Person:Earle Braught (1)

Status: Never Married

Earle did not marry. Visit to Oswego, Labette, KS produced several records and interviews about Earle, who had died 3 Feb. 1993 of heart attack at home alone. Mortician Rick described the home as very littered with papers, many animals (dogs, cats, chickens, and even some cattle) on his small (2 acre) property located just South of town next to Hwy and railroad tracks. Pall Bearers = Ray Neling, Frank Gail?, Gail Storm, Herbert Turner, Wayne & Albert Shickland: Murdock Funeral Home mortician = Rick Bailey, who was quite helpful (death certif). Death informant - Naomi Harvey (of Kansas City, KS, about age 60) However, he had inherited considerable land along the river from his parents. There was a very heated (even police interventions) battle between sisters (Naomi Harvey and Ethel Jones) over inheritance that had been left to Earl. Comments that the father of Naomi Harvey was Earnest Jones makes for some confusion if these sisters were actually sisters to Earle and I had no previous record that he had any sibling (actually the opposite). A local friend, Treva Vance, usually housed Naomi when she visited Oswego. T. Vance address 401 S. Illinois St. in Oswego was visited, but she was not home. See Earle's long vacated home and gravestone photos taken there 17 Jul 1997. Earl never married, but apparently had some close women friends as well as good men friends. See photos provided by Bea Romine during visit to her Wichita, KS home for about 4 hours Sunday afternoon 20 Jul 1997. I later sent original Earl photos to Connie McGruder. Oswego Historical librarian = Eleanor Monroe, very helpful. Labette Co. Clerk Office fill-in clerk that day = Mary Long, subbing for Lori Davis (elected clerk = Sue Stover). Address = Court House, Oswego, KS 67356. Pho = 795-4533 and fax 795-3056. Every Thursday when court is held, some records are not accessible (stored in court room). Our visit day was, unfortunately, Thursday. Also, we were advised that some old records of this area would be found in adjacent Crawford County seat Pittsburg, KS. Connie McGruder added that Cassville was the county seat of Barry Co., MO. where some family records were located. See Earle's Oswego obituary found at the Oswego Museum. Grave plate has his name and year dates plus a Christian cross and the word Korea (see photo). At Oswego Seniors Club we obtained some help from members who knew Earle: Alene Ruttgen Stillwell, 10026 Xray Rd. Oswego 67356 Pho. 795-2306 and Glen Wilsonn (Earle's neighbor for several years before Earl's last home): 101 -4th St. Oswego 67356 Pho. (316) 795-2695. They also knew Merritt Braught, who "lived much at a local hospital". Alene smiled and stated that Earle was never married, but he was certainly not homosexual (I had the inference that she was sure of that fact for some reason). Alene said that there were 2 Braught sisters and an adopted son, Larry Smith, from Arkansas. She thought one girl married a Smith and the other married a Mathis. The comments were a bit confusing and hurried (they were being called to eat at the Senior Citizen Center on South Main St.).

  SSDI#515-14-5001 last at 67356 Oswego, Labette, KS.

1. ↑ Oswego, Labette, KS Cemetery