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Transcribed
by
Ann Selvig, from:
Allerton, Iowa Centennial, THE FAMILY OF
LEE BRACEWELL
Lee Bracewell was a son of Broughton and
Amanda Bracewell.
Lee’s great-grandfather was John Bracewell of
Yorkshire, England.
Hartley Bracewell, son of John, with his wife
Margaret Broughton Bracewell and their only son
Broughton, left their spacious home “Bracewell Hall”
at Yorkshire, England Feb. 27, 1849 and came by
sailboat to America.
They were accompanied by Hartley’s younger
brother Henry.
They landed at New Orleans. From there
they went by river to St. Louis, Mo., then to Morgan
County, Ill., where they remained for 5 years. Broughton
was a small boy at that time. In 1854
they came to Iowa and settled in Jefferson Twp., but
soon moved to Warren Twp.
Hartley was reared to agriculture pursuits in
his native country and was a prominent farmer in
Warren Twp. He
was a Methodist Episcopal minister from 1854 for
several years.
He preached at the New Zion church 6 years
before the Civil War.
The church was located in a log school house
where Hazel Dell cemetery is. In 1859 he
was elected state representative to the General
Assembly and served in 1863. He was of
the Democratic party.
For 3 years he was in the mercantile business
with J. S. Harland.
Margaret died Sept. 1891 and Hartley died
Apr. 1905.
Broughton, Lee’s father, was one of the most
prominent farmers in Warren Twp., owning the largest
number acres of farmland, “Woodland Stock Farm.” He was
Vice-President and director of the Farmers National
Bank at Allerton and a director of the Wayne County
State Bank at Corydon.
Nov. 7, 1866 he married Eveline Woodmansee. To this
union 5 children were born: Hollie B.,
who was an attorney of Carter & Bracewell,
Corydon; John H., Margaret M., and Emeline &
Eveline, twins who died in infancy. His wife,
Eveline died Sept. 1875. Mar. 3,
1880 he married Amanda Sims of Decatur Co., Ia. To this
union 6 children were born: Esther,
Edna, Lee, Elsie, Frederick and Ermine. Broughton
and family moved into Allerton 1911 and he built the
large home at the corner of Elm and Wayne.
Broughton and his father Hartley, were Wayne
County pioneers.
They saw the country when it was almost as
nature made it.
The county had scarcely been touched by man’s
hands. They
lived to see it transformed into prosperous homes,
schools of the very best, churches well supported
and containing modern things that fit into a
civilization of the twentieth century.
Lee lived most of his life in Allerton with
the exception of a few years he was with the Rock
Island R. R. at Trenton, Mo. He was one
of the owners of the Allerton Auto Co. and around
1932 became the owner of the D-X station which he
operated with his son until his death. He was a
member of the Rock Island Band, and the Allerton
Band which played at Chautauqua and town concerts. He was a
good community worker.
In 1913 he married Agusta Muriel Smith. They had
one son, Lee Eugene.
Agusta died Dec. 13, 1918. Lee
remarried – Verda Bull Apr. 28, 1928 at Trenton, Mo. A daughter
was born to this union who died in infancy. In 1932
they came to Allerton to make their home. They lived
in the home his father built and his mother, Amanda
lived with them until her death. Verda
taught school in Iowa, later going to Chicago where
she was a Comptometer for Bell & Howell Co. She later
came to Allerton and operated “Verda’s Hat Shoppe.” She was an
employee of the Allerton Post Office, an active
member of the Methodist Church, a member of PEO and
Garden Club, and assisted Lee at the station until
his death. She
died May 15, 1956.
Lee Eugene, son of Lee, was born at Allerton. After his
mother’s death, he made his home with his aunt and
uncle, Mildred and Jake Swafford of Kansas City and
Trenton, Mo. He
came to Allerton to live with his father in 1933 and
assist him in the station. He entered
the service Sept. 1942 and served in Germany during
World War II, 1945-46.
After the war he was again associated with
his father in the station, and with A.R. “Abe” Bull,
livestock dealer in the company known as Bracewell
& Co. He
owned 2 semi’s, one hauling for Central Farm
Products and one for the livestock business. He later
was a partner in the Sale Barn with Jack Rowe. After
selling the Sale Barn and going out of the livestock
business, he was a bookkeeper for Eugene McClain of
Twin State Quarries.
He served as Fire Chief for several years,
was active in Commercial Club, a member of the
American Legion, Masonic Fraternity and Za-Ga-Zig
Shrine. He
married Margaret Lee Beavers at St. Louis, Mo. Nov.
4, 1943. Rev.
Forrest Lowry, formerly of Allerton, performed the
ceremony. While
Eugene was in the service, Margaret, former Sec. for
Supt. Forrest P. Hagan, was employed by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, Washington, D.C. They made
their home at Allerton after the war. To this
union 2 sons were born, Mark Clinton and Ward
Broughton. Eugene
died in 1961. Margaret
re-married – Dr. A. J. Aselmeyer of Atlanta, Ga.
June 17, 1964.
Mark attended college at the University of
Missouri at Rolla, Mo., majoring in chemistry and is
presently employed by Co-Chem-Co Paint Co. at Kansas
City, Mo. He
married Cheryl Christine Cox of Corydon 1968 –
divorced 1971.
Ward resides in Ankeny and is employed by
Jerald Johnson.
He married Cheryl Kay Craig of Millerton
1970. They
have one son, Lee Alan.
Lee’s great-grandfather remained in
Yorkshire, England – died in 1846. His
great-grandmother and remainder of the family came
to America in 1850.
All 5 sons of this family became residents of
Wayne County.
1854-1974, 120 years of this family – 6
generations of men living in Allerton, Warren Twp.,
Wayne Co., Iowa.
Hartley born Mar. 1822, Yorkshire Eng. came
here 1854, died Apr. 1905.
Broughton, son of Hartley, born Yorkshire,
Eng. Mar, 18, 1845, came here in 1854, died Jan. 8,
1919.
Lee, son of Broughton, Allerton, Born Dec. 7,
1885, died Sept, 26, 1955.
Lee Eugene, son of Lee, Allerton, born Jan.
2, 1917, died Mar. 24, 1961.
Mark Clinton, son of Lee Eugene, born Feb. 7,
1949.
Ward Broughton, son of Lee Eugene, born Oct.
19, 1950.
Lee Alan, son of Ward Broughton, born Apr.
14, 1971.
(History compiled by Margaret Bracewell
Aselmeyer.) |