Brate, Abram

Birth

Abram Brate was born in September of 1837 in Albany county, NY to Henry Brate (B. Sept 20, 1803, D. June 11, 1887) and Eliza M. Smith (B. abt 1807,D. after 1880). He was from a large family.

Marriage & Children

Abram married Elizabeth J. Brate (B. 1841, D. July 13, 1888, who was the daughter of Francis Brate and Catharine Jane Britton. She was a distant relative of Abram and had lived next to Henry and his family in 1850 in Berne. They had several children:

• Hattie Brate (B. Dec 1875, M. Leonard Stoneburner, D. after 1900)
• Dorey Brate (B. Aug 28, 1882,D. Sept 1, 1882)
• Abram Brate (B. 1886, D. 1886)
• William Brate (B. 1888, D. 1890)

They also raised Francis Jones (B. June 1, 1861, D. Feb 12, 1931), who was the Elizabeth's son from her previous marriage to Lansing H. Jones (B. FEb 14, 1834, D. May 29, 1891).

Secondly he married a woman named Rittie. They married after 1900 and she survived him.

Military Service

Residence:	Westerlo
Place of Birth:	Albany County, NY
Date of Birth:	1835
Names of Parents:	Henry (Brate) and Eliza Smith
Occupation:	Laborer
Term of Enlistment:	9 months
Bounty Received:	$50.00
Enlistment Date:	13 Oct 1862 or 2 Oct 1862
Enlistment Place:	Westerlo, New York or Albany, NY
Enlistment Rank:	Private
State Served:	New York
Regiment:	177th Infantry
Company:	Company H
Muster Out Date:	10 Sep 1863
Muster Out Place:	Albany, NY

Additional Remarks: Enlisted at the age of 25. Soldier applied for pension on 29 May 1890, his widow applied on 4 Apr 1918."Was in the Battle of Ponchtula (Ponchatoula) and Port Hudson the time of his Discharge not known. P.O. Address Reidsville Albany Co N.Y."

Sources Used:Ancestry.com, American Civil War Soldiers and CW Pension Index; Town and City Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War, Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York for the year 1905.

Occupation

Abram was a stonecutter and a farmer.

Life

Abram married soon after he returned from the Civil War. In the 1870 US Census he was working as a stone cutter while living in Berne. Living with Abram and his wife Elizabeth were her son Francis Jones and several boarders; Emery Whitbeck and George A. Brate. In December of 1875 they had their daughter Hattie Brate. In 1880, Abram was working as a farmer and three men and one women were recorded as their servants; Emery Whitbeck, John Whitbeck, George Whitbeck and Anna Flood. The next decade was a difficult time for the family as three children were born and then they all died at a young age. Abram's wife Elizabeth died died July 13 1888, aged 47 years. In 1900 Abram was living with his daughter Hattie Brate and her husband Leonard Stoneburner (B. Sept 1869), and their young family. Leonard owned a mortgaged farm and worked as a farmer. Abram, who was recorded as a widow, was working as a stone cutter. At some point after this census, Abram married a second time to a woman named Rittie. She ultimately survived him and applied for his Civil War pension on April 4, 1918.

Death

Abram died on December 16, 1917 and was buried in Reidsville Cemetery in Reidsville.

Abram Brate burial at the Reidsville Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Thomas Dunne

Obituary

Reidsville - The whole community was shocked to hear of the sudden death of Abram Brate, a lifelong resident of this place. He was in his usual health up to the time of his death on Sunday, Dec. 16. His grandson. Earl Stonebumer, had shaved him and he had laughed and joked with them, and twenty minutes later be died sitting in his rocking chair by the stove His daughter, Mrs. L. Stoneburner, was the first to notice her father dying. The funeral was held at the Christian church on Thursday at 1 o'clock. Elder Jeune officiating. Burial was in the Reidsville Cemetery.

Additional Media

Town and City Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War

Sources