1759: Born January 2,1759
in NC to Benjamin and Rebecca Will Brimer. Twin to
Jesse Brimer.
1777, 1st Volunteer Duty:
In July 1777, when 18, Pvt. William Brimer volunteered to fight in the
American Revolution with the NC militia out of Wilkes County, NC, where he
then lived, in a campaign under Capt. Jacob Free (Col. Armstrong's regiment;
General Rutherford's brigade) against the Cherokees in the valley towns.
1778, 2nd Volunteer Duty: In July 1778, he
volunteered a second time in Wilkes County, NC under Capt. William
Gilbreath (Colonel Buvard's regiment, General Rutherford's brigade) and
marched to Moncks Corner SC which is near to Charleston SC to engage the
British in Savannah, GA area. Pvt. Brimer was discharged from this tour of duty on
9 April 1779.
1780, 3rd Volunteer Duty: In Sept. 1780 he
volunteered yet again under Capt. Valentine Sevier (Col. John Sevier's
regiment) in Washington County, NC (which is now part of TN).
Fought as an "Overmountain Men" volunteer militia battle group in the famous
October 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain (see Donna Cator's
Mills/Redden line
also). Again he served as a private. The Battle of Kings Mountain was a
major victory for the patriots. "William became part of Colonel Sevier's
240 man force" which joined other troops to pursue forces of British Lt.
Col. Ferguson. Then he became a part of a 910 man battle force joining with
460 men from other units to become a 1370 force called "Avenging Horde"
that caught and
decimated the British at the Battle of Kings Mountain on
October 7, 1780. This was an important battle in turning the tide in favor
of American independence.
Click on picture for full size map of Kings
Mountain Battle Route 1780:
Drawing
depicting the first gathering of militia volunteers at Sycamore
Shoals
before their trek over the mountains and down to the Cow Pens area.
Oil painting depiction of the Battle of Kings
Mountain and how it took place as
the militiamen fought their way up the mountain, killing Patrick
Ferguson in the
process, and taking prisoner both English soldiers and Tory
sympathizers. 
British Lt. Col. Patrick Ferguson
Killed
Militia Service in Revolutionary War:
Total
of 14 to 15 months.
Kings
Mountain is now a National Military Park
GPS Coordinates per Mike Brimer:William
Brimer stoo
d
here (see photo) when he and his group of militiamen were
readying themselves to go up the mountain. Approx.
GPS grid coordinate is:
35.14117N 81.37604W
1784: Moved to Washington County, TN and
married Elizabeth Elgin there It is possible that she is 1/2 Cherokee Indian.
1785: Moved to Rutherford County NC.
1790: Listed
in Rutherford County NC 1790 Census records.
1795: OUR LINE:
William and Elizabeth's son William
S. Brimer, Hans' ggrandson, born. Note: Son William Brimer
has a middle initial of "S" while the father did not.
1810: William Brimer and family moved to
Sevierville / Sevier County / Jefferson county area.
Brimer owned property on the south side of the large French
Broad River. Likely called "going to town" as being
Sevierville because there was no river to cross to get to
Sevierville. He had one tax record in Sevier county;
thereafter his property was actually just inside the county line of
Jefferson County because the county boundaries were redrawn.
All the rest of his tax records were for Jefferson County which had
as it county seat Dandridge, across the river!
1811 - 1824: William Brimer purchased
several pieces of property on the south side of the French Broad
River in Jefferson County between 1811 and 1824, beginning with one
121 acre property in 1811, then one 85.75 acre property in 1812, one
50 acre property in Jefferson County in 1824, and finally one 100
acre piece in 1825,
for a total of approximately 386.75 acres.
GPS Coordinates per Mike Brimer:
William Brimer's Farmland located at approximately 35.968703N / 83.428500W
William Brimer's farmland is now completely underwater from
a dam built in the 1940s. This topography map
shows it prior to flooding the land. Also this map
done in 1939 shows Flat Creek, along which William is
buried:
1807 map that highlights the general area of William's
properties in a yellow oval:.
1939 USGS Map of William Brimer Property - Shady Grove (near
Dandridge):
1832 July 27: William Brimer applied
for a revolutionary war pension in 1834. His affidavit stated his age as 73 years and that he volunteered
July 1777 while living in Wilkes County, NC under Captain
Jacob Free (Colonel Armstrong's regiment, General Rutherford's brigade); in July
1778 he volunteered again in Wilkes County, NC under Captain William Gilbreath (Colonel Buvard's regiment, General Rutherford's brigade); Sep
1780, volunteered again in W
ashington County, NC [at time of affadavit had
become TN], under Captain Valentine Sevier (Colonel John Sevier's regiment);
fought at Battle of King's Mountain under Captain Sevier in General William
Campbell's command; fought in total between 14 and 15 months.
1833 Feb 11: Pension records
awarded and indicate William
Brimer received a total of $139.98 as of February 11 1833.
1834:
Died July
16, 1834 Sevier County, TN. Buried in Flat Creek area of Sevier
County, TN
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncrevwtp/patriots/williambrimerar.htm
1834 Following William's Death: William's heirs gathered together to
re-divide and then sell portions of his property to one another.
The "deeds," which sold property to both John and
Vineyard, list all of William's children and the spouses of William's female children.
Personal Observation of Mike Brimer:
After William's death, 2 of the children
wanted to stay local and farm his land, so parts were sold to each of them. In
the meantime, some of his children moved away a bit. His widow Elizabeth was
having financial difficulties, appealed for a widow's pension, and got it.
Link to
Transcribed Deeds HERE. The linked pdf is a recent
transcription of very early handwritten copies of the deeds,
which may be available on this site in the future.
These documents provide proof of family members.
1835:
The 1835 TN Pension Roll shows William awarded for his duty as a NC
Militia private, in the annual sum of $46.66 at age 75. "The
records also indicate that he had received a total of $139.98 as of
February 11 1833."
His descendants are
eligible for membership in patriotic organizations because of his service
record.
1839: March 4 affidavit of Elizabeth Brimer states she is 75
years old and a widow.
1840 June 16: Application for Pension filed by Elizabeth
Brimer. She is unable to read/write so she signed her X before
an acting Justice of the Peace in Sevier County, TN. In this
application she states that she "became acquainted with" and lived
with William Brimer as "husband and wife" in1785. In 1840 she was a
widow.
1843: Elizabeth is
granted an annual widow's pension of $20.50
as of March 4, 1843.
1848 May 24: Elizabeth (wife) died 24 May 1848 at
home of her son Vineyard on Chestnut Hill, in Jefferson County, TN
GENERATION #3
William Brimer of NC/TN
