Digging Down East: Brackley John

Thursday, November 20, 2014

John C. Brackley, my 1st cousin 5x removed, was born on this date in 1818, in Freeman, Maine, the second of eight children born to John Brackley and Mary Trumball, and their second son.

John married Lois B. Collins in Lowell, Massachusetts on November 13, 1842. However, there is no evidence of the couple residing in either Maine or Massachusetts in the 1850 US Census.

The married couple and their children do appear in the town of Freeman, in the federal censuses for 1860, 1870, and 1880. In each, John is listed as either a laborer or a farmer. Some evidence suggests that John went to California during the Gold Rush, which may explain the gap in the ages of daughter Julia and son Charles. Others mention that he held several town positions in Freeman during his life, including selectman and treasurer.

Together, they had six children:

Marcia, b. 1844

Orren, b. 1845*

Julia E., b. 1847

Charles Eugene, b. 1851

Silas Franklin, b. 1860

Walter M., b. 1865

*Son Orren fought with Co. B, 1st Battalion, Maine Light Infantry, during the Civil War, and rose to the rank of Corporal.

John passed away of April 13, 1897 in Freeman, at the age of 78. His wife Lois followed him in death three years later, in 1900. They are buried together in the Brackley Cemetery, in Phillips, Maine.

Sources:

1860 US Census; Census Place: Freeman, Franklin, Maine; Roll: M653_435; Page: 851; Image: 266; Family History Library Film: 803435.

1870 US Census; Census Place: Freeman, Franklin, Maine; Roll: M593_543; Page: 75A; Image: 153; Family History Library Film: 552042.

1880 US Census; Census Place: Freeman, Franklin, Maine; Roll: 479; Family History Film: 1254479; Page: 438C; Enumeration District: 072; Image: 0633.

Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Find A Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com : accessed 20 Nov 2014), memorial page for John Brackley (1818-1897), Find A Grave Memorial no. 107441475, citing Brackley Cemetery, Phillips, Maine.

Find A Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com : accessed 20 Nov 2014), memorial page for Lois B Collins Brackley (1817-1900), Find A Grave Memorial no. 105773319 , citing Brackley Cemetery, Phillips, Maine.

Maine, Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1980, images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-40629-20620-56?cc=2241461&wc=MFZM-1Z9:1019035401 : accessed 12 Sep 2014), Brackett, Mary L-Bragg, May M > image 198 of 1578; citing Maine State Library, Augusta, Maine.

"Public Member Trees," database, Ancestry.com, "C. Winter family tree," for John C Brackley (b. 20 Nov 1818), with linked images.

Thompson, George A. and F. Janet Thompson. A Genealogical history of Freeman, Maine, 1796-1938, in three volumes. 3 vols. (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 1996), 1:340.

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This is the 42nd in a series, “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks,” coordinated by Amy Johnson Crow at

No Story Too Small.

52 Ancestors: #34 Beniah Pratt Brackley (1833-1896)

Beniah Pratt Brackley, my 1st cousin 5x removed, was born on this date in 1833, in Freeman, Maine, the seventh of eight children born to John Brackley and Mary Trumble, and their sixth son.

Beniah lived in Freeman until his early teen years, but eventually made his way to the coast of Maine, settling in Rockland, answering the call of the sea. He signed on to a fishing voyage with his older brother Silas for three months, and may have made it all the way to Cuba with him. There is evidence he also worked on the Boston and Lowell Canal for a time. In the 1860 Rockland census, he listed his occupation as "sailor."

He met Fannie Ulmer there, and married her in Rockland on May 9th in 1861. Two years later, the couple welcomed their only child, a daughter Elizabeth, whom they called Lizzie.

Beniah answered the Union call and enlisted at Augusta on February 22, 1864, in the 4th Maine Regiment of Volunteers. After one year, he was promoted to Lieutenant. His second enlistment was with the 31st Maine, where he rose again in rank from Private to Lieutenant. He fought in the Battle of Bull Run, and witnessed the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox.

At the end of the war, Beniah returned to Rockland and joined the police force. In the 1870 census, he listed his occupation as "police man." After about ten years, he held various civic positions in Rockland and Knox County.

Beniah lost his wife in 1894, and followed her in death two years later, dying on February 4, 1896, of what later came to be known as Parkinson's Disease.

He and Fannie are buried in the Achorn Cemetery, in Rockland, Maine. I hope to find and photograph their graves on my next trip to Maine.

Sources:

1850 US Census ; Census Place: Freeman, Franklin, Maine; Roll: M432_253; Page: 231A; Image: 447, Beniah Brackley.

1860 US Census; Census Place: Rockland, Knox, Maine; Roll: M653_443; Page: 728; Image: 728; Family History Library Film: 803443, Beniah I Brackly.

1870 US Census ; Census Place: Rockland, Knox, Maine; Roll: M593_548; Page: 172B; Image: 348; Family History Library Film: 552047, Benniah Brackley.

1880 US Census ; Census Place: Rockland, Knox, Maine; Roll: 482; Family History Film: 1254482; Page: 160A; Enumeration District: 109; Image: 0807, Bennia P. Brackley.

1890 Veterans Schedule; Census Place: Rockland, Knox, Maine; Roll: 7; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 204, Beniah P Brockley.

"Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F4NH-GLD : accessed 30 Aug 2014), Beniah P. Brackley and Fannie P. Ulmer, 09 May 1861; citing Rockland,Knox,Maine, reference ; FHL microfilm 12045.

"Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KXQC-NN3 : accessed 30 Aug 2014), B P Brackley, 1896.

Thompson, George A. and F. Janet Thompson. A Genealogical history of Freeman, Maine, 1796-1938, in three volumes. 3 vols. (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 1996), 1:340.

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This is the 34th in a series, “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks,” coordinated by Amy Johnson Crow at No Story Too Small.