Milly Frances Morris was born 20 Aug 1856 to George Washington ‘Watty’ Morris and Elizabeth Dennis. She was the granddaughter of John Jacky and Amelia Morris. It seems rather obvious that she was named for her grandmother, Amelia, who was also called Milly. The first 38 years of Milly’s life were spent with her parents. She first appears on the scene in the 1860 Census as five years old living in Beans, Montgomery, North Carolina and continued living with her parents until she married in 1894.
This was not the first time a Hurley had done something for a Morris. Joseph Hurley, in 1850, was trustee for John Jacky Morris to secure a debt when John Jacky Morris borrowed $30 from Eliza Kirk.
Edward Cannon Brewer Jr. was a widower having first married Mary Hamilton, daughter of Stephen Hamilton and Rebecca Dennis (she is believed to be the daughter of Andrew Dennis) and the father of 11 children, one of which was Janetta, who, in 1910 intermarried with James Alford Kearns, the widower of Caroline Rhoda Morris, daughter of John Jacky and Amelia Morris.
I have questioned for years if Amelia Morris could have possibly been a child of Andrew Dennis (although she could just as easily be a Morgan or any number of other names like Merritt or Williams). But, alas, no proof is to be found on Amelia’s maiden name. Her only child, Diza Morris Lucas, who lived long enough to obtain a death certificate was wrongly identified as the child of George ‘Watty’ Morris, who was her brother and Milly Francis Morris’ father. It seems reasonable to conclude that if people of her own generation did not know who she was, Amelia’s maiden name may never be uncovered except with mtDNA testing.
Edward Cannon Brewer Jr. is the son of another Edward Cannon Brewer Sr. who was born about 1780 and he the son of yet another Edward Cannon Brewer (the 1st) who was born about 1762 in Orange County, North Carolina. This Brewer line can be further researched back to Oliver Brewer who was born about 1708 probably in Surry, Virginia and died about 1792 in Chatham, North Carolina. Oliver Brewer is the son of George Brewer born about 1670 probably in Isle of Wight, Virginia and died Aug 1744 in Brunswick, Virginia. The Brewer’s lived on or near Beaver Pond Creek in Brunswick, Virginia less than 10 miles from Henry Morris Sr. of Smoky Ordinary.
George Brewer married Sarah Lanier who is the sister of Nicholas Lanier who coincidentally had ties to Henry Morris Sr. of Smoky Ordinary, Brunswick, Virginia and his son, Henry Morris Jr. who migrated to Granville County, North Carolina, those parts that became Orange County, North Carolina in 1752. So, the Brewer’s and the Morris’s along with the Lloyd’s came to Granville / Orange, North Carolina probably about the same time and maybe even together.
Interestingly, a man named Thomas Brewer was the executor of the will of Henry Morris (son of Henry Morris of Smoky Ordinary, Brunswick, Virgina) in Orange County, North Carolina. I am not yet sure who this Thomas Brewer is, but he may be the son of a man named Nathaniel Brewer who, in turn, might be related somehow to Edward Cannon Brewer (the 1st).
Later generations of the Orange / Chatham County, North Carolina Brewer family migrated to Randolph County, North Carolina where in 1816 Edward Brewer Sr. of Randolph County, North Carolina purchased of Josiah Reeves of Montgomery County, North Carolina for $150 a tract of land on the waters of the Glady Fork of Beaverdam Creek. Witnesses: Hezekiah Naylor and Elijah Bingham. That same land, in 1841, was deeded from Edward Brewer Sr. to his son, Edward Brewer Jr. who happens to be the father of Edward Brewer (III) who married Milly Frances Morris.
Edward Brewer (III) died in 1911 in Montgomery County, North Carolina and is buried at Southside Cemetery in Troy. His first wife, Mary Hamilton Brewer is buried at Center Cemetery on Center Methodist Church Road near Blaine.
Milly Frances Morris Brewer married second on 12 Apr 1914 to widower and Free Mason John Martin Boyd, whose first wife, Caroline Yarboro, daughter of John and Tempy Thompson Yarboro died in 1913 and was buried at the Boyd Cemetery. John outlived Milly by 16 years and was, strangely, buried at Holly Mount Baptist Church Cemetery in Mt. Gilead and not beside either of his wives.
John Martin Boyd descends from a line of Boyd’s who may have come from Virginia to North Carolina like so many others. His father, Robert Jackson Boyd, died at Gettysburg in the Civil War. His mother, Adaline Mason Boyd, never remarried as far as I can tell. Robert looks to be the son of James Boyd born about 1801 in North Carolina and him the son of John Boyd born about 1750 supposedly in Halifax, Virginia, but I have not researched that claim yet, however, I am wondering if this is the same Boyd family who were mixed up with the Wade and Morris family across Halifax, Virginia and Orange, Person, and Chatham counties, North Carolina. Charles Wade, the son of Robert Wade and Elizabeth Hampton married Isabella Boyd, and I wonder if she might be the sister of John Boyd all of Halifax, Virginia.
More research required but if anyone out there knows, please leave a comment.
How did Milly Frances Morris know her husbands, Edward Cannon Brewer and John Martin Boyd? I may have a plausible reason on how she knew Edward Brewer, but it is beyond me how she knew John Boyd.
In 1880, 21-year-old Milly Frances Morris was living in Rocky Springs, Montgomery, North Carolina with her parents, George Washington ‘Watty’ and Elizabeth Morris. Her near neighbor was Gilbert Hamilton who was the first cousin of Mary Hamilton, the first wife of Edward Brewer. So, it is very likely that Milly knew Edward Brewer through her neighbor, Gilbert Hamilton. Edward’s first wife died in 1892, and Milly married Edward in 1894.
In 1900, Edward and Milly lived in Uwharrie Township. Living with Edward and Milly is Charlie M. listed as the grandson of Edward Brewer.
In 1910, Edward and Milly lived in Ophir.
Marriage of Milly Morris Brewer to John Martin Boyd
In 1920, John and Milly lived in Cheek Creek, the same place John had lived since at least 1900 and probably before then.
Milly died in 1922 and was buried at Southside Cemetery in Troy. John Martin Boyd died in 1938, but I am not able to find him on the 1930 Census record.
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