Brammer, Perry Family

BRAMMER, BROWN, CREES, SHORT, MCKEE, GREEN, HARP

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/28/2019 at 04:08:34

The Perry Brammer Family
"Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981"
Clarke Pub. Co. Osceola IA. 1981.

The second son of Harvey and Druzilla (McConnell) Brammer was Perry. He was born July 6, 1877, near Grand River, Ia., and died in March, 1968. He grew up with his eight brothers and sisters, living the first nine years northeast of Grand River. His father farmed and Perry began working for other farmers at a very early age. In March, 1886, the Harvey Brammer and Lewis Brown families and possibly others, moved by covered wagon, to Sherman Co., Neb. Perry was but nine, and each night his bed was made in the "grub" box. This was the width of the wagon and was used to store food during the day and served as a seat when traveling. They drove some fo the way in snow so deep that they were able to drive over the rail fences. Harvey had two teams, and others had one or two. The wagons had wood stoves in them. Prairie chickens furnished much of their food.

In Nebraska, they pruchased good land at $14.00 per acre. They lived there for about four years, but the drought continued, so they returned to Iowa and settled one-quarter mile north of the Bill Young place.

On October 4, 1900, he married Mabel Brown (May 13, 1881-April 6, 1966). They were privileged to live together for over sixty-five years in Grand river. He was in several businesses including blacksmith, drey service and a butcher shop. Then in about 1917, he bought the poultry house from his sister, Mrs. Nellie Crees, after her husband, Joe, died. He remained in that business until he retired.

Perry and Mabel were the parents of six children: Ruth, Ruby, Mansel, Mendle, Alma and Allie.
Ruth (1902-1976) married Roy (Bill) Short. They were the parents of five children: Wayne; Hallie; Betty, whoe died at nine years; Don; and Marie.

Ruby (b. April 17, 1906) married Roy McKee. The first few years of their married life were spent in Burlington, Ia., working at the machine shops for the C. B. & Q. Railroad, and the family then moved to Des Moines and have lived there since that time.

Mansel (b. April 24, 1908), married Sylvia Glazebrook.

Mendle (b. May 25, 1911) never married. He served in the U.S. Army from May 6, 1942, until he was killed in action August, 1944, after going through the entire North African Campaign, and on to Sicily.

Alma (b. Sept. 27, 1913) married Earl Greene.

Allie (b. March 11, 1916), married James (Pete) Harp.

Copied from Reflections of Grand River 1881-1981 by Stacey McDowell Dietiker, May 17, 2001
- This has been edited to leave out names of people born after 1920.