Category Archives: Brasher

Brasher, Williams

Brasher-Williams Mystery Photo, c1910 in TX or OK

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Brasher-Williams Mystery Photo, c1910

This is one of my favorite photos in my family collection, although I know very little about it.

First, the only person I can identify in it is Pearl Lillian Brasher, my husband’s paternal grandmother. Pearl is the girl, second from right with the hat on.

She was born in 1898 and looks quite young, so I’d say this picture was taken about 1910-1912.

I love that all the “womenfolk” are posed for a photographer who perhaps was just passing through. Even the two little children were allowed to be in the photo and there appears to be a baby in the carriage in front of Pearl. Notice that the two children are barefoot!

What I find odd is that I can’t identify Pearl’s mother, Minnie Mae Williams (Brasher) Horne in the picture.

Pearl’s parents, Joseph and Minnie Brasher divorced shortly after 1900 and each remarried. Pearl was their only child. Minnie married (2) Charles Horne and in 1910, Pearl lived with them in Plainview, Hale, Texas. Joe Brasher married (2) Della Benton and they moved to Noble, Oklahoma.

The Brasher family was small. Joe lost his parents at a young age and he only had two brothers who did not live close by.

Minnie’s father, John C. Williams, had a large family by two marriages and lived in Dike, Hopkins, Texas. Pearl was born in Sulphur Springs in the same county.

However, this house is not John Williams’, as I have a photo of his home:

Even with no fence, it is easy to see that these are two different houses.

Because none of the ladies in the photo look familiar and the figures to the right of Pearl and the far left on the porch look like they might be close in age to Pearl, I wonder if she was visiting her grandfather in Texas, but was on a social visit to a neighbor’s to visit with the girls?

The fact that Pearl isn’t sitting on the porch also makes me think she was on a social call.

I have no proof of where the photo was taken, either, but I’ve been to Hopkins County and, for whatever reason, this house looks like it could be there.

Here is an earlier photo of John Williams’ house, probably when he first moved in:

His children with his second wife were born between 1884 and 1906. Perhaps the girl at the baby carriage is one of Pearl’s aunts, even though they are about the same age?

I probably won’t ever know who all these other ladies are or exactly where this photo was taken, but it is still a favorite, as photos with only the females of the home were not super common.

 

Brasher

Brasher Mystery Photo: Summertime in Early OK

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It’s been a while since I shuffled through some of the family photos which have unknown subjects.

Today’s photo is one of my more unusual ones because of both the setting and the subjects.

First, the setting – This is a somewhat primitive farmhouse, built up off the ground. The house looks to be quite small, too, but it has a nice porch.

Second, the subjects – My husband’s grandmother, Pearl Lillian Brasher, is the young girl with the hat sitting by the baby carriage, second from the right. It’s one of the only pictures I have of a group of female adults and children.


Who Are They?

It’s hard to tell exactly how old Pearl is here, but she definitely looks to be at least 12 but not as old as 16. That would date this photo to c1912-1914, as she was born in 1898.

I know a lot about her life story. She was born in Hopkins County, Texas to Joseph Henry Brasher and Minnie Mae Williams, who divorced when Pearl was a little girl.

Minnie remained in Texas, but lived in the Hill Country when she married (2) Charles Horne. This definitely isn’t her house, which was in a much more established looking area.

Pearl lived with her mother when she was small, but by her teen years, she lived with her father, stepmother and half siblings in Noble, Oklahoma. This definitely could be a house in Noble.

The other possibility is that Pearl was visiting her maternal grandfather, John Christopher Williams, who lived back in Hopkins County, Texas.


John C. Williams Farm

Pearl’s grandfather’s house was definitely in the same style as in my unknown picture, but his porch and house, in general, were bigger.

Here is a photo of the Williams clan:


Pearl and Minnie, left and second left, standing

None of the women or children look anything like any of the women and children in the unknown picture.

Therefore, my two choices seem to be (1) visiting neighbors in Hopkins County, Texas or, more likely, visiting in Noble, Oklahoma because I don’t see Minnie in the unknown photo.

What do you think? If you have family who lived in Noble, Oklahoma during its early days of statehood and you recognize any of these ladies or children, please leave a comment.

Brasher

Part 2: Joseph Addison Brasher & Permelia Jane Armstrong, TX, Next Generations

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Last week, I shared the family sketch of Joseph Addison Brasher, only full sibling of Emsley Harrison Brasher, my husband’s 2X great grandfather, and his wife, Permelia Jane Armstrong, who raised their family mostly in Hopkins County, Texas.

To recap, Joseph and Jane, as she was called, had six children, two of whom were daughters who died very young. A third child, Emsley Green, married twice. His first wife, Bettie Lee Conner, died giving birth to their only child in 1899 and Emsley had no known children with his second wife, Zoe Douthit, who he married in 1912.

That leaves the following three children, who all had children of their own:

  1. 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. Jacob was born 6 April 1868; died 28 March 1941, Lubbock County, Texas. They had six children and apparently have multiple grandchildren.Children:1. Ethel L., born November 1895, Texas; died 1990, Enid, Garfield, Oklahoma; married Roy Virgil Eddelman, 25 March 1919, Lubbock County, Texas. Roy was born 4 August 1894, Texas; died January 1985, Enid, Garfield, Oklahoma. Both are buried at Memorial Park Cemetery. They had three children: (A) Mary Ann, born 9 February 1921; died 2014, Enid, Garfield, Oklahoma; married Wilbur Claud Clark (1916-2005), 17 December 1939, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. In 1940, the newlyweds lived in Karoma, Alfalfa, Oklahoma. They apparently divorced as Mary Ann married (2) William Otjen Jr., 1978, who predeceased her (3) John E. Lovell (1924-2005) in 1994. Wilbur married (2) Lorraine Pearl Bratcher. Mary Ann had two sons, one of whom predeceased her. (B) a sister apparently still living (C) Bobby Duane, born 1927; predeceased Mary Ann and may be the man who died in Pocatello, Idaho in 2008. No further information.
    2. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Jane, born 5 August 1898, Texas; died 26 October 1982, Williamson County, Texas; married Lang Lawrence Anderson, c1920. He was born c1893, Texas; died 1961. They had three sons: (A) Othor Lang, called Jack, born 14 June 1920; died 2011. He married and had children. (B) J.R., born 1 January 1922; died 12 July 1965, Los Angeles County, California; married Imogene Dutton, 16 March 1944, Tillman, Oklahoma. No further family information. (C) Rex B., born 20 April 1925; died 2 June 1995, Clovis, Curry, New Mexico. Rex married twice and had three daughters.
    3. Joseph Carl, born 15 April 1900, Texas; died 26 September 1985, Bee House, Coryell, Texas; married Elva Opal Calley, 24 December 1927, Lubbock County, Texas. She was born 15 April 1907, Texas; died 26 January 1993, Texas.
    4. Orthor Claude, born 22 August 1902; died 14 February 1952 by suicide gunshot to his head. He was divorced. However, Orthor lived at home in 1930 and 1940 and no marriage record has been found for him. He hasn’t been found in the Lubbock City Directory and may have married away. It isn’t known whether he had any children.
    5. Chloe Bertha, born 18 June 1905; died January 1989; married Clay Rufus Anderson, 11 October 1924, Lubbock County, Texas. He was born 2 April 1904; died 8 December 1992, Howell County, Missouri. They had two children.
    6. Mary Eva, born 23 June 1910; Wilburn Layton Davis, 7 June 1941, Lubbock County, Texas. He was born 11 July 1909; died 19 September 2014, Lubbock County, Texas. They had at least two children.
  2. Addison Lee, born 1879, Hopkins County, Texas; died 29 December 1942, Raymondville, Willacy, Texas; married Cora Helen Forrest, 21 May 1903, Hidalgo County, Texas. She was born 10 March 1882, Texas; died 26 June 1973, Dallas County, Texas. They had three sons. Addison and Cora apparently had at least one grandchild, born to son Ray.Children:

    1. Loyd, born c1907, Texas; died 17 January 1987, Hidalgo County, Texas; married Helen B. Melch, between 1930-1940 censuses. It appears they had no children.
    2. Ray Vernon, born 6 November 1908, Texas; died 15 August 1981, Bell County, Texas; married Annie Laurie Hamlett (1914-1990), c1936. They had at least one child.
    3. Howard Lee, born 30 August 1913, Texas; died 18 September 2002, Tarrant County, Texas; married Aileen Terry (1918-1984), c1942. They had no children.
  3. 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.Children:

    1. Modell, born 12 November 1917; died 14 August 2014, Austin, Travis, Texas; married James Clovis Ballard (1915-1977). They had one son who predeceased his mother. However, the son left survivors.
    2. Joe Clifford, born 24 November 1919, Lubbock County, Texas; died 12 December 1970, Austin, Travis, Texas; married Alice Mae Clark (13 September 1922-17 January 1991). It is noted that Alice was a wife and mother, but no information is available about any child/children.

That finishes the descendants of Joseph Addison Brasher and Permelia Jane Armstrong. If you are descended from this couple, I would love to share information with you. Please leave a comment.