Our Grandfather
As written by Ruth Bratton Dillon on January 21, 1986
Sometime, prior to 1972, cousin Bud Bratton gave me an old worn file
folder. He said that he found it in his father's desk at the office, after
Uncle Alvin had passed away.
It gave me the chance to "meet" our grandfather, Francis Marion Bratton. It contained several typewritten copies of letters that he had written to his mother and sisters. There were later letters to Alvin, Harley and Dauber from their aunts, Ida Kuhn and Margaret Sharp. There was also an old newspaper clipping telling of his untimely death on January 21, 1920, and a copy of a letter which was signed "from his best friend".
Francis Bratton was born in either 1857 or 1858 in Vinton County, Ohio to Edward A. Bratton and Ruth Owen Bratton. His father was an attorney and was the prosecuting attorney in Noble County in 1851-52. He had also practiced in Cambridge and moved to McArthur in 1953.
Francis also was called "Frank" and to his sisters he signed his letters "Buck". He had followed the trade as a shoemaker.
On December 16, 1877, he married Harriet (Hattie) Garret in Pomeroy, Ohio. They had five sons; the first two died as infants (one named Harry was born in 1879), Alvin was born in 1881, Harley in 1883 and John Dauber in 1885.
All that we had ever been told about our grandfather was that he had deserted our grandmother when our fathers were young and she had raised them alone. He was not listed in the Vinton County census in 1900, while Harriet was listed as the head of the house.
For some unknown reason, known perhaps to only Frank and Harriet, he left and went to Iowa. There he held a clerkship and when she found out where he was she wrote a letter, either to him or his employer. As he put it "when his employer handed him the letter, he resigned and vowed she would never have his address again." (taken from a letter from sister Margaret Sharp to her nephews dated February 27, 1920.
For some years, his whereabouts were unknown. His sister, Margaret, located him through a chance conversation with someone who knew there were a lot of Brattons in Texas and he knew of a F. M. Bratton.
Many letters were written between sisters and brother. As Margaret would receive them she would send them on to Ida. Ida had saved some and at one time mailed them to Alvin, who typed the contents and returned the originals.
The letters show a caring man. One noted that he had sent his sons money for Christmas and someone named Eddie had given his sons a photograph he had sent.
He assured his sisters that he had led an honorable and respectable life and had "never done a wrong." He asked that his wife not be told where he was. He had been gone for 24 years and he said that he always planned to "come home next year." In 1897, he had $22,000.00 to come home, but as he put it "speculation fronted me and my investments proved a three year hard battle with reverses dead against me." He wrote that in 1919 from Pecos, Texas.
He said that he had 18 years in the traffic of oil and 13 months with a geologist survey. In Pecos he had again become a shoemaker. his letter stated he had been in Pecos for four years.
He mentioned how much he wanted to see his boys again and ask their forgiveness. he wanted to know if his wife had ever worried about him and stated she was a fool if she had not divorced him, and hoped she had and remarried.
On January 21, 1920, he was murdered. A newspaper clipping was in the folder giving details. I have found out since that it was from the El Paso paper.
BROTHER SHOOTS AND KILLS ALLEGED
ASSAILANT
OF THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SISTER IN COUNTY JAIL
It has been a number of years, if ever, since the citizens of Pecos were so
shocked as on Saturday morning when it became known that F. M. Bratton had been
placed in jail on complaint of C. C. Cowell that he had ruined and wrecked the
life of his thirteen-year-old daughter, and again on Wednesday afternoon when
the news spread that Charlie Colwell was in jail charged with the shooting and
killing of Bratton.
The Colwells and Brattons had been on
intimate terms for a year or more, being near neighbors, and Bratton had not
only gained the confidence and esteem of the children, who often visited him at
his shoe shop, but of the heads of the house as well. He had recently
expressed to Mrs. Colwell his admiration for her young daughter and wanted to
help bring her up as he had no children of his own. Mrs. Colwell forbid
the daughter from visiting Mr. Bratton, becoming convinced it was not best for
her daughter.
Recently the daughter had become ill
on several occasions and on Friday of last week when she was carried to the
office of Drs. Camp, Bryan and Lusk for examination as to the cause of her
illness the parents were informed of her condition and the young girl confessed
her crime and laid all the blame on Bratton as being the seducer. A
complaint was filed and he was placed in jail. Bratton protested his
innocence and on Sunday wrote a note to the Colwells asking for an interview
with them.
On Monday afternoon Charlie Colwell,
brother of the outraged girl, came up from Big Spring where he was at work in
the oil fields, and on Wednesday afternoon went with Bud Turner, an uncle to the
sheriff's office stating that he wanted to interview Bratton. Deputy
Sheriff R. G. Middleton, after questioning them and being assured by both that
no harm was intended to Bratton, consented to allow them admittance after
searching both of them. Before they were admitted, however, Mr. Middleton
says: "I told Charlie he was a much stronger man than Bratton, and if he
was going in to beat him up he could not go," and was assured. "he had
no such thought." Bratton was turned in the runaround and Charlie was
also admitted, while Mr.'s Middleton and Turner stepped aside in order that
Colwell and Bratton might have a talk. Mr. Middleton states: "In
about five minutes I heard the shots and ran in, taking a 25 caliber automatic
pocket pistol from Charlie, who said, 'This in one time I put one by you,
Bob.'" Three bullets entered Bratton's head, two passing through the
temple, and one through the brain, and he died almost instantly.
Charlie Colwell was practically
reared in Pecos and has the confidence, esteem and goodwill of our entire
citizenship, as also have his parents, who are industrious, hard-working,
upright citizens, and worthy of the esteem of our people.
Mr. Bratton, the deceased, came to
Pecos about two years ago with his wife, and has been plying the trade of
shoemaker, enjoying a good trade and working much of the time late in the night,
and appeared too busy to mingle much with our people but was generally
considered an upright citizen. Mrs. Bratton is spoken as a splendid
neighbor and gentle, kindhearted lady, and she has the sympathy of our entire
population.
In the folder as mentioned, was a letter to Margaret Sharp. It was signed, "from his best friend." He stated "that he knew all about it and he died an innocent man. He had been charged to save others and wanted to assure his sisters that he was not guilty."
Now, before you judge the man -- please read on.
In early 1972, I decided to write to the Sheriff of Pecos, Texas to ask for more details. the letter was given to a Mr. Barney Hubbs, President of the local museum and former editor of the newspaper. he answered my letter on March 11, 1972.
He stated in the letter: "The case never went to trial, a 13 year old girl was the jury and her story was accepted by the people."
On October 14, 1984, while traveling in west Texas, we visited Mr. Hubbs at his home in Pecos. Mr. Hubbs in an extremely alert, fantastic, 87 year old man. He has a total recall of the events of January 21, 1920.
He had known our grandfather personally and also his wife. He said that he was well liked and had a natural interest in children and would give candy to the children that would visit his shop.
Mr. Hubbs went to school with the Colwell brothers. There were five boys and the one girl in the family. He described Charlie Colwell and the uncle, Bud Turner, as known "hot heads."
The girl had a bad reputation, was a tomboy and was known not to always tell the truth. He felt that she could have been mad at Bratton for something as simple as not getting a piece of candy she wanted, she could make trouble for him, and she did.
He said that after the brother had shot Mr. Bratton she did not dare to change her story. He said that many townspeople, himself included, thought that an innocent man had been killed.
When we read the copy from the friend he said he was very certain that what he had thought for years was true.
So that is the story. It has convinced me that we do NOT have a skeleton in the closet, just an old man who happened to be the victim of circumstances. It is indeed sad and tragic that Francis Marion Bratton's sisters and sons died without being really sure that he was innocent. I am. He was our grandfather.
Ruth Bratton Dillon
January 21, 1986, exactly 66 years to the date - too late!
I feel that this story was never shared with the three son's wives nor with their children.