First Generation
1. Meckie Frederick BRALEY was born about 1810
in Germany. He was a planter. He was naturalized on Oct
26, 1858 in Claiborne Parish, LA, and recorded in Book B, page 178-179, Minutes,
District Court in that parish.
State of Louisiana) 17th Judicial Court Parish of
Parish of Claiborne) State of Louisiana
Be in remembered that on this the 22d day of September 1855 in open Court personally
came and appeared before me, D. Henry Dyer, Clerk of the said Court Frederick
Braily who after having been first duly sworn declared and said that he was born
in Whittenburg Germany in the year 1810, that in the month of May 1832 he landed
in the city of New York, in the year 1836 he came to the Louisiana where he has
remained ever since, for the express purpose of becoming a citizen of the United
States, that he has at no time left or departed from this Government since his
arrival, that it has been his purpose ever since his arrival, and is now to become
a citizen of the United States of America to renounce and adjure all allegiance
to all foreign Kings, Princes, Emperors, Potentates, whomsoever and especially
the Emperor of Russia or all or any power controlling said Government of Germany.
And that he is willing to swear allegiance to the Government of the United States
of America, and to support the Constitution of the same (signed) F. Brailey.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 22nd day of September 1855 (signed)
D. Henry Dyer, Clk Dist Court and ordered that his Declaration be filed and spread
upon the records of this court
By leave granted and under the instruction of the Court, the following final
declaration and application for Naturalization of Frederick Baily (sic) made
on Tuesday 26th Inst was ordered to be placed on the minutes of this Court to
wit - to the honorable the judge of the 17th Judicial District Court of Louisiana
Holding Sessions in and for the Parish of Claiborne.
The petition of Frederick Bailey (sic) with respect represents to your honor
that he is a native of Witemberg Germany where he was born in the year 1810,
that in the month of May 1832 he landed in the City of New Youk, W.S. that in
the year 1836 he came to Louisiana where he has remained ever since, that it
has been his purpose to become a citizen of the United States of America ever
since his arrival here and that he still persists in that purpose. Your petitioner
further represents that he has at no time left or departed from the United States
since his arrival nor is it his intention to do so but that it is his wish, and
____ intention to forever withdraw himself from any connexion (sic) with any
power of the earth except the government of the United States of America and
to renounce and abjure all allegiance
(next page)
Thursday October 28th 1858
to all foreign Kings, Princes, Emperors or potentates whomsoever and especially
the Emperor of Austria or any Power Controlling the government of Wurtemberg
Germany. Your petitioner further avers that he can establish upon the evidence
of two witnesses to wit: D. Henry Dyer and Tillinghart Vaughn Citizens of Claiborne
Parish Louisiana that he is a peaceable and orderly member of society and well
disposed towards the government and laws of the United States of America and
that he has resided in the same for the space of five years previous to this
without anytime leaving the same. Your petitioner further avers that he has
filed in your honorable court his first declaration to become a citizen of the
United States on the 22nd Sept 1855.
Wherefore previous considered your petitioner prays to be declared a duly naturalized
Citizen of the United States of America and invested with all the amenities of
the same.
(signed) F. Braley
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26th day of Oct. 1858
D. Henry Dyer
Clk Dist Court
Whereupon it was ordered by the court the said Braly having sworn to support
the Constitution of the United States - that the said Frederick Braly be declared
a duly naturalized citizen of the United States of America and entitled to all
the amenities of the same
D. Henry Dyer, Clk Dist Court
He appeared in the census on Jun 29, 1880 in Webster Parish, LA enumerated
as a widower.1 He died after
1880 in Louisiana. He was buried in Plain Dealing, Bossier Parish,
LA.
Frederick's traditional burial site is located 100 yards south of Hwy. 157; 7.6
miles east of Hwy. 2, and 6.2 miles west of Bodcau (Braley) Bridge in Plain Dealing,
La. on property owned by Jack Roberson. Jack Roberson told me that he often asked
his daddy why he always plowed around this large mound in the middle of their
field. The father replied that people were buried in the mound and he couldn't
disturb it. He remembered that his father told him that a man, a woman and perhaps
some children were buried there.
A marker was placed there several years ago by James Randolph Braley, a descendant
of Frederick. James discovered the grave by following clues given to him in
a letter from an elderly relative. [Ed. note: I never saw the letter] James told
me that he had heard Frederick was buried in this field, away from any recognized
church cemetery because he had committed suicide.
National Archives Film M575, Reel 16, contains an entry for Johan Freidrich Brahle,
age 21, male, fisher by trade, born Wurttemburg. He rode the ship "Marcus"
from Rotterdam to Sag Harbor, NY arriving there sometime between the 1st and
3d quarter, 1832. This is the closest that I have come to finding Freidrich
Braley. Meckie Frederick BRALEY and Mrs. Elizabeth EDWARDS were married about
1833. They appeared in the census on Sep 21, 1850 in Claiborne Parish,
LA.2
In 1850, the family of West Edwards resides two dwellings away from the Braily
family. Frederick's wife is believed to be the widow of a Mr. Edwards, perhaps
an older brother of West. Research by Daniel Singleton, 1200 3rd St., Hot Springs,
AR 71913 shows that daughters Sarah and Elizabeth, who appear in the 1850 census
with Frederick were daughters of Elizaberth and a Mr. Edwards.
Frederick arrived in Louisiana in 1836. Records at the Germantown Settlement
near Minden, La. show that Frederick BRAHLE was a customer at the Settlement
store from 1851 to 1859. Germantown was established in 1835.
Frederick's naturalization records were found at the Louisiana State Archives
in Baton Rouge. They show that Frederick Braley of Claiborne Parish arrived
in the United States in May, 1832 at New York. They also show that his country
of birth was Germany in the year 1810. Other facts contained in this document
shows that Tillinghart Vaughn, attorney and D. Henry Dyer, clerk of court were
witnesses to his application. The District Court of Claiborne Parish was the
court of record. Another statement in the forms reads "D L Sep 22 1855,
17th Judicial District Court, Claiborne Parish, LA". Mrs.
Elizabeth EDWARDS was born about 1811 in Missouri. He appeared
in Bossier Parish, LA civil records on Jan 10, 1870 when he was Property Deeds
This is the only record of any Elizabeth Braley that I have found other than
entries in the 1850 Claiborne Parish census.
Elizabeth the wife would have been approximately 59-years old at this time while
Elizabeth the daughter would have been approximately 35-years old. The document(s)
read that the property was assigned to the "heirs of Frederick Braley",
indicating that it was bought with proceeds of his estate . If Elizabeth the
daughter had bought the property then I do not think that such a statement would
have been included since it would have been her private property. Conveyance
found at Bossier Parish Courthouse, Benton, La: Elizabeth Braley to Nehemiah
Johnson, Book 7, page 656 and page 7, book 669. Elizabeth bought the SW1 4 of
S9, NE1 4 of NE1 4 of S17, T3, R11 and SW1 4 of S9, NE1 4 of NE1 4 of S17, T3,
R11 for a total of about 400 acres. She made the purchase with 3000 pounds of
"lint cotton" in each of the two deals, each witnessed by G. F. Braley.
After considering the above information, one might wonder what happened to Frederick.
Except for two of his bachelor sons, he appeared alone in the 1880 Webster Parish
census. Meckie Frederick BRALEY and Mrs. Elizabeth EDWARDS had the following
children:
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