U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Brailer, Joseph J. (1874-1930) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 769-771, JOSEPH J. BRAILER. The subject of this sketch was born in Keyser, Garrett county, Maryland, on May 6, 1874. His early life was spent with his parents, working on the farm, and at the weaver's trade, assisting his father. His opportunities for gaining an education were limited to three terms of school. In 1891 his parents moved to Howesville, W. Va., where the father continued his trade as a weaver and also carried on farming. Joseph assisted also in that work as well as in the shop. After his boyhood days were thus spent, Mr. Bailer started out in life working for himself. He was first engaged on sawmills, then on railroads, and from thence to coal mines, then back to the farm driving teams, and so forth, and till the year 1901, when having secured means of his own, he bought the farm on which he now resides, it being at that time a piece of woodland. Since then the land has been mostly cleared and the buildings now standing there erected, consisting of a dwelling house, a store, a stable, and other out- dwellings. The store was built in 1908, and on August 1st of that year Mr. Brailer began his career as a merchant. In October, 1909, the store was rented and the personal property sold, and Mr. Brailer then began work for the B. & O. Railroad in the boiler shop in Cumberland, Md. He started at the carpenter trade. He returned the same year to Howesville, W. Va., and began merchandising again at the old stand, his sister, Mrs. Cecilia Clarke, a widow, returning with him, and both are still living together. Mr. Brailer opened up his store on November 1, 1911, and in August, 1912, built an addition, increasing it to twice its size, since which time he has prospered as a merchant. He is still single. He was born and reared a Catholic, and is a member of the K. of C. order and belongs to the Grafton Council, No. 713. Politically, like his father before him, he is a Democrat, but has never sought an office. Mr. Brailer is a self-made man. He earned what he has by hard labor, and his holdings now consist of other lots and property besides where he lives, one house, a comfortable two-story dwelling, being in Cumberland, Maryland. His success in life can be largely attributed to habits of honesty, hard labor and sobriety. He is a son of Ambrose and Elizabeth (Knecht) Brailer. His father was born in Germany, December 1, 1825, and was the youngest son of Henry and Margaret (Rosencrantz) Brailer. Ambrose came to America when sixteen years did in company with his brother August and two sisters, Caroline and Margaret. He was a weaver by trade, and for several years operated the woolen factory at Mineral Springs, Maryland. He was married to Elizabeth M. Knecht at Frostburg, Maryland, April 24, 1868, and to this union were born the following children: (1) Catherine, who married Michael Hartman. They live at Whitsette, Pennsylvania, and have three daughters, Mary, Bridget and Annie; Mr. Hartman is foreman of the Pittsburgh Coal Company. (2) Mary, who died when twenty years old. (3) Alcinda, who died in infancy. (4) Joseph J. (5) Annie. (6) Anselma, who married H. S. Calvert. He is a farmer, living near Hopewell. Their children are Mary Agnes, Harry Joseph, Clarence Edward and Helen Cecilia. (7) Helen Cecilia, married Edward Francis Clark and lived in Cumberland, Maryland. He was a fireman on train No. 55, on Third Division of the B. & O. Railroad, and was fatally injured while on duty, Sunday, May 14, 1911. He died May 16th, and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Howesville. Ambrose Brailer died at the age of 85 years and 43 days. Elizabeth, his wife, died August 14, 1903. She was born April 8, 1844. Both parents were buried in Howesville. Ambrose Brailer's brother, August, married Cecelia Logston, and was also a farmer and weaver by trade. They lived near Mt. Savage, Maryland, and they also raised a large family. Elizabeth, wife of Ambrose Brailer, was a daughter of Lawrence; and Elizabeth (Drese) Knecht, who came from Germany, and were married at Annapolis. Md. He lived to be 59 years old, and she 78. They are both buried at Frostburg, Maryland. Their children were: (1) Michael, of West Salisbury, Pennsylvania; (2) Adam, who is a brother of the Redemptorist Order at the Sacred Heart Church, Baltimore, Maryland; (3) Catherine, Elizabeth, and Matilda, who married George Meyer and lived near Pittsburgh. The Rosencrantz and Brailer and Knecht families came from Germany. Their descendants are now many and well scattered throughout the states of this country. The Brailers and Rosencrantzs were first cousins. There are many Knechts living at Baltimore, Maryland., distant relatives of the Brailer family and of the late Lawrence Knecht. --------------------------------------------------------------------- From Death Certificate, Preston County, WV #17706 FULL-NAME: James Joseph Brailer BIRTH-DATE: May 6, 1874 BIRTH-PLACE: Md. DEATH-DATE: December 12, 1930 DEATH-PLACE: near Tunnelton, Kingwood District, Preston County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Married OCCUPATION: Farmer FATHER: Ambrose Brailer (born in Germany) MOTHER: Mary E. Night CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Probably a brain tumor INFORMANT: Victoria T. Brailer (of Tunnelton, RFD 4) BURIAL: Howesville Catholic Cemetery --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------