life at his home in Jefferson Township, January 21, 1935, at the age of 66 years, 5 months and 12 days.

On December 1, 1895 he was united in marriage to Miss Pearl Reid, who survives him.  To this union were born eight children, all living:  Jesse Brewster, Glen Brewster, Mrs. Arlie Ellenberger and Mrs. Arthur Weaver, all of Wabash Township; Dore Brewster and Mrs. Ralph Derrickson of Jefferson Township, Mrs. Robert Dudgeon of Berne, and Mrs. Carl Miller of Mercer County, Ohio.  Besides the widow and children, he leaves to mourn his departure, 22 grandchildren, his step mother, Mrs. Loverda Brewster, three brothers, Charles W. of Ft. Wayne, Frank, of Berne and Fred of Jefferson Township; and three sisters Mrs. J.A. Buckmaster of Portland, Mrs. Dale Rockwood of Jeromeville, Ohio and Mrs. Charley Abnet of this community.  His father and two sisters preceded him in death.

In 1928 the deceased suffered a stroke of paralysis from which he partially recovered but during the past year his health gradually failed him and during the last two weeks of his life he was confined to the house.  Although he suffered for years he bore his affliction patiently and uncomplainingly.  He spent his entire life in farming in Adams County, the place of his birth.  He was a member of the Evangelical Mt. Carmel Church of which he was janitor for a number of years.  Mr. Brewster had a wide host of friends and was much esteemed and respected by all who knew him. (source: unknown newspaper clipping)

Obituary:  Mrs. Pearl Brewster, 81, a resident of Geneva, died at 2 p.m. Monday at the Adams County Memorial Hospital following a heart attack.  She had been in failing health since last July, since which time she had resided with a son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Derrickson, east of town.

A native of Salina, Kansas, Mrs. Brewster was born Sept. 20, 1880, the daughter of William and Emily Bryan Reid. She was married to Philip Brewster who preceded in death in 1935.  She had resided in Jefferson Township most of her life.  She was a member of Geneva Church of the Nazarene.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Carl (Gertrude) Miller, Willshire, O., route 1; Mrs. Ralph (Alpha) Derrickson, Mrs. Robert (Bernice) Dudgeon, and Mrs. Arthur (Dorothy) Weaver, all of Berne route 2; Mrs. Arley (Elva) Ellenberger, Geneva route 2; three sons, Jesse Brewster, Geneva route 1; and Dore and Glen Brewster, both of Geneva route 1; 34 grandchildren, 77 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mrs. Zorpha Lawrence, Fort Wayne, Mrs. Minnie Peters and Mrs. Edith Stroube, both of Portland, and Mrs. Orlando Brunner, Portland, route 2.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Geneva Church of the Nazarene, Rev. R. E. Baker officiating.  Burial was in Riverside Cemetery.  (source: Geneva Herald, 22 Feb 1962)

Philip and Pearl had the following children: Gertrude (1896-1973), Alpha (1898-1968), Jesse (1900-1964), Dore (1902-1982), Bernice (1907-1994), Elva (1909-2005), Glen (1912-1971), and Dorothy (1916-2009).

I remember my great-grandmother, Pearl. Grandpa Miller would take Grandma (Pearl’s daughter Gertrude) and me to visit Pearl at her house in Geneva. Those two would talk for hours and hours. I was under ten years old then and was bored silly. Now I would love to be able to go back in time and listen to those conversations and ask them questions about our ancestors.

Philip Brewster (1868-1935) 1912 photo

Pearl (Reid) Brewster (1880-1962) 1912 photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6 comments

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    • Brian Brewster on May 26, 2011 at 5:20 pm
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    Nice writeup. I have individual photos taken of Great Grandma and Grandpa Brewster. They were as the above only taken individually, not in the family sitting. Have I sent them to you?

      • Karen on May 27, 2011 at 1:03 am
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      Yes, you did send them to me. Thanks for all the photos you have sent. I will be uploading more in the future.

    • Deb on September 23, 2017 at 1:26 pm
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    Really enjoyed this. I am the great grand daugter of Jesse & Dorothy Parr Brewster

    1. It is always nice to learn of more family members. I remember Jesse and Dorothy. Jesse was my grandma’s brother. Thanks for writing!

    • Rhonda (Brewster) Beaver on May 20, 2019 at 2:33 pm
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    Hello Karen! So glad I ran across this post! I am a grand daughter of Jesse & Dorothy Parr Brewster. My father was their son, Gary Dean Brewster, deceased December 26, 2004. If Jesse was your great uncle, who was your grandmother?

    1. My grandmother was Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, sister of Jess Brewster. Definitely the same family. I remember Jesse & Dorothy. Thanks for writing!

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