Bragg Cemetery
Submitted by Todd Walter
Pictures by Janine Crandell & Harriet Stairs

Pictures taken in November 2004

RESEARCH OF BURIALS IN BRAGG CEMETERY

This small cemetery is located in the North West Quarter Of Section 4, Chestnut Township on Knox Road 600 North, one half mile East of County Highway 8. It is on a small hill next to the road on the farm that Elias Bragg purchased and appears to have been used from 1842 - 1865. It is fenced, but not maintained, although it appears someone has done a little work to set the stones back up. A small sign with a "B", made of reinforcing rod, has been placed inside the fence. The property is currently owned by Floyd Skinner.

Following the research is the actual transcription of the cemetery.

Todd Walter
July, 2005

Picture of the original Bragg homestead before the addition was built.
If you know who the people are in this photo, we'd love to hear from you!
Submitted by Harriet Stairs

NOTES:

*1 - In the Bounty Land application that Polly made in 1861, his death date is given as January 26, 1861.

*2 - Birthdate is from James Allen biography and could be wrong. The stone is set in concrete covering up the age at time of death. None of the dates for the Allen children in the biography match what is on their stones.
 

UNMARKED BURIALS:

As with most cemeteries there are probably some unmarked graves. I do know one stone has been removed by a descendent for some reason and hasn't been replaced.
 

VETERANS:

Elias Bragg served as a Sargeant in Captain John Field's Company of Light Infantry, 8th Regiment, 4th Brigade, Virginia Militia, under the command of John H. Cocke, during War of 1812. He enlisted at Camp Carter, near Richmond on August 31, 1814 and mustered out February 23, 1815 at Camp Carter. He was 105 miles from home. For his service he received 11 dollars per month. He received an 80 acre land grant of the East half of the Southeast quarter of Section 5 in Chestnut Township on March 15, 1852. After Elias died his wife again applied for Bounty Land.
 

WILL or PROBATE:

Will of Elias Bragg

The last Will and Testament of Elias Bragg

In the name of God Amen, I Elias Bragg being in common health and perfect mind make this my last will and Testament VIZ} after my legal debts are paid and my wife should survive me I wish her to be decently provided for at her own option during her natural life or widowhood after that is done I wish the balance of any property of every kind to be equally divided amongst a part of our Children (that is to say) there is three that I am not willing to give to either of them any thing more than will prevent there becoming equil distributees with...(can't read)...those I wish hereby to disinherit are namely Elizabeth H. James A. and John H. and I do hereby declare they nor neither of them shall inherit my property given under my hand this fifth day of May AD one thousand eight hundred and fifty three.

                                                                                        Elias Bragg {Seal}

I Elias Bragg do hereby certify that I have wrote my last will and Testament and dated it the fifth day of May one thousand eight hundred and fifty three and deposited it in my pofsefsion to remain unopened during my life and then to acted on agreeable to the last will and Testament of Elias Bragg proceeding is to prevent the will from being known while I live.

This acknowledged in the presents of                                 I am Elias Bragg {Seal}
G. W. Burnaugh
John Burnaugh                                                                  I wish Erasmus D. Hall to execute the
                                                                                        aforesaid will all acknowledge in presents of


Illinois Knox County October 1st 1857

To all to whom it doth concern
Read these lines and you may learn
That I Elias Bragg doth let John S. Hall and Julius Bragg and sons of the above named Elias Bragg a certain colt to each of them at the price of fifty dollars each to bear interest at the rate of six per cent per annum from the first day of October one thousand eight and fifty three until settled given under my hand and seal as part of my last will Elias Bragg {Seal}

Knox County Ills October 1859

To whom it doth concern
Read these lines and you may learn

that I Elias Bragg doth let John and Richard Bragg sons of Joseph F. Bragg and grandsons of the above named Elias Bragg have a colt each of them at the price of fifty dollars each to bear interest at six pr cent per annum from the first day of October 1860 until settled
those colt are for the benifit of the children of Joseph F. Bragg jointly but not at his disposal neither are they subject for debts of his contracting given under my hand and seal as part of my last will

                                                                                    Elias Bragg

 

BIOGRAPHIES:

Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Illinois
Biographical Publishing Company
1886

     James Allen, one of the leading citizens and most successful farmers of Chestnut Township, owning a large and finely cultivated farm of 200 acres, situated on section 4, is the subject of this personal history. He is engaged not only in farming, but in the raising of Short Horn cattle and Poland China hogs, and owns a blooded bull five years old, weighing 2,00 lb., by name "Judge Willets."
     Mr. Allen entered life in Jefferson County, Ind., April 19, 1825. He is the son of Josiah and Jane W. (McDowell) Allen, natives of Kentucky, in which State they were wedded, removing to Indiana in 1810. From that State they emmigrated to Illinois in 1838, at which time the subject of this sketch was a boy of 13 years. The mother departed this life in the year 1852, and his father in 1863. Of this matrimonial alliance there were born nine children, six girls and three boys, namely: Rosanna, who married John Moore, and lives in the State of Indiana; Margaret, wife of Alkana Moore, resident of Knoxville, Ill.; Sarah married Jonathon Minor, both deceased; William took to wife America A. Maxey, and lives in Orange Township; Nancy married John Carico, a resident of Bureau County, Ill., and is deceased; Matilda married Alfred Carico, and lives in the State of Iowa; James espoused Miss Sarah M. Bragg, and lives in Chestnut Township; John married Miss Lydia Epperson, and lives in Bureau County, Ill.; Mary N. died at the early age of 16 years.
     Mr. Allen the elder settled in Orange Township in 1838. James remained at home on his father's place until after his marriage, when he purchased land in 1862 on section 4, in Chestnut Township, and where he has since remained.
     Mr. Allen of this notice, early in manhood, took to wife Miss Sarah M. Bragg, March 16, 1848. She was born Nov. 30, 1828; she is the daughter of Elias and Mary (Bryant) Bragg, natives of Virginia, who came to Illinois in 1836. They settled in Orange Township, and two years later removed to Chestnut Township. Her father was born in September, 1784, and departed this life Jan 20, 1861, in the State of Illinois. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. The date of her mother's birth was 1789, and she closed her eyes to this existence Sept. 14, 1865. Both she and her husband were of both English and Scottish lineage, and upon them were bestowed 15 children, viz.: Jane, wife of Benjamin McCort; James, who wedded Nancy M. Carter; Elizabeth, who wedded a Mr. Moore; Mary, wife of E. Hall; Abner, who formed a matrimonial alliance with Miss Julia Carpenter; Frances, who married Mr. John Hendricks; John, husband of Miss Sarah Hurley; Harriet, wife of D. Mooers; Matthew died at the early age of 18 years; Mark, at the time of the California gold fever, went to that state and no word has been received from him for a number of years; Joseph married Miss Nancy Heppenstall; Sarah, wife of James Allen, of this sketch; Eliza died at the early age of five years; Andrew, in infancy, was removed from this earth, and there was an infant unnamed.
     About the parental hearth of Mr. and Mrs. Allen have grown up three children, although seven were born to them - Francis, born August 24, 1847; Harry, Sept. 30, 1851; Darius, Sept 7, 1855; Julius, born Aug 20, 1864; James, Sept. 7, 1867; Frank, Sept., 1872. Four children of the family were deceased in infancy, viz.: Harry, Darius, and two unnamed.
     Although the possessor of a handsome property, Mr. Allen has suffered great loss through the agency of fire, being once burned out, at which time all the family records were destroyed, and also the records of his farm; the entire detriment to his possessions he estimated at $2000. He began work in this section of the county in 1861, since which time he has been remarkably successful in his particular line of labor. He is in character moral and upright, and his wife is a member of the United Brethren Church. His parents were, politically, of the old-line Whigs, but Mr. Allen is Democratic in sentiment and belief.

( The statements in paragraph five about the children of James and Sarah M. Allen are confusing and don't match the names and dates on the stones.)
 

MARRIAGES:

Elias Bragg married Mary H. Bryant in July of 1807 in Buckingham County, Virginia.

Mary Ann Bragg married Erasmus Darwin Hall on April 16, 1839 in Knox County, Illinois.
 

MISC. INFORMATION:

Galesburg Republican Register
October 6, 1883

Estate of Elias Bragg; affidavits of Francis Hendricks and Sarah Allen were filed Sept. 26, stating that Marks Bragg had not been heard from for 27 years, and praying that his portion of said estate, belonging to affiants, be paid to them. The Judge ordered that the County Treasurer, J. L. Burkhalter, pay said affiants each one tenth of said amount deposited in the County Treasury. The Judge further ordered that should it satisfactorally appear that $72 is on deposit for said Marks Bragg at the First National Bank of Knoxville, said Francis Hendricks and Sarah Allen shall be allowed to draw the same and distribute it as above provided. ????(hole in this line of the paper) proof of death and will filed; it was then ordered that a dedimus issue to some legal officer at Dedmon(ton ?, crease in paper)............testing witnesses.
 

BRAGG CEMETERY TRANSCRIPTION:

Any contributions, corrections, or suggestions would be deeply appreciated!

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Updated August 28, 2005