J. F. & Sophie (Kramer) Brahmstadt

BRAHMSTADT, FRITZ, KRAMER, SCHAEPER, HOLLMAN, THOMPSON

Posted By: volunteer transcriber
Date: 3/13/2004 at 22:43:45

John Frederick Brahmstadt was a well known farmer of Olive Branch precinct and his demise was the occasion of much sincere regret. A native of Germany, he was born in Mecklenburg on the 7th of November 1838, a son of Frederick Brahmstadt, who engaged in blacksmithing in Germany. Our subject remained in the fatherland until he was seventeen years old, when, in company with his brothers, Henry and William, he came to America and made his way to Chicago, Illinois. He worked as a laborer there for a time and subsequently was employed as a farm hand. Following his marriage, which occurred in Chicago, he farmed in Cook county for several years and then went to Effingham, Illinois, where he established a general store.

He engaged in business there for a number of years but at the end of that time lost his store by fire and in 1870 he became a resident of York, Nebraska, which was then but a tiny hamlet. He built the second house in the town and started a general store, which he conducted for eight years. In 1878 Mr. Brahmstadt removed to Cherry county, Nebraska, and became the first settler in that county. Previous to his arrival there the only white residents of the county were the soldiers in the fort, and he experienced all of the hardships and dangers incident to life upon the western frontier. For fourteen years he operated a cattle ranch but disposed of that place in 1892 and went to Blair, Nebraska, where he purchased ten acres of orchard land.

Eight years later, in 1900, he came to Lancaster County, Nebraska, and began farming three hundred and twenty acres of land in section 9, Olive Branch precinct, which belonged to his wife. He concentrated his energies upon the operation of that farm during his remaining years, dying there on the 6th of November 1913, and was buried in the Methodist cemetery at Kramer. Mr. Brahmstadt and Miss Henrietta Fritz were married in 1857 in Chicago, Illinois. She was born in Germany but emigrated to America in her girlhood and located near Effingham, Illinois. She passed away in Chicago in 1876, leaving six children: John, who is a horse trainer by occupation; Gustave, who is farming in Idaho; Edward, deceased, who was a rancher of Cherry county. Nebraska ; Louis, who is operating a sawmill in Arbor, Washington; Emma, the wife of Henry Hollman, a farmer of Olive Branch precinct, Lancaster county Nebraska; and William Henry, who is operating the home place in Lancaster county.

Mr. Brahmstadt's second marriage occurred on the 2nd of May 1877, on the old Kramer farm in Olive Branch precinct, his bride being Mrs. William Hollman, nee Sophie Kramer. Her parents, Henry and Margaret (Schaeper) Kramer, were born in the province of Westphalia, Germany. The latter engaged in farming there for some time but in 1845 came to America and first located in St. Louis, Missouri, whence he went to Clayton county, Iowa. There he bought government land which he farmed until his removal to Lancaster county, Nebraska in 1865. He filed On ninety acres of raw land on section 9, Olive Branch precinct, and at once began improving his place. For three years he lived in a dugout but at the end of that time erected a log house.

He resided upon the homestead during his remaining days, his death occurring on the 6th of January, 1914, when he had reached the venerable age of ninety-three years. He was buried in the Methodist cemetery at Kramer. His wife passed away on the 6th of August 1900, and was also buried at Kramer. He gave the land on which the town of Kramer is built to the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the town is named in his honor.

Mrs. Brahmstadt was born in Clayton county, Iowa, on the 2nd of April 1852, but when thirteen years of age came with her parents by wagon to Lancaster county, Nebraska. By her marriage she became the mother of eight children, of whom four survive, namely: Benjamin, who is operating an elevator in Kramer; Sophie, the wife of Frank Thompson, who is depot agent at Kramer ; Elsie, who married Edwin Hollman, a farmer of Gage county; and Justus Fred, who owns the elevator at Kramer in connection with his brother.

Mr. Brahmstadt was a republican in his political belief and was one of the first commissioners of Cherry county, Nebraska, and also served on the school board there. His religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal church and he often filled the pulpit at Kramer when the regular minister was absent. His life measured up to high standards of morality, and his genuine worth gained him a high place in the estimation of all who knew him.

- source: "LINCOLN The Capitol City and Lancaster County, Nebraska" Published Chicago, Illinois; The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company; 1916

- transcribed by Kathie Harrison
Coordinator, Lancaster Co. NEGenWeb Project
posted to the Clayton co. IAGenWeb with her permission