Daniel Braymer

Daniel Braymer. ' One of the best towns of its size in Northwest Missouri is the little city of Braymer in Caldwell County, which was named in honor of the prominent farmer, stockman and capitalist, Daniel Braymer, who is one of the largest land owners in Northwest Missouri, and whose stock farms were the most conspicuous features of the locality before the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad laid out the townsite in 1887. Braymer is now a place of about twelve hundred population, with good schools,, churches, banks, stores, and is the home of a high class citizenship. Mr. Braymer first began investing in Caldwell County lands in 1869, and has ever since been a prominent factor in the upbuilding of this community. He owns more than two thousand acres, including some of the best land in the county, and there are few men in Northwest Missouri whose success along the general lines of farming, stock raising and the ownership and control of lands has been greater than Daniel Braymer 's.

Daniel Braymer was born in Washington County, New York, on a farm, March 17, 1844 His father was Daniel Braymer, and his grandfather, Jacob Braymer, was of German ancestry and gave active service to the American colonies during the Revolutionary war. Daniel Braymer, Sr., married a Miss Woodward, who was born and reared in Washington County, a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier. The children of Daniel Braymer, Sr., and wife were: Jacob, who died in 1902 in New York State; Jennett, who died at the age of twenty-three; Alfred, who lives in Washington County, New York; Daniel and Rosalinda. The father was first a whig in politics and later a republican, and a member of the Baptist Church. He died in Washington County, New York, at the age of eighty-four, and his wife passed away aged eighty-five.

Daniel Braymer, Jr., grew up on a farm in New York State, and while his education came from the public schools, his best training for life was in the habits of industry and thrift which he acquired when still a boy. At the age of twenty-three he left his home state, and since then has traveled and acquired interests in many parts of this country and also of Mexico. He spent some time in Georgia, then in Tennessee and Kentucky, and for several years was located in Leavenworth County, Kansas. Afterwards he lived one summer in Buchanan County, near St. Joseph, and from there came to Caldwell County, where he bought a section of land, all of it raw and unimproved. It has been genius and enterprise as a farmer and stockman which have transformed these barren acres into a splendid country estate, with corn fields and pastures, and thousands of dollars invested in permanent improvements. Mr.

Braymer's large landed acreage in the vicinity of Braymer is divided among several farms, each improved with good bouses, bams and all the facilities for successful stock farming. He keeps from a hundred to three hundred head of cattle on his Caldwell County places, also about five hundred hogs, and as a measure of his enterprise it can be stated that few of the larger business men and manufacturers of the cities of Missouri control more extensive interests than Mr. Braymer.

His interests extend to various other states. There are 800 acres of land under his ownership near Fort Sill in Oklahoma, a large tract of valuable land near Ellensburg, Washington, and another fine farm in South Dakota. Mr. Braymer has always followed the practice of investing his surplus capital in land, and his skillful knowledge of how to make land productive and profitable is a full justification of this practice. He is also owner of about thirteen thousand acres in South Mexico, one of the most beautiful tracts of land anywhere in North America, with almost untold wealth in timber and other resources.

Since 1896 Mr. Braymer has lived in the City of Braymer, where he has a fine home. He was married in 1869 in Washington County, New York, to Miss Nancy Woodward. She was born in Washington County, a daughter of John and Fanny (McCarter) Woodward, both New York State people. The other Woodward children were: John, now deceased; Alexander, deceased; Mary Jane, who lives in Washington County, New York. Her father died at the age of sixty-seven and her mother at seventy-nine. Her father was a democrat in politics and a member of the Baptist Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Braymer have children as follows: George V., who is following in the footsteps of his father and is one of the prominent stockmen of Caldwell County, was married first to Stella Feese, who.died three years after marriage, leaving one child, Pauline. He married second Alice Morris, and to this union three children were born, Daniel Richard, George V., and Mildred; Stella Braymer; Frank, who died at the age of fifteen; and Lulu, who is married to Dr. Boone Woolsey and lives at Braymer, and they have one child, Randall B. Mr. Braymer and his family are members of the MetJiodist Church. He is a republican in politics, and served as county judge of Caldwell County in 1881 and 1882. He is content to perform his share of public service through the management of his extensive interests, which are not only a source of profit to himself but have resulted in the upbuilding and improvement of the community, and are a source of wealth to a number of men in this section and elsewhere. Mr. Braymer has always proved himself a strong supporter of good roads, schools and churches and law and order, and when public undertakings are proposed he is one of the first men whose endorsement and practical cooperation are required.

Sro F. Thomson. Cashier of the First National Bank of Cowgill, Sid F. Thomson has been identified with banking in this town for the past six years, was formerly in business as a merchant and is a Cowgill County citizen whose career has been passed here from birth, and has always been honorably and influentially identified with the welfare of the community. Mr. Thomson in 191*4 was honored by the citizens of Cowgill with election to the office of mayor, and since the beginning of his administration has done much to improve the town as a business and home center. The First National Bank of Cowgill was established in 1887, at first as a private institution, and took out a National charter about fifteen years ago. Its oflBcers are: A. M. Delany, president; W. H. Lile, vice president; C. L. Wells, vice president; Sid F. Thomson, assistant cashier. The bank has a capital of $35,000, and its surplus is

Google now $15,000. Mr. Thomson has a large acquaintance both in Caldwell and in Ray counties, has spent his youth and manhood in this section, and possesses the esteem paid to honest ability in all his relations, whether in business or with civic affairs.

Sid P. Thomson was born on the old home farm in this vicinity, August 14, 1873. His father, Frederick Thomson, was a farmer and stock man, and died in 1897 at the age of fifty-three. He was born and reared in Caldwell County, and his parents came to this section from Kentucky. He was married in Lincoln Township to Mary Thomson, a cousin, who is now living at the age of seventy on the old homestead. There were five children: Sid F. Thomson; Samuel, in Excelsior Springs, Missouri; Ella, wife of E. M. McCray of Cowgill; Crosby, of Cowgill; and R. A., a farmer and stock man operating the old homestead. The father of these children was a prominent citizen, served as county commissioner, was an elder in the Christian Church, and in politics a democrat.

. Sid F. Thomson grew up on the home farm, learned its duties and developed a good physique, and was educated in the public schools, finishing with a business course. His father was postmaster at Cowgill during the second Cleveland administration, and Sid Thomson during that time served as assistant postmaster. In 1900 Mr. Thomson married Linnie May, a daughter of C. A. May, now deceased, while her mother is living in Grand Junction, Colorado. Mrs. Thomson was before her marriage a popular teacher, and is a graduate of the Breckenridge High School. Mr. and Mrs. Thomson have three children: Frederick A., Dorothy May and Robert H. Mr. Thomson aflBliates with Lodge No. 561 of the Masonic Order, he and his wife are active in the Christian Church and for a number of years they have made themselves useful and influential members of local society.

As printed in A history of northwest Missouri (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.