ANSELM C. BRALLEY. This gentleman has been a useful citizen of Douglas County, Missouri, since 1865, but was born in Greene County, Missouri, October 7, 1839, a son of Jonathan and Margaret (Bogel) Bralley and grandson of James Bralley, who came to this country from Ireland.
They took up their residence in Virginia, and there Jonathan Bralley was born, reared, and moved to Missouri, in 1839, after which he moved to Greene County, Missouri, and settled on the James River near Galloway. Later he removed to Webster County and there died in the spring of 1866. He was a Democrat in politics and for many years held the office of justice of the peace, and socially was a Mason. He was quite a hunter in his youth, and was successful in amassing a comfortable fortune. His wife was born in Virginia also, and was the only one of her family to come to Missouri. She died in December, 1892, having become the mother of twelve children: Sanders was a soldier of the Twenty-Fourth Missouri Infantry and died at the age of twenty-five years; Elizabeth became the wife of Melvin Smith and died at the age of forty-five years; Anselm C.;John C., who died at about the age of twenty years in Lebanon, Missouri, while a member of the State Militia during the war; Franklin was about eighteen years old at the time of his death; Louise is living on the old home farm in Webster County; Oliver is married and lives on the old home farm; George is also there; Margaret J. and Guy. Two children died young. The parents of these children were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, were old settlers of this section, and passed through many hardships on first coming to the State.
Anselm C. was reared on a farm in Webster County and was educated in the common schools. In 1860 he began doing for himself and was soon after married to Rebecca, daughter of William and Susan (McMahan) Jinkins, who came from Tennessee to this State in 1842, and after several changes settled in Douglas County in 1865, the mother dying here in 1885 and the father in 1890. Their family consisted of thirteen children: Matilda, Blackburn, Gilbert, Harriet, Rebecca, Lavicie, Thomas, Elizabeth, Henry, Ruth, James, Margaret, and one that died young. Mrs. Bralley was born in Tennessee, October 12, 1840, and to herself and husband the following children have been born: Samantha, wife of James Nash, of Sparta, Missouri, has three children: Chester A., Ada and Clarence; Luhana is the wife of Carl Barnes of Sparta and has four children, Anselm, Arthur, Bertha and Effie, one died in infancy; Louisa wife of W. B. Schoggin, Mountain Home, Arkansas, has three children: Elmer, Stella and Garland; Effie and one that died. Clarinda died at the age of eighteen years; Letitia is the wife of A. M. Ellison, a farmer of this county and has one child, Hattie; Artilia died at the age of fifteen years; John C. Lilly, wife of C. D. Dewhurst, has one child Lester; Edith, and Daisy.
Mr. Bralley, was a member of the Home Guard and State Militia during the war and was a participant in the battle of Lawrenceport. After the war he became a farmer, has followed that occupation ever since and is the owner of one of the finest farms in the county, consisting of 480 acres, which he purchased in 1883. He is said to have the best improved farm in the county and this fact is borne out in glancing over his broad acres and his neatly kept farm buildings, etc. He is quite extensively engaged in buying and selling stock, in fact is a thrifty and progressive farmer and owes his success to his own good management and energy. He is an active Democrat, is public spirited to a degree, and socially is a member of Ava Lodge of the I. O. O. F.