My Genealogy Hound

Dr. H. W. Bramel, physician and surgeon at McGirk, Mo., has been a resident of the place since 1882, coming from Owensville, Mo. He was born in Franklin County, of the same State, in 1852, and was the eldest in a family of four sons and two daughters born to Enoch Gideon and Sarah Ann (Bramell) Bramel, who were born in Virginia and Franklin County, Mo., respectively. The father came with his parents to Missouri at an early day, and was reared, educated and married in Franklin County. He owned a very large plantation there, and his father was one of the largest slave-holders in the county. His death occurred in 1864. Dr. H. W. Bramel remained on his father’s plantation until eighteen years of age, and received his education in the High School at Newport. He then became a book keeper and clerk in a general mercantile establishment, but at the age of twenty-two years engaged in pedagoguing, continuing three years, during which time he also studied medicine. In 1877 he entered the Missouri Medical College, from which institution he was graduated two years later, and first commenced practicing in Owensville, in partnership with Dr. A. W. Moore, remaining with him until 1882. He was married in Osgood, Ind., in 1882, to Miss Sophia Gathemann, but she died in September, 1883, having borne one son, who died in 1884. In 1885 Dr. Bramel was married at McGirk, to Augusta Pollmann, a native of Moniteau County, by whom he has two children: Pearl and Ardella. The Doctor is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian and Lutheran Churches, respectively. He is a self-made man, and has schooled himself by his own efforts, and put himself through college. His wife’s parents, Frederick and Mary (Smith) Pollmann, were born in Germany, and at an early day immigrated to America, locating first in St. Louis. The father afterward went on the frontier, where he assisted in building Ft. Smith, Ark. He and wife are yet living.