Person:Homer Braught (1)

Grandpa Homer worked a while on the railroad and as co-owner with his brother, Orville, in dairy business, which he left to Orville to join Bankers Life Ins. Co.. He was a graduate of the Palmer Business School in Des Moines, IA. He retired from the Actuary Dept. Bankers Life Insurance Co. (worked there 43 years; including 25 yrs. of perfect attendance) and after retirement moved with wife, Lora, to CA near son, Roland (LeMesa, CA) where Homer purchased an avocado ranch that proved to be an unfortunate investment (orchard froze in unusual weather) . At Iowa Weslyan College are no records of the E. Des Moines Asbury Methodist Church, but there was a folder that said "Homer Braught. SS Class 1 Sep 1891 living at 1536 Lyon St. , Des Moines, IA. Homer F. WWI Draft Registration card shows him 12 Sep, 1918 at Stuart, Adair Co., IA. Salesman for Grand (illegable word...recorder totally poor penmanship) Co.. Age 36; born Oct 26 1881. Wife Lora M Braught also at Stuart. His signature (very nice, of course). He claimed no physical problems. Medium height and weight; dark eyes and hair.

   Homer was truly superior at billiards, croquet, and bowling.  He had unusually beautiful handwriting used on the companys early years large cost policies at Bankers Life. Both Homer and Lora sang in church choir. His sons, Ralph and Gene, informed me that they had at least one stillborn male sibling not shown on family record. Homer was an avid Kiwanian, and for many years a staunch member of Des Moines, IA. Asbury Meth. Church. Gene said that his parents had an early, but brief residence in Lost Island, IA (near Spencer).  I have not pursued details of the reasons or situations of that move.
   It was rare to see him without his pipe and Prince Albert tobacco can, and I recall his blowing smoke into my ear to mitigate earaches (which I had often).  He had AAA foot size (slats, probably inherited from his mother).  He was highly respected and loved by his family.  He was about six foot tall with sinewy build and the entire top of his head was bald fairly early in his life.
   His death certificate copy is in my files, showing that he was buried at Glen Abbey Cemetery, Chula Vista, CA. (see gravestone photo provided by Gene A. and Kay Braught 1999).   Homer and Lora stayed for one brief time late in life with with their son (my father) Ralph (and Betty) at Pocahontas, IA, then finally returned to Chula Vista (San Diego suburb), CA. to live with son Rollie (and Millie) in their last years.  See his obituary in my files.  See several photos showing him from youth to retirement in my family files.  In one photo of his parents sitting in their living room with his aunt Ruth playing the piano, you can see a photo of him hanging on their wall (about age 12 with a bicycle).
  In Warren Co, IA Birth Records book by Warren Co. Genealogical Society, pg26,  Homer is listed as Braucht, son of Cortes Braucht and Ida Matley (should be Motley).  One more example of how the surname spellings, particularly Braught and Braucht, were continually interchanged.  Almost all Warren Co., IA records spell Braucht, despite numerous primary documents using the Braught spelling for this line after late 1800s.

1920 Census for Iowa, Warren Co. (Vol. 68, ED 151or 156... poorly written... sheet 1, line 67?) for Polk co., Des Moines, E. Grand Ave. house # 1342 is Braught, Homer, 38 b. IA with Lora M., wife, 35, b. IA; Herschel F., son, 15 b. IA; Roland E., sone 12, b. IA; Loran R., son 11, b. IA; Helen B., dau. 10, b. IA; Ralph, son 5, b.IA; and Eugene A., son 1yr. b. IA. I was surprised that Gene was reported as Eugene A. instead of his legal name that was actually reversed by court process many years later. Iowa 1925 Census for Des Moines, Polk Co., 1801 Logan Ave. (rented $45/mo) shows entire Homer/Lora Braught family. Some interesting data there: Owen Bruner born IL, mother= Elizabeth Roand (not Roland) b. Iowa m. Dexter, IA. Homer and Lora married in Des Moines, IA. Other data consistent with US Census 1920 and '30. Des Moines 1925 Directory shows Homer F. Braught, clk Bankers Life Co., living at 1801 Logan. Des Moines 1932 Directory shows Homer F. Braught (Lora M.) clk. Bankers Life Co. living at 1354 E. 9th. I remember this large 2-story house where there was a horseshoe pitching pit and croquet field in the back yard. 1930 Census for Iowa, Polk Co. Lee Twp. Walnut St House 84 family 90., pg. 5B was the family of Homer F. Braught, 48 insurance bookkeeper, b. IA, parents b. US; wife Laura M.,b. IA, fa. b. ILL, mother b. IA; with children all born in IA, Helen V., 20 drygoods cashier, Ralph, 15; and Eugene A., 11.

CA Deaths 1940-97 reports the vital data also shown here, plus SS#482-09-7250. One note I have without detail says that Homer was born in Indianola 26 Oct. 1881.

All of the children to this marriage attended Des Moines, IA East High School.

1. ↑ obituary.
2. ↑ Death Certificate Martha Owen Motley Turbett.
3. ↑ San Diego, San Diego, CA