My Genealogy Hound

JOHN G. BROWER, a well-known carpenter of Pottstown, is a native of Pottsgrove township, where he was born April 18, 1837. He is the son of Isaac and Sarah (Gilbert) Brower.

Isaac Brower (father) was a weaver by trade and followed that occupation until his retirement early in life. He died November 20, 1855, aged fifty-eight years and eleven months. He was buried at Boyertown cemetery. His wife survived him, and died May 14, 1857, aged fifty-two years. He was a Democrat in politics. The couple had but one child, John G. Brower. Mr. Brower had been previously married, his first wife being Elizabeth Erb. There was but one child by that marriage, Elizabeth (deceased).

Isaac Brower (grandfather) married Maria Gable. He came from Hamburg, Germany. Both grandparents are buried at Boyertown. They were members of the Lutheran church. The maternal grandparents of John G. Brower were John and Maria (Shaner) Gilbert. They resided in Pottsgrove township. He was a weaver by trade. He died when James K. Polk was elected president of the United States, and was buried at Swamp. He was a Democrat in politics, and in religious faith the couple were Lutherans. They had six children.

John G. Brower attended the neighborhood schools until he was sixteen years of age, and then learned the carpenter trade, teaching school during the winter for eighteen terms in Colebrookdale, Berks county, and working at carpentering during the summer months. He still follows the latter occupation. He went to Pottstown on April 3,1882. The home which he occupies, he built nineteen years ago. He married Elmina R., daughter of Jacob and Dorothy (Reinhart) Hausman, who lived in Lehigh county, and later in Berks county. Mr. Hausman was also a weaver. He was a Democrat in politics, and the family were members of the Lutheran church. They are buried at Lobachsville cemetery, Berks county. They had twelve children, of which seven are still living: Tillman, Rolly, Bertha, Eliza, Sarah, Elmina, and Emaline.

John G. Brower married Elmina R. Hausman on September 12, 1857, in Friedensburg; the ceremony was performed by the Rev. G. A. Hinterleibner. They had four daughters, all living and married: Eleanora, married John W. Dotterer, a merchant, farmer, creamery and hotel merchant of Berks county, and they have two children, Charles B., who is a doctor, practicing in Zieglerville, Montgomery county, and Hettie B.; Clara, born December 21, 1859, married Henry B. Yerger, and they live in Reading, where he is a teamster, having four children, Charles, Edgar, Stella, and Brower; Sarah, born November 14, 1862, married William G. Snyder, and lives in Reading, where he is a coal, feed and provision merchant, and has three children, Elmina, William, and John; Annie, born November 28, 1865, married Amos B. Dotterer, and lives in Bechtelsville, Berks county, where he is engaged in the hotel business, they having three children: Minerva, Elmina and Elizabeth.

John G. Brower is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Lutheran church. He is a member of the board of health, and has been a delegate to different conventions.