Joseph Addison Brasher was born on 28 July 1842 in Christian County, Kentucky, the son of Hampton Brasher and Altezara Jane Woodruff. While Hampton Brasher had many children, most were by his second wife, Mahala Duncan. The only other child of Altezara Jane was my husband’s 2X great grandfather, Emsley Harrison Brasher, who was 13 months older that Joseph.
The Biographical Souvenir of Texas 1889 includes a short biography of Joseph and his family. Unfortunately, the scanned book’s text is a bit light, but is still readable:
Joseph A. Brasher
Biographical Souvenir of Texas 1889, Page 110
Source: FamilySearch
The story about meeting the Armstrong family along the way home from the Civil War might explain how both Joseph and his brother, Emsley, came to settle in Hopkins County, Texas. Before the war, the family had left Kentucky for a new life in Cedar County, Missouri.
In any case, Joseph Addison Brasher married Permelia Jane Armstrong on 3 January 1867 in Hopkins County, Texas. Although babies began arriving regularly, in 1870, both are enumerated as 21 years old with no children at home. Eliza E. was born to them about 1868 and died in infancy. At the time of the 1870 census, Jane, as she was called, was likely pregnant once again, but that unnamed child also died soon.
The Brashers didn’t remain in Hopkins County, though. Although their children were born in Hopkins county, by 1900, they had moved on to Justice Precinct 4, near Moro, in Taylor County, Texas. Their two youngest children, Addison and Lawrence, were still at home with them.
By 1910, Lawrence was at home, but he and his parents moved into Abilene to live with his sister’s family, the Jacob Riley Johnsons.
Joseph Brasher died two years later in a horrible train accident. It made the front page news of the Abilene Daily Reporter on 29 April 1912.
Abilene Daily Reporter Headline, 29 April 1912
The story is quite lengthy, as it includes eyewitness statements, a detailed report of his injuries, followed by a statement (containing the word probably multiple times) of how he was hit. The bottom line, though, is that it is thought he was trying to stop the train because his cow was grazing by the tracks and he didn’t want it killed.
Joseph is buried in Abilene Municipal Cemetery next to wife Jane, who died on 4 January 1915.
The first two children, sadly, are both listed in the 1870 mortality schedule for Hopkins County and both deaths are listed in Hopkins County, Texas.
Children:
1. Eliza E., born 12 June1868, Hopkins County, Texas; died 16 September 1869, Hopkins County, Texas of inflammation.
2. Daughter, born 30 December 1869; died 2 February 1870 of erysipelas, which is an acute bacterial infection.
3. America Josephine, born 1872, Hopkins County, Texas; died after 1960, when she is listed as Josie, widow of Jake Johnson; married Jacob Riley Johnson, c1894, probably Hopkins County, Texas. They had six children.
4. Emsley Green, born 6 February 1874, Hopkins County, Texas; died 10 October 1950, Lubbock, Lubbock, Texas; married (1) Bettie Lee Conner, 1895, Hopkins County, Texas. She was born 5 January 1876 and died 18 March 1899. They had one child, a son, born and died 12 March 1899. (2) Zoe Douthit, 4 August 1912, Nueces County, Texas. It appears they had no children together so Emsley has no living descendants today.
5. Addison Lee, born 1879, Hopkins County, Texas; died 29 December 1942, Raymondville, Willacy, Texas; married Cora Helen Forrest, 21 May 1903, Hidalgo County, Texas. They had three sons.
6. Larence Hubbard, born 4 October 1888, Hopkins County, Texas; died 29 April 1960, Austin, Travis, Texas; married Corrie Lee Acuff, 23 December 1916, Lubbock County, Texas. She was born 3 November 1894, Texas; died 26 April 1981. Both are buried at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery. They had two children, one son and one daughter.
If you are descended from Joseph Addison Brasher and Permelia Jane Armstrong, please leave a comment. 🙂