Frank Litchfield Bramble Biography


	This biography appears on pages 254-255 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				FRANK LITCHFIELD BRAMBLE.  

	Frank Litchfield Bramble, of Watertown, was one of the organizers 
of the Dakota Mutual Life Insurance Company and for the past seven 
years has been its secretary. He was born in Yankton, South Dakota, May 
23, 1872, a son of Downer T. Bramble, a pioneer of Yankton and one of 
the first settlers of the territory. Extended mention of him and the 
great work which he has done for the state is made elsewhere in this 
work.  

	In the pursuit of his education Frank L. Bramble attended the 
public schools of Yankton and also Yankton College and in early life 
became a clerk in the postoffice at Watertown. Later he was otherwise 
connected with public office, serving for four years as county auditor 
of Codington county and for a year and a half as deputy public 
examiner. Later he was made public examiner for South Dakota, 
continuing in the position for two years and four months, and the 
knowledge which he gained of the insurance business during his 
incumbency in that office led to his cooperation in organizing the 
Dakota Mutual Life Insurance Company, which was formed August 22, 1906, 
and began writing business in May, 1907. This was reorganized as a 
stock company on the 26th of February, 1909, by John B. Hanten, Fred B. 
Smith, H. M. Finnerud, D. M. Bannister, John W. Martin and F. L. 
Bramble. The company was capitalized for two hundred thousand dollars 
and is now licensed to do business in the states of North and South 
Dakota and Minnesota. During the eight years of its organized existence 
the company has written and had in force on January 1, 1915, eight 
million, six hundred thousand, thirty dollars of business, with an 
asset of nine hundred and fifty-six thousand dollars. The growth of the 
company has been very marked in the face of as strong competition as 
any company ever had to contend with. The officers of the company are 
with one exception the same as those originally elected. The company 
writes participating and non-participating business and will in all 
probability write only non-participating business after January 1, 
1916. Throughout the existence of the company Mr. Bramble has been 
secretary and has contributed much to the success of the business 
through his thorough understanding of insurance conditions, through his 
close application and systematic methods.  

	On the 12th of January, 1903, in Minneapolis, occurred the 
marriage of Mr. Bramble and Miss Dana Lewis, a daughter of Elmer Lewis, 
a pioneer of Roscoe, Edmunds county, South Dakota. They have one child, 
Jeanette, who was born February 8, 1912.  

	The parents hold membership in the Episcopal church and Mr. 
Bramble is identified with various fraternal and club interests, 
belonging to Watertown Lodge, No. 13, A. F. & A. M., of which he was 
treasurer for three years: Watertown Chapter, No. 12, R. A. M.. 
Watertown Council, No. 7, R. & S. M.; and Watertown Commandery, No. 7, 
K. T., of which he was recorder in 1912. He also holds membership in 
Oriental Consistory No. 1, Yankton, and El Riad Shrine, Sioux Falls. He 
was the secretary of Watertown Lodge, No. 291, U. C. T., from 1903 
until 1909, inclusive; was secretary of Watertown Lodge, No. 838, B. P. 
O. E., throughout the same period; and in 1910 became exalted ruler of 
the Elks. He is likewise a member of the Watertown Country Club and of 
Sioux Falls Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. In politics 
he is a republican of the old school. At the present writing he is 
serving as a member of the board of education of Watertown. His 
military history covers three years, service with Company H, First 
Regiment, S. D. N. G., and six years with Troop C of the First Cavalry. 
Wide-awake and enterprising, thoroughly alert and energetic, he is in 
close touch with the leading movements of the times affecting the 
welfare of city and state, cooperating heartily in all plans and 
projects for the public good and thus carrying forward under present-
day conditions and amidst present-day environments the work begun by 
his father in pioneer times.