Monterey County CA Archives Biographies.....Bralee, Thomas 1821 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 17, 2007, 9:03 pm

Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893)

THOMAS BRALEE, ESQ., a venerable pioneer of Monterey, is a unique figure in its
history, as will be seen from the following narration of facts:

  He was born in the city of Worcester, England, February 17, 1821, and in early
life learned the trade of a bricklayer, but later on became a carpenter and
builder. At one time he worked for a rope spinner and became proficient in that
business.

  At the age of about twenty-one he adopted the hazardous life of a sailor and
as such came to America, landing at Quebec from what sailors term a lumber
droger, that is, a ship, in the lumber trade; she was a brig of 350 tons, called
the Harvey of North Shields, on the Newcastle river; his master's name was
Captain Cunningham. There he left the brig and traveled through New York State
and city and on to Baltimore in Maryland, getting only one job of work, which
was to build a two-story brick house on a farm in the north part of the State of
New York. He found it very hard to get employment at his business, as work was
scarce, and he a stranger, and there were plenty of mechanics out of employment.
But he will always say this for the American people, that they treated him
royally and God bless them for it! for he needed their help, having run away
from his ship between two days, and of course just as he stood. His funds
running out there was nothing left for him to do but ship in the Navy, which he
did at Baltimore, August 7,1843,and was sent with others on board the United
States brig Pioneer, then lying at Baltimore as a receiving ship for recruits;
some time afterward he and about thirty others were sent on to New York and put
on board the United States battle ship, North Carolina, a 120-gun ship lying in
New York harbor as a guard ship. Some short time afterward, our subject with
others was drafted as the crew of the United States frigate Savannah, a
sixty-four-gun ship just built and fitting out at the Brooklyn navy yard. (By
the way, the hull now lies at Mare island navy yard.) She was condemned some
three or four years ago as unseaworthy, and, as he says, "I guess that's about
my fix!" He continues," Well, God speed all travelers! for I expect to be on the
road pretty soon, as I find it's getting toward the end of the cruise. Like King
Solomon of old, 'my glory has departed!" He left Brooklyn navy yard in November,
1843, in the frigate Savannah, under command of Post Captain Fitzue, who was a
thorough seaman and the heart yarn of a mainstay.

  We were bound for the Pacific station as flag ship of the Pacific squadron,
there to be commanded by Commodore Dallas, who went to the Pacific coast
overland to take the place of Commodore Clackson, who had died on that station;
and after a while Commodore Dallas also died, and we buried him in Callao in
Peru, who two years later was taken up and taken home, to be interred with his
friends.

  Post Captain Armstrong, who was on this coast with the United States frigate,
United States, then took command, of the squadron until the arrival of Commodore
Sloat, who came on board the Savannah and relieved Post Captain Armstrong of his
command, and raised his flag on board the frigate Savannah, which he commanded
until the close of the Mexican war, or until the arrival on this coast of
Commodore Shubrick, in the Columbus line-of-battleship, of the East India
station. Commodore Shubrick, being the senior officer of Commodore Sloat, he
relieved him and took command of the Pacific Squadron: Commodore Sloat then went
home.

  Captain Mervin was captain of the Savannah under Commodore Sloat and had
command of the party that came on shore and hoisted the American flag, and took
possession of this country, in the name of the United States of America, and our
subject is one of the party that first hoisted the stars and stripes to the
breeze on the Pacific coast, which act has added a golden empire to our beloved
country. Long may it wave!

  Our subject is now in his seventy-second year, and the only survivor of that
band around here, though there are a few scattered around the State; but most of
the boys have "passed in their checks" and gone to that country from whose
bourne no traveler has returned. Well, as to the landing of the forces and
hoisting of the flag, it is customary, when taking possession of a country, for
the invading party to haul down the flag of the country they are taking; but the
Mexicans euchered them on that point by secreting their flag. So they were
delayed for a while until a boat could go to the ship and get a Mexican flag to
run up and haul down, and then ran up the stars and stripes. After taking
possession of the country they brought three forty-two-pounder cannon from the
ship and mounted them on the spot, where was afterward built a fort. They first
made a block house one and a hall stories high, which is yet standing and all
that is left of the fort. The upper or half story was the quarters for the
officers and men, divided by partitions; the lower story was pierced on three
sides for the cannonades, on the other side was built a stockade out of young
pine trees as there were plenty close by; they were set close together about
three feet in the ground and about ten feet out; there was a dry ditch just
outside the stockade, on the side next to the bay, which is one of the finest in
the world. After the regular troops came they built barracks of pine logs, but
they have since all been distroyed by fire. Mr. Bralee, with about a dozen
sailors and six or eight marines, were left in charge to hold the fort, while
the ships were down the coast. Mr. Bralee remained in the service about seven
months after the war with Mexico first broke out, or after raising the flag
here, receiving his discharge in March, 1847. Monterey at that time contained
only about forty houses, most of which were built of adobe or sun-dried brick.
Mr. Bralee made and burnt about the first kiln of brick in the country in 1848,
and built the first chimney in Monterey in 1847. He was called by Walter Colton
at different times to inspect the work of Colton Hall, as he could not do the
work on that building, he being engaged at that time erecting at the port a
stone building for an ordnance department, contracted for by Captain Marcy, then
acting as Commissary Captain United States Army. He also built some of the most
substantial adobe buildings, one of which is now standing and looks as good as
ever, although forty-two years has passed since its construction. And to give
the readers an idea of what a mud house may cost we will here state that this
one cost over $20,000!

  Many foreigners of different nationalities landed at Monterey at an early
date, but comparatively few remained. Mr. Bralee however continued his residence
here and has been closely identified with its interests. Our subject was
Superintendent of the Public Schools in 1866, the first superintendent of
Monterey county, and in 1861 was elected a Justice of the Peace.

  Mr. Bralee married Alice Scandlin, a native of Armagh, county Sligo, Ireland.
Of the four children born to them two are living: Alice Bralee; and Thomas P.
Bralee, who is a farmer of Carmel valley, Monterey county.

   For thirty-nine years Mr. Bralee was engaged in agricultural pursuits, on his
ranch of 1,400 acres, in Carmel valley, but since 1891 has been living a retired
life in Monterey.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.

HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."-Macaulay.

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/monterey/bios/bralee477gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 8.7 Kb