Downer T. Bramble Biography


	This biography appears on pages 910-913 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	DOWNER T. BRAMBLE was born on a farm near the city of Montpelier, 
Vermont, ok the 28th of February, 1831, and was a son of Charles and 
Matilda L. Bramble, both of whom were likewise born and reared in the 
old Green Mountain state, where they passed their entire lives, his 
father having been a farmer by vocation. The Bramble family is of 
English extraction and was established in New England in the early 
colonial epoch, while representatives of the name were found valiantly 
fighting in the cause of independence during the war of the Revolution. 
The subject received a common school education, attending the schools 
of his native county until he had attained the age of seventeen years, 
and in the meanwhile assisting in the work of the home farm. At the age 
of seventeen Mr. Bramble left the home roof and went to Nashville, 
Tennessee, where he became associated with his older brothers, George 
and Gilman, in the drug business, being thus engaged about three years, 
within which period the memorable cholera scourge swept the country. At 
this time he went to Memphis, that state, and there opened a branch 
store, in company with his brother Gilman F. In later years he often 
recalled the horrors of the cholera epidemic. What was known as the 
dead wagon would pass through the streets at frequent intervals, and 
the driver would call in loud tones, "Bring out your dead," the deaths 
being so numerous that no ceremony could be observed. Men would come 
into Mr. Bramble's store and beg piteously for something to ease their 
agony, and not a few fell dead on the floor. Mr. Bramble remained in 
Memphis two years and thence removed to Ponce, Nebraska, where he 
engaged in the general merchandise business. While there he married, 
his wife dying only six months later. About 1856 Mr. Bramble loaded a 
wagon with goods suitable for trading with the Indians, and started for 
Yankton in what is now the state of South Dakota. He was a man of kind 
and genial nature, and he won the firm friendship of the Indians, who 
always called him the "big trader." He came to the site of the present 
city of Yankton in 1858, there being but one white man living there at 
the time. He was successful in his transactions with the Indians, and 
made many trips back to Sioux City for goods, utilizing an ox-team and 
usually walking the greater portion of the distance. On the third trip 
he had accumulated sufficient money to enable him to purchase some 
lumber with which he built his house, which was the first frame 
building erected in Yankton, while it was also utilized as a store, 
being the first mercantile establishment in Yankton. It may be said 
that this lumber was green cottonwood, and by the time he had 
transported the same to its destination it had become so warped that 
strenuous exertions were necessary to sufficiently untwist it for the 
purpose of erecting the building. It is worthy of historical note that 
this fine building was erected on the river front on First street, 
between Douglas and Walnut streets, of the present city. About 1861 Mr. 
Bramble erected a more substantial building, one and one-half stories 
in height, and in the same he continued to conduct a general store 
almost a quarter of a century. The devastation worked by the flood of 
1881 caused him to fail in business, and he closed up the enterprise in 
the following year, much to the regret of his host of friends and 
acquaintances. During much of the time in the earlier portion of his 
business operations in Yankton Mr. Bramble ran a large transportation 
train, in which enterprise he was associated with Captain Veigh and 
Commodore Coleson as the Northwestern Transportation Company, 
transporting freight and passengers from eastern points to Yankton and 
he continuing to the Black Hills district and other points. He had a 
large warehouse in Yankton, and while General Custer was stationed in 
the locality a terrible snow storm swept this section, causing the 
entire military force to be snowbound under which conditions the 
warehouse mentioned was opened for the accommodation of the horses. The 
next year, 1877, Mr. Bramble took a freighting outfit to Deadwood and 
other Black Hills points. He placed in operation the first steam ferry 
across the river from Yankton to the Nebraska shore of the Missouri, 
erected the first steam flouring mill in Yankton, which building is 
still standing, and was ever found at the forefront in promoting and 
aiding all enterprises for the general good and tending to forward the 
development and progress of the city and territory. For a number of 
years he maintained a branch store at Fort Pierre, the same being 
completely washed away in the flood of 1881. He was one of the 
organizers of the First National Bank of Yankton, and was a member of 
its directorate. In politics he ever accorded an uncompromising 
allegiance to the Democratic party, but invariably refused to permit 
the consideration of his name in connection with candidacy for public 
office. In 1883 Mr. Bramble went to the city of Chicago, where he 
remained about one year, and he was then appointed, by President 
Cleveland, receiver of the land office at Watertown, in 1884, and he 
continued incumbent of this federal position until his death, which 
occurred on the 9th of October, 1887, as the result of cancer. He was 
greatly loved by all who knew him, and well exemplified in his 
character the truth of the statement that "the loving are the daring, 
the bravest are the tenderest." He was a charter member of St. John's 
Lodge, No. 1, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Yankton, with which 
he continued to be affiliated until his death, while he served as 
master of the same for a number of terms. He was a government trader 
with the Indians about six years, under Major Conger, having received 
this appointment from the national capital.  

	In February, 1861, while visiting in Connecticut, Mr. Bramble 
consummated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Martha Perry, 
who was born and reared in that state and whose father was a clergyman 
of the Presbyterian church. She died about sixteen months after her 
marriage, shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Carrie, who was 
laid by her side soon afterward, having survived her by only three 
months, the two being interred in the first cemetery plot in Yankton, 
where also were laid to rest the remains of the husband and father, 
many years later.  

	On the 15th of January, 1866, Mr. Bramble was married to Miss 
Virginia L. VanDerhule, who survives him and who still resides in the 
pleasant home in Watertown. She was born in New York city and is a 
daughter of Jesse D. and Hannah (Woodward) VanDerhule, the former of 
whom was born in the state of New York, a scion of the staunch old 
Holland stock, while the latter was born in Vermont, being of English 
extraction, and who died when Virginia was a child of five. They came 
to Yankton in 1865, making the change on account of the delicate health 
of Mr. VanDerhule, and here they passed the remainder of their lives, 
his death occurring March 26, 1871. In Yankton Mrs. Bramble began 
teaching when but thirteen years of age, and in order to give evidence 
of the consistent pedagogic dignity she donned "long dresses" at this 
time. She has the distinction of having been the first woman teacher in 
the territory of Dakota, and the building in which she held her school 
was a primitive log structure, equipped with cottonwood benches, and 
the same was located on what is now Walnut street, below Second street. 
She taught for five months and had enrolled sixty-seven pupils, varying 
in age from six to twenty-three years. She had met Mr. Bramble in her 
eastern home, and their acquaintance ripened into love after she had 
come to the west, while their married life was one of signal mutual 
devotion and ideal harmony. They became the parents of two children. 
Harry J., who enlisted in Company H, Thirty-first Michigan Volunteer 
Infantry, at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, was in active 
service in Cuba, and after being mustered out he re-enlisted, becoming 
a member of Company H, Forty-second United States Volunteers, with 
which he continued in service in the Philippines until the regiment was 
mustered out, in the city of Manila, in the spring of 1901. He was then 
given a position in the government commissary in that city, where he 
still remains. Frank L., the younger son, married Miss Dana Lewis, who 
was born and reared in Michigan and who was a teacher in the Watertown 
schools for four years prior to marriage. Frank L. received his 
education in Yankton, and was employed in the post office at Watertown 
for six years, while he served two terms as county auditor. He is at 
the present time deputy bank examiner for South Dakota, his duties 
demanding his entire attention. He is identified with St. John's Lodge, 
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is treasurer at the time 
of this writing; and he is secretary of the lodge of Benevolent and 
Protective Order of Elks.  

	Reverting to the honored subject of this memoir, it should be 
noted that he materially assisted in securing the establishing of the 
first school in Yankton and in the organization of the first church, 
while Mrs. Bramble was equally prominent in forwarding these 
enterprises, having been a member of the organization of ladies who 
raised the money with which to erect the first school building, while 
she was especially prominent in organizing the first church, now that 
of the parish of Christ church, Protestant Episcopal. She has long been 
a communicant of the church and has been active in the various 
departments of parish work. Mrs. Bramble is an artist of ability, 
having been a teacher of painting as well as having produced several 
works that have received attention wherever exhibited, including the 
World's Fair in Chicago.  

	For twenty-five years Mrs. Bramble has been greatly handicapped, 
having been crippled as the result of a runaway and which has 
necessitated the use of a crutch. Though under the serious disadvantage 
she has nobly done her duty to her family and friends.