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Below is a family biography included in the book, Biographical Souvenir of the Counties of Buffalo, Kearney, Phelps, Harlan and Franklin, Nebraska published in 1890 by F. A. Battey & Company. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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JOHN BRUNK, the subject of this biographical sketch, is a native of Brown county, Ill., was born September 25, 1842, and is a son of Abram and Matilda (Bond) Brunk, both natives of Kentucky, who married and settled in Illinois in an early day. The father was a “forty-niner” and died in California in 1850. He was a successful mine operator, Mrs. Abram Brunk died in 1875, the mother of nine children, of whom the subject of this notice is the seventh. John Brunk took care of his mother for several years, remaining on the old homestead. He enlisted February 14, 1865, in the Fourteenth Illinois regiment, and served till the close of the war, when he was discharged at Springfield, Ill., November 16, 1865.
Mr. Brunk came to Franklin county, Nebr., in April, 1877, and took a homestead in Lincoln township, but prior to his coming to settle, built a sod house and prepared to receive his family.
He was married in July, 1866, to Miss Alice Simpkin, of Illinois. Her parents came from England. Six children have been born to this union — Carlota (deceased), Elizabeth, George T., Maggie (deceased), John W. and Alice May.
Mr. Brunk is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Grange. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of good land and is a stanch believer in prohibition.
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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the book, Biographical Souvenir of the Counties of Buffalo, Kearney, Phelps, Harlan and Franklin, Nebraska published in 1890 by F. A. Battey & Company.
View additional Franklin County, Nebraska family biographies here: Franklin County, Nebraska Biographies
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