The Church That Bramel Built

The year was 1814, and the United States was at war with Great Britain and her allies in North America. In August, British General Robert Ross led a march across southern Maryland and defeated American troops at Bladensburg before torching the capital city of Washington. Ross's fleet had sailed up the Patuxent River and anchored near the boundary of St. Mary's and Charles Counties along the banks of the recently evacuated town of Benedict. The British rowed ashore, over 4,000 troops with cannons and provisions, to a rallying point on or very near the property that Jonathan Bramhall had sold just a couple years prior. The Bramhalls had relocated their tobacco operation to Kentucky and managed to avoid the drama of this war.

Jonathan Bramhall and his brothers James and William had fought against the British during America's Revolutionary War just a few decades earlier. They were the sons of William and Margaret Bramhall, a surname that evolved to Bramel and many similar spellings. Jonathan, his wife Thompsa, and most of their offspring arrived at the Ohio River town of Maysville, Kentucky around 1812. Jonathan died in 1823 and his wife in 1832. They were my fifth great grandparents.

In the decades to follow, the descendants of Jonathan and Thompsa Bramhall/Bramel acquired huge parcels of land between Maysville and Flemingsburg in southern Mason County into Fleming County. Woodlands were cleared for crops and stock, and timber was milled for the construction of grand farmhouses and giant tobacco barns. Large families occupied these farms, and the property was divvied between heirs for the next one hundred years.

In the late 1830s, a band of Disciples of Christ reformers settled next to Mill Creek eleven miles south of Maysville on the Fleming Turnpike, modern day Kentucky Route 11. For the next decade, the small congregation met at a log cabin next to the creek. Then in 1847, construction began on a proper sanctuary after the lot on which the original cabin stood was purchased for $100. Brick was fired on site, and the lumber was milled from trees on the plot.

Mill Creek Church, circa 1900. How many Bramel kin in this photo?

According to family lore, the total expense of the church plot and the building materials was funded by a $200 donation from James Alexander Bramel, known as Alex. Born in Maryland in 1791, Alex was the youngest son of Jonathan and Thompsa and had married Mary Wood in 1811, a year prior to the family's relocation to Kentucky.

The Bramel party traveled overland to western Pennsylvania, perhaps utilizing the Potomac River as far west as Cumberland, Maryland (Fort Cumberland at that time). The next phase of their journey required a traverse of the Allegheny Mountains for eighty miles to the confluence of Redstone Creek with the Monongahela River at Brownsville. There, they could purchase flatboats, or "Kentucky boats," and perhaps hire an experienced river guide for the ten-day or so voyage down the Ohio River to the landing next to Limestone Creek at Maysville. The Navigator, written by Zadok Cramer in 1801 and updated a dozen times over a quarter century, guided pioneers who chose the river route to western destinations.

The Navigator, Eighth Edition, title page with description

Pioneers on Ohio River, illustrated by F.O.C. Darley (colorized)

Excerpt from The Navigator, Eighth Edition page 110

At least ten children who lived to adulthood were born to Alex and Mary Bramel, my fourth great grandparents, by 1834. The Mill Creek Christian Church, in addition to it's role as a house of worship, became a center for social activities for the Bramels and other area farm families, as well as for the residents of the Lewisburg, Mt. Gilead, Wedonia, and Helena communities. The "church by the side of the road," as it came to be known by the locals, remained  essentially unchanged for over half a century before upgrades were made in 1905. The changes were subtle; new pews, double windows, and a coal furnace. A partition was added to create private space for Sunday school classes.

Southeastern Mason County in 1876, with Bramel residences highlighted.

Another half century passed and a couple more generations of Bramels passed through the church. It was time for some upgrades. A fundraising letter was sent out to the church membership late in 1949 to gauge the congregation's ability to cover the projected cost of $14,000. The project moved forward and was completed by the following summer, in spite of unforeseen setbacks including the collapse of the south wall during the excavation of a basement beneath the sanctuary. The basement added space for three Sunday school classrooms and a fellowship hall with a kitchen and restrooms. Hardwood floors were installed, and to the delight of many congregants, the pulpit was relocated from the front to the rear, thereby allowing the latecomers to sneak in without detection or judgment. A baptistry was added to eliminate the practice of conducting baptisms on the muddy banks of the creek out back. The interior received a complete paint job over smooth plaster, new light fixtures and carpet runners. Perhaps most notable to the casual passerby, the brick exterior was brightened with a coat of white paint.

Original church sanctuary facing the front doors.

In 1952, a modern parsonage was built adjacent to the church, housing for a minister and his or her family. The church received a loan from Abner Pierce Bramel for the parsonage project. Abner served as a deacon for the church for 35 years and had been elected elder and chairman of the board. Additionally, he held the office of county commissioner for twelve years. The historic church was featured in an article in the Lexington Herald Leader in 1962.

Abner Bramel, born in 1871, and his nine or so siblings descended from Jonathan and Thompsa Bramhall on both their maternal side (Emmerine Wilson Bramel < Samuel Bramel < Samuel Allison Bramel < Jonathan Bramhall) and their paternal side (Samuel Allison "Al" Bramel < James Alexander Bramel < Jonathan Bramhall). In 1898, Abner married his own distant cousin Carrie Jane Bramel (William Washington Bramel < James Alexander Bramel < Jonathan Bramhall), although the couple remained childless. Carrie Jane, daughter of William Washington Bramel and Nancy Jane (Thomas) Bramel who were my third great grandparents, was one of six children named in the will of their parents. She and Abner farmed a plot of land that was deeded to her after her father William died in 1899. His widow, Nancy Jane died in 1904. Nancy Jane was a daughter of Staley Thomas and a granddaughter of Nathaniel Thomas, another former Marylander and patriot of the Revolutionary War who was injured at the Battle of Trenton.

Maysville Ledger July 1, 1899

... Third: I will and bequeath unto my daughter Carrie J. Bramel, wife of Abner Bramel, 88 acres of land on which she now resides, and at the death of my wife, the said Mrs. Carrie J. Bramel is to be charged for same at the rate of twenty dollars per acre, and the proceeds divided equally between my six children. -from the will of William Washington Bramel

Maysville Ledger August 15, 1899

Maysville Ledger October 3, 1904

Carrie Jane was 11 years older than Abner, and she died in 1950 at the age of 90. Abner remained active with the church until his death in 1963.

1958 article featuring Abner Bramel's 89th birthday.

Abner and Carrie Jane Bramel, when they prepared their wills in 1939, had made arrangements to leave their entire estate to the Mill Creek Christian Church, a gift valued at approximately $150,000 at the time the will was probated. This would be the equivalent of about $1.5 million today, adjusted for inflation, as of 2025. $25,000 was put in a trust to assist with salaries for ministers. The remainder was designated for a new church at or near the site of the existing structure, with Abner's trustees to approve any such plans.

After months of review, it was agreed that the existing structure would be restored and converted to classrooms, an office, a nursery and other facilities. The exterior would be updated with a brick veneer to match the new addition. A new sanctuary addition, 72 feet long by 40 feet wide, would be constructed to the south of the existing structure, along with a new fellowship hall in the basement level. Ground was broken in August, 1964. During construction, services were held at the Lewisburg School three miles up the road. Around this same time, the church was able to acquire a half acre lot next door at the intersection of Ky. 11 and Mill Creek Road when it was offered for public auction, a portion of which would be used for parking. 

Construction was completed in June, 1965, and a dedication ceremony was planned to commemorate the grand opening of the beautiful new church.

Dedication service June 20, 1965

Carrie Jane's brother Alonzo Wellwood "Wood" Bramel married Mary Amelia McIntyre of Mason County's Fernleaf community in 1885, my great-great grandparents. The local newspaper reported on their big day:

An occasion of more than ordinary interest was the marriage of Miss Mary McIntyre to Mr. A.W. Bramel, of Lewisburg, which was solemnized at the home of Mr. B.F. McIntyre, brother to the bride, on Thursday last, at three o'clock p.m., by Rev. Willie Hall, who, in a beautiful and impressive manner, administered the marriage rites and pronounced them man and wife. The bridal party came in from the rear parlor, preceded by two attending couples and lastly the bride and groom. The bride's costume was exceeding handsome of garnet silk. She is a lovely and accomplished lady, a brunette with brown eyes. Many were the friends who gathered there to witness the ceremony and many were the words spoken of her who was soon to be united in fate and fortune with the man of her choice and, then to depart for their new home. The presents bestowed so generously up the twain were numerous and handsome. After the ceremony the bridal party and a few invited guests repaired to the home of the groom's parents, where a bountiful repast was in waiting for them which all enjoyed. We join with their many friends in wishing them a smooth voyage over life's seas. -Maysville Daily Bulletin, April 8, 1885

Wood and Amelia owned and operated a large farm in the vicinity of the Mill Creek Church, 208 acres with a large 10-room farmhouse, a tobacco barn, a stock barn and a double corn crib. Much of this parcel was passed down from Wood's grandfather Alex and his father William. They raised four children on the farm before moving into Maysville, where Wood Bramel engaged in various business ventures, including a tobacco warehouse and a farm implements shop.

1908 advertisement, Maysville Daily Ledger

Their first born, George Pierce Bramel, was my great grandfather. His siblings were a brother, Leslie, and two sisters, Nancy Mae and Miriam Hassel. George, who seems to have been known as Pearce Bramel as a youngster, was greatly influenced by his upbringing in the Mill Creek Church community. At the age of fifteen, Pearce ran away from home, taking the train to Lexington. His unauthorized journey might have been a reconnaissance mission to explore the College of the Bible, where he would later enroll.

Maysville Daily Ledger, May 20, 1901

The list of notable lay ministers at Mill Creek includes John William McGarvey. McGarvey was an author and a long-time professor at College of the Bible, teaching Sacred History for 46 years. In addition, he served as President of the institution from 1896 to 1911. His visits to the Mill Creek Church might have inspired Pearce to pursue a career at the pulpit. Pearce lived in Lexington from about 1903 to 1907 while attending the school now known as Lexington Theological Seminary. He was invited to deliver the sermon at the Christian Church in Maysville while home on breaks.

Maysville Daily Ledger, May 3, 1906

While in Lexington, Pearce met and courted Sallie Mae Nolan. They were married at the home of her parents in November of 1905. A daughter, Esther Mae Bramel, was born December 6, 1906. After school, the young family moved frequently with Pearce's preaching assignments at small town Christian churches throughout the midwestern states. Three sons, Vernon, Malcolm, and Henry, were born along the way.

Wood Bramel died in 1916, and Pearce returned home to Maysville to assist with family matters. His mother Amelia Bramel assigned him as executer of Wood's estate. With none of the heirs interested in operating the old farm, it was auctioned off in 1919.

Maysville Daily Ledger, November 6, 1916

Bourbon News, December 2, 1919

Bourbon News, December 23, 1919

The Mill Creek Christian Church continues to serve a small congregation in the modern day. It is one of the oldest houses of worship in Northern Kentucky. While most of the Bramel families of historic Mason County have spread out around the country, the "church by the side of the road" will always be an important part of our proud heritage.

The church's original communion set is still on display.

The church's exterior, modern day.

A look at the sanctuary, modern day.

Links:

Follow the next chapter, the stories of George Pierce Bramel's offspring: The Search For Malcolm Bramel's Heirs

Explore the Bramel DNA project: Bramel DNA: Our Link to Medieval Times

Sources:

Mill Creek Christian Church; Facebook Group Page

The Navigator, Eighth Edition; Zadok Cramer, 1814; Cramer, Spear, and Eighbaum

 

Vernon W. Bramel

Vernon Bramel (October 9, 1935 - April 5, 2025)

Vernon William Bramel, Jr., 89, of Danville, Kentucky died peacefully in the early hours of April 5, 2025 at the Morning Pointe Alzheimer's Center in Danville.

Vernon was born in Bettsville, Ohio on October 9, 1935 to Vernon and Marietta (Semer) Bramel, the youngest of five brothers. He is survived by one brother, Malcolm Earl Bramel (Katherine) of Charlottesville, Virginia, and a sister, Sally Darlene (Michael) Kear of Sebring, Florida. Vernon was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Richard Eugene Bramel, Charles Everett Bramel, and George Raymond Bramel.

Vernon graduated from Bettsville High School and was active in the athletics programs there. He proudly played point guard for the undefeated Seneca County champion basketball team in 1954. He worked before school making donuts at the Pie House Restaurant, and in the summertime, he was one of the first lifeguards at the H.P. Eells Park near the village. Vernon enlisted in the Army after high school and left for basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He returned home and married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Lee Jeanette, on December 9, 1954 in Auburn, Indiana. The couple recently celebrated their 70th anniversary, and she was there by his side when he passed.

Vernon returned to Fort Knox for additional training before deploying to Heidelberg, Germany for a three-year assignment at 5th Surgical Hospital (Mobile Unit) Headquarters section, where he was honored as Soldier of the Month. "Private First Class Bramel's performance of duty, his off-duty habits, immaculate manner of dress, gentlemanly conduct, and soldierly manner are beyond reproach, and have served both as an inspiration to his section, and the unit as well."

Upon completion of his service, Vernon returned to Bettsville, where he and Sharon raised five sons and one daughter. He attended college at nearby Tiffin University, where he also played for the school's basketball team while working as a bookkeeper at local businesses. His newfound love of golf led to new affiliations that opened the door for career opportunities. For the sake of his family, he passed up an opportunity to become one of the founding fathers of the Nature Trails Golf Course where he won multiple club championships through the 1970s.

Vernon worked for the Whirlpool Corporation in Clyde, Ohio for much of his career. In 1979, a transfer opportunity resulted in the family's relocation to Danville, where the three younger children graduated from Boyle County High School. He attended many sports functions there, following the exploits of his children and grandchildren. His golf prowess earned him several honors at the Danville County Club. After retirement, Vern and Sharon vacationed frequently in Central Florida. They were among the very first residents of the Ridgefield Farms community in Danville.

60thAnniversary 2014

Along with their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all six children of Vern and Sharon survive: Mike (Kathy) of Upper Sandusky, Ohio; Randy (Joan) of Bardstown, Kentucky; Rodney (Peggy) of Kirkland, Washington; Kurt of Baltimore, Maryland; Kerry (Eric) of Danville; and Steve (Katy) of Danville. 

Military funeral honors and interment will be scheduled at Camp Nelson National Cemetery for a later date.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Text of Eulogy, 25 Apr 2025, Camp Nelson National Cemetery, Jessamine County, Kentucky

SOLDIER OF THE MONTH

OCTOBER 1956

Private First Class VERNON WILLIAM BRAMEL

"Excellent and beyond criticism" are the words that have been used to describe PFC Vernon Bramel's work since he has been a member of the 5th Surgical Hospital (Mobile Army) Headquarters section.

Private First Class Bramel was born at Bettsville, Ohio on the 9th of October, 1935. He graduated from the Bettsville High School in June, 1954. PFC Bramel is married and is the proud father of a fine son.

PFC Bramel entered the service on the 22nd of September, 1954, and underwent his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Following basic training, PFC Bramel spent the next eight weeks at the Division Training Center, Fort Knox, Kentucky. He arrived in Germany on the lst of March, 1955, and was assigned to our unit; the 5th Surgical Hospital (Mobile Army). Once assigned to our unit, he was attached to Headquarters Section, where he is assigned as personnel clerk. He was promoted to his present rank in July, 1955.

PFC Bramel's performance of duty, his off-duty habits, immaculate manner of dress, gentlemanly conduct, and soldierly manner are beyond reproach, and have served both as an inspiration to his section, and the unit as well. Congratulations on being selected soldier of the month by the non-commissioned officers of the 5th Surgical Hospital (MA). Keep up the fine work .....

___________________________________________________

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, family, and neighbors, we’re gathered here today to bid a fond farewell to Vernon Bramel — our dad, our papa, uncle, friend, colleague, and the steadfast husband who walked hand-in-hand with his bride of seven decades. Now, when my parents prepared their final wishes a few years back, they didn't want a fancy send off. Even this brief statement might have been perceived as "over-the-top." But something needed to be said, and I've been bestowed with the honor of delivering a few quick stories to paint you a picture of the man we loved.

Let me start with a memory, one I’d completely forgotten until I sat down to write these words. It’s a true tale, and I’d wager it’s news to all of you. When I was a lad of sixteen, Dad was offered a fine promotion—a chance to climb the corporate ladder, but it came with a catch. It meant uprooting the whole Bramel clan from our little village in northwest Ohio and transplanting in the rolling hills of the Bluegrass. Now, that was the only home we’d ever known—where Mom and Dad were raised, where their folks still lived, and where my three older brothers had already crossed the high school stage, diplomas in hand. Before he broke the news to the rest of the family, Dad pulled me aside, “Son,” he said, “you’ve got two years left until you graduate, and a move like this would hit you harder than the others. If you want to stay put, if you don’t want to change schools, I’ll turn down the offer, and we’ll keep our feet planted right here.” Well, you know how it turned out—I gave him my blessing, and before long, I was a Junior at Boyle County, Kerry was a Freshman, Steve was in seventh grade, and here we all are, right?

It doesn't take a philosopher to see how one choice can send ripples through a lifetime, changing the course of a whole lot of folks. Dad made plenty such decisions, always with his family first in his heart. He didn’t have to do any of it, but he did, and I'd say things turned out for the best.

Now, Vernon Bramel came from humble stock; his folks had enough for the bare necessities, but little more. As a teen, he’d rise before the roosters to make donuts at the local eatery, just to afford a sharp pair of trousers. The Bramel house lacked many niceties, such as an indoor privy and a shower, so he’d scrub up in the school locker room. That little school of ours had its moment in the sun, too, and Dad never tired of bragging about that undefeated Bobcats basketball team that clinched the county championship—though he’d swear on a stack of Bibles that the refs robbed them in the district playoffs.

"Pebbles" Bramel #4 far left

After high school, he followed his four brothers into the armed services, marching off to Germany and back. When he returned, he enrolled at Tiffin University, compliments of Uncle Sam and the GI Bill. Mom always said the Army's ways turned him fussy and particular—he was the only one who could fold a bedsheet corner sharp enough to suit himself and Mom's side was never quite up to snuff. But I believe he was born with that streak, and it only grew with age. In his later years, he’d sometimes shave multiple times per day, read the instructions on a new gadget until the ink wore thin, and underline them for good measure. Thrifty? Oh yeah. He’d buy restaurant gift cards on 4X fuel point days and orchestrate the Bramel caravan at the gas pump before the points could expire, squeezing every drop of savings out of the maximum 35 gallons. I'm confident there's still a stack of gift cards stashed away for safekeeping in a place he long ago forgot about.

My folks raised us to stand on our own two feet, handing us just enough tools to wander out into the universe while leaving plenty of mysteries for us to chase. But there was always a comfort, like a warm quilt on a winter night, knowing Mom and Dad would move heaven and earth if we stumbled. My brother Randy recalls golfing with Dad as a young fellow, pleading for strokes to level the playing field—Dad was a regular wizard with a nine-iron, you see, although maybe not so great with the putter. “No strokes,” Dad would say. “Just play better.” It wasn’t just about golf; it was about being a better man.

Come Sunday, you’d find Dad on the golf course, his holy ground, where the fairways whispered peace to his soul. But he was a man of faith in his quiet way, praying each night for his family, his great grandson Wes or anyone else wrestling with affliction. Folks often asked the secret to his long marriage with Mom. “Never hold a grudge,” he’d say, simple as that. Mom told me when times got lean, he’d comfort her and promise, “Hang in there, my love, because we’re gonna have a grand retirement.” And by God, they did.

As the years piled up, Dad started talking more about going home. He’d dream of seeing his own mom and dad, and sometimes he’d wake from a nap, holler “EARL BRAMEL!”—his brother’s name—for no reason at all, then drift back to sleep. I recall the first time I noticed his mind slipping a few years ago, when he swore the NBA had up and changed the playoff rules, though nothing was different. Even when the games on TV turned to a complete jumble in his head, it was still a comfort to sit beside him, sharing the quiet of the moment.

I picture him now, strolling off the 18th green, his swing as smooth as ever, with the whole heavenly clubhouse waiting to pat him on the back. It pains us to let him go, but our hearts are full with gratitude for the years we had, how fortunate we have been that he was our dad. Vernon Bramel was a man who lived plain, loved deep, and left us all a little better for knowing him. And if that's not a life well-lived, I don’t know what is.         -Kurt Bramel 4/25/2025

Links:

How the Bramels got to Bettsville: The Search For Malcolm Bramel's Heirs

Grandpa Bramel wasn't expecting this: Vernon Bramel's Big Inheritance