James M. Braginton (1849-1925)

BRAGINTON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 10/3/2022 at 10:44:41

James Monroe Braginton
(January 7, 1849 - October 27, 1925)

More than a century ago George Washington said "agriculture is the most useful as well as the most honorable pursuit of man," and the truth of this statement is as evident today as when it was uttered. There is less competition and therefore less opportunity for the jealousies, the overreaching and the dishonorable methods which so often appear in other lines of business. Mr. Braginton was long a representative of farming interests in Calhoun County. He worked in the fields and in the meadows, and with unremitting industry he pursued his labors until success crowned his efforts and he was enabled to put aside business care. Mr. Braginton is a native of Connecticut, his birth having there occurred January 7, 1849. His parents. William and Mary (Goodyear) Braginton, were both natives of England and when they had reached adult age were there married. The father engaged in the weaving of brussels carpet, thus providing for the comforts of his family. About 1835 Mr. and Mrs. Braginton sailed for America and after a voyage of about seven weeks reached the harbor of New York, the sailing vessel on which they had taken passage weighing anchor at Liverpool. They did not remain in the metropolis, however, but made their way to Thompsonville, Connecticut, and the father still continued to follow his trade of carpet-making. About 1847 he removed to Portage County, Ohio, and there he engaged in farming. The year 1865 witnessed his arrival in Cass County, Michigan, where he purchased land and engaged in the tilling of the soil until his life's labors were ended in death in the year 1875. His widow survived him passing away January 16, 1897. His early political support was given the Democracy, but when Abraham Lincoln became the standard bearer of the new Republican party he joined its ranks and continued ever afterward one of its stanch supporters. Both he and his wife held membership in the Episcopalian church. This worthy couple were the parents of twelve
children, ten of whom reached mature years, namely: Mary A., the wife of Albert Comey, a resident of Akron, Ohio; Edwin, who is married and resides in Crown Point, Indiana ; Rosa, who married Chester A. Field and lives in Detroit, Michigan; Martha A., who became the wife of George E. Brown and lives in Red Oak, Iowa; Elizabeth, the wife of Emery Field, deceased, and makes her home in Council Bluffs, Iowa; William, who married Emma Truax, and resides in Bremen, Indiana, where he is engaged in contracting and building: John W., who married Frances Knorr, and passed away in Grand Rapids, Michigan, having been engaged in the mercantile business; Stephen H.. now deceased, who married Sarah Leland and resided in Grand Rapids, Michigan; George F., who served his country in the Civil war and when twenty-one years of age was shot by a guerrilla sharpshooter, and upon being brought to Nashville passed away there; and James, the subject of this review. James Braginton pursued his elementary education in the district schools of Ohio and later continued his studies in Cass County, Michigan, but his advantages in that direction were meager, for his services were needed on the farm and the schools of that day had not attained the proficiency of the present. At the age of eighteen he put aside his text-books and began farming, following the pursuit to which he had been reared and which he has made his life work. After his marriage he remained in Michigan for seven years and then came to Iowa in 1879, settling in Lincoln Township, Calhoun County, where he had previously purchased one hundred and sixty acres of raw prairie land. This he fenced and improved and part of his
land was broken with ox-teams. He erected a residence, built barns and outbuildings and transformed into a valuable place the wild
tract of land of which he has become owner when he came to the county. After seven years residence thereon, he purchased another farm on what is now Main street in Manson. and there he lived for seven years. In his agricultural pursuits he has been very successful and annually has added to his income until he is now the possessor of a most handsome competence. For the past twelve years he has been quite extensively engaged in buying, feeding and shipping cattle. As his financial resources have increased he has added to his landed possessions from time to time, until he now has twelve hundred acres in Calhoun County, all improved. His history shows what may be accomplished when one has the will to dare and to do. On the 14th of January, 1872, in White Pigeon, Michigan. Mr. Braginton was married to Miss Lotta Buffington, who was born in New York October 15, 1853, and is a daughter of P. and Charlotte (Moore) Buffington, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Massachusetts.
Four children have been born unto our subject and his wife. George Frederick, born December 28, 1873, now resides on a farm
in Lincoln Township, Calhoun County. He married Anna Greenside and they have two children, Lotta and Mary. Charles, the second son, died at the age of eight weeks. Arthur James, was born November 30, 1875, and after his graduation in the high school at Manson he entered Cornell College, in which he was also graduated. Subsequently he studied in Berlin and became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. While traveling in Europe he visited the old village where his grandparents were born, it being located a few miles west of Banbury, in Northamptonshire, England. At a place called Thronton he learned that the Braginton family once lived in Middleton, Cheney, whither he went and found some relatives of the family. The old stone house occupied by the Bragintons is still standing there, and the lane leading to it is yet called Braginton road. Arthur J. Braginton was a young man of scholarly attainments, broad learning and deep piety. Determining to devote his life to work of the ministry, he prepared for this holy calling and became pastor of the church at Kamrar, Iowa. He was married on Christmas day of 19CX5 to Miss Julia E. Hobbs, and on the 29th of April, 1 90 1, he was called to the home prepared for the righteous. Few men of his years have attained such prominence in the ministry or exercised greater influence for good. His life was noble, his actions manly and sincere, and all that he did was permeated with a desire to aid his fellow men and advance the cause of morality.
Since his death his young wife has taken up religious work and is a deaconess in the Ladies Seminary at Aurora, Illinois. His loss was a heavy one to^ the church, for he gave promise of great usefulness as a minister of the gospel, being zealous, earnest and faithful. But to his young wife and his parents came the greatest affliction; the one mouring the loss of a loving husband, the parents a tender son, who was ever regardful of their welfare and happiness. His death was the greatest cloud that has ever fallen over the home of Mr. and Mrs. Braginton, but comfort comes to them in the thought of his noble life, while his memory is enshrined in the hearts of all who knew him. Charles W., the youngest son of the family, was born April 10, 1878, and is now a student in Cornell, his home being with his parents. Mr. Braginton gives his political support to the Republican party, but the honors and emoluments of office have had no attraction for him, as he has ever preferred to give his attention to his business interests. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in Calhoun County no one enjoys to a higher degree the respect and esteem of their friends than do Mr. and Mrs. Braginton. He is not only prosperous in business, but is influential, and as a citizen has supported all measures and movements for the general good. [Source – Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S.J. Clarke, 1902, p.400]