Braucht, Fredrick Elmer 1868 - 1948

BRAUCHT, OWEN, JOHNSON

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 7/18/2024 at 07:21:22

Clayton County Register, 09 Dec. 1948.

Dr. F. E. Braucht, 80, died Saturday morning at his home in Elkader after a brief illness. He had years, and was receiving patients when he became ill Tuesday evening of last week.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the Peace Evangelical and Reformed church, with the Rev. Paul Kitterer officiating. Burial was in the Elkader cemetery. Pallbearers were: John Maehl, Geo. Bente, Chas. Gottschalk, Gust G. Olson, L. J. Stallbaum, and L. J. Ehrhardt.

During his 54 years of medical practice, Dr. Braucht had spent nearly nine years as a medical missionary in Samoa, in the South Sea islands, where he began his work in October, 1895. Following brief periods in Omaha, Nebr., and in Pennsylvania after a trip to Central America, he became medical superintendent and surgeon of the Kansas sanitarium at Wichita, Kansas., holding that office for six years. After practicing seven years at Coleridge, Nebr., he volunteered for commissioned a captain in the medical reserve corps, being called into service in January, 1918. He was later commissioned a major and when discharged was commanding medical officer at the 127th base hospital. From 1919 until he and his family moved to Elkader, Dr. Braucht practiced in Fremont, Nebr.

Fredrick Elmer Braucht was born Feb. 02, 1868, at Aledo, Ill. the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Braucht. Following his mother's death when he was 18 months old, Fredrick was reared by his grandparents in his early years, then by his father in eastern Nebraska until he was 16 years old. In March, 1884, he returned to his grandfather, and in 1886 entered Battle Creek college at Battle Creek, Mich., from which he was graduated in June, 1890. Here he met his wife, the former Mina Agnes Owen, to whom he was married Sept. 12, 1893.

Two years of medical study at the University of Michigan were followed by further study at Rush Medical college in Chicago, from which he received his degree May 23, 1894. He entered Chicago Postgraduate Medical school in the fall of 1894, specializing on the eye. He also took a course in dentistry in the Northwestern Dental college, which offered a course to graduates in medicine. Here he received the degree Master of Dental Science after one year's study.

Before entering the medical field in Samoa, Dr. and Mrs. Braucht spent six months in a cruise among the South Sea islands, including every group of islands east of Fiji. After a stay of nearly nine years in the islands, they went to New Zealand for two years to allow Mrs. Braucht to recuperate from the effect of the perpetual tropical climate which did not agree with her. They returned to the United States in June, 1903, and the doctor took post-graduate work in surgery and pathology in Chicago.

While on a trip to Central America in December, 1895, his oldest daughter, Marjory, died after an illness of ten hours, and the family returned to the United States. Later they spent several months in Alaska for health reasons.

Dr. Braucht was a member of the Evangelical and Reformed church in Elkader, of Post 4565, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and of Masonic lodge.

He and Mrs. Braucht celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Sept. 12, 1943. Mrs. Braucht preceded him in death March 16, 1946, after a long illness.

Surviving are a son, Frederick Braucht, and a daughter Dorothy, Mrs. LeRoy Johnson, together with four grandchildren, all of Chicago.

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Photo is from the Sept 16, 1943 Clayton County Register article about their 50th Anniversary

Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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