EZRA F.
BRAMWELL, of Dry Grove Township,
is pleasantly located on section 14, where he is carrying on the peaceful
pursuits of a farmer's life, and passing the latter days of a busy life in the
enjoyment of a comfortable home, and the respect of hosts of friends.
Our
subject was born in Vernon,
Jennings Co., Ind., Oct. 4, 1820, and is of Scotch-English parentage, his
parents being William C. and Catharine (McDonald) Bramwell. They were born in
the counties of Mercer and
Garrett,
Ky. William C. Bramwell first opened his eyes to the light on the 27th of
October, 1788, and the greater part of his life followed his trade as spinning
wheelwright and chair builder.
The
parents were married in Kentucky in 1810, and came to Indiana the following year, where the father
took up the carpenter's trade and became prominently connected with the affairs
of his adopted State.
At the
time of his marriage he could neither read nor write, but he afterward became
proficient in astronomy and logarithms, and mastered Greek and Hebrew. He was a
man of great force of character, fond of argument, and became one of the bright
lights in the politics of the State.
He
served one term in the Legislature of Indiana, and came to McLean County, Ill.,
in the fall of 1856. He afterward turned his attention to religious matters,
and occupied the pulpit for many years, first as a Baptist, and afterward
espoused the doctrines advocated by Alexander Campbell.
In politics he was an old-line Whig, but after the abandonment of that
party practically withdrew
from political work.
The
mother of our subject, Mrs. Catharine Bramwell, was born on the 25th of March,
1791, and died in Johnson County, Ind., July 2, 1865, three
weeks after the death of her husband. Their marriage took place in Kentucky, and they became the parents of eight
children, seven sons and one daughter, as follows: John M., James H., Solon C.,
Jesse V., Ezra F., Zenas F., William A. and Nancy M.
The
subject of our history went to Iowa
from Indiana in 1837, with a surveying party, and
stopped at Keokuk, where he remained three weeks. He then returned home and
remained until 1857, when he came with his parents to this county.
During
his childhood he attended the common schools, and at the age of fourteen years
went to the city of Madison,
and was employed as clerk in a dry-goods store for four years following.
He then
commenced the study of medicine under the instruction of Dr. Philo Andrews, of New York City, with whom
he remained for three years, and then commenced practice. He followed his
profession until 1844, but not finding it sufficiently lucrative, abandoned it.
He then
took a contract on the Madison
& Indianapolis Railroad, for laying track, and after the completion of
this, became, first fireman, then engineer, and afterward conductor on that
road, being thus engaged four years, in the meantime losing an eye by a scale
from the smoke stack.
Mr. Bramwell
was married on the 6th of February, 1842, to Miss Rebecca C. Griffith, a native
of Steubenville, Ohio.
Mrs. Brain well was the daughter of Hezekiah and Lydia (Mobley) Griffith,
natives of Maryland, but of Welsh ancestry and parentage.
Their family included ten children.
The
father of Mrs. Bramwell was born March 1, 1790, and died in Indiana, Aug. 13, 1840. The mother was born
Jan. 24, 1795, survived her husband thirty-four years, and died in Indiana on the 16th of
April, 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Bramwell have become the parents of eleven children—Henrietta,
Rachel, Alice, William C., Daniel D. Charles L.,
Lydia,
Kate, Esther, Frank L. and Eugene F.
Mr. Bramwell
came to McLean County in 1857, and for the first six
years cultivated rented land, then purchased eighty acres of his present
homestead. He was prospered in his agricultural operations, and afterward
doubled the amount of his real estate, so that he now has 160 acres under a
fine state of cultivation. His stock includes some fine specimens of Jersey cattle, and his residence, barns and
out-buildings, are indicative of the thrift and enterprise of the proprietor.
Mr.
Bramwell has held the office of Township Trustee for a period of twelve years;
has been Town Clerk over seven years, and has served as Constable and
Commissioner of Highways. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and a man of influence in his party
in this section. The various members of the family are connected with and
regular attendants of the Christian Church.
Portrait and biographical album of McLean
County, Ill. : containing full
page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative
citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the
governors of Illinois, and of the presidents
of the United States. (Chicago:
Chapman Brothers, 1887), 366. Transcribed
and annotated by Judy Rosella Edwards.
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