Chapter 3.6
William George Bramhill

William George Bramhill was born on September 19, 1861 in Minto Township. He was a son of George Bramhill and Ann Garland. On March 14, 1887 he married Jane Wilkin in Minto Township County of Wellington. Rev. Joseph Gibson performed the ceremony. William died of tuberculosis at the age of 29 years (March 24, 1891). William and Jane had one son, George Garland, who was only 6 months old when his father past away.
 


 
 
 

Jane and her son George lived with several of her Wilkin relatives helping wherever she could. Her descendant’s contact with other parts of the Bramhill family were somewhat limited until contact was again made during research for the family history.

These pictures are from their wedding certificate.

Their children:
                George Garland
 

George Garland Bramhill

George Garland Bramhill was born in 1890 to William George Bramhill and Jane Wilkin. George Garland raised his family in the town of Simcoe and Southern Ontario area.

George G. Bramhill, B.S.A. "Representative of the Ontario Department of Agriculture for Norfolk County. Secretary of the Norfolk Agricultural Society and the Simcoe Horticultural Society."

Born June 14, 1890 in Harriston, Ontario, George G. Bramhill became one of the Simcoe Horticultural Society's most effective leaders. Sent to Norfolk in May of 1921 as the Agricultural representative, Bramhill became involved in the community almost immediately. It is thought that Bramhill was one of the leading forces in the revitalization of the Simcoe Horticultural Society with his speech at the Norfolk "Get Together" Banquet on January 27, 1922. Bramhill redeveloped the riverside parks system through the downtown area improving the appearance of the parks dramatically. By 1925 Bramhill was Secretary of the Simcoe Horticultural Society, the Norfolk County Agriculture Society and the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, and belonged to many other organizations. Bramhill may be most known for his "Farm Focus" column in the Friday Edition of the Simcoe Reformer which ran from 1960-1978.

(From http://www.schoolnet.ca/collections/simcoe/simcoepeople3.htm)

The following article is one George wrote in 1975 for the Simcoe Reformer. Farm Focus
By G. G. Bramhill

Written in 1975 and Published in the Simcoe Reformer Newspaper

Well here I am again folks after a five-week absence. Many kind readers have said they missed this column. To me my readers have grown like a family of friends with whom I can have a weekly chat. I do appreciate meeting you on the street and getting your opinions. I hope you will feel that your letters and telephone calls are always welcome and stimulating.

During August I paid my annual visit to the land of my birth. The town of Harriston, where I attended, high school has not changed much in 70 years. All the old stores and two large hotels are still about the same. I can walk up and down the streets and remember the names of every owner and operator of the stores. Only one name is now familiar. A fine grocery and fresh produce store operated by the grandson of the original owner Joe Pritchard.

There are a few, maybe 100, new houses built on the outskirts of the old town. Mostly occupied by retired farmers. There are two very fine senior citizen one-storey, apartment buildings, right in the heart of the town. What I specially noted is each apartment has a side door which opens' out onto a fine lawn. Most apartment dwellers have a little garden patch with a few flowers and vegetables, which must give them much pleasure. They have a common recreation room where they have a weekly gathering. Also my cousin Violet Wilkin, one of the occupants1 told me that five widows have dinner together at a restaurant every Saturday and then meet for a social gathering. They are a very happy lot.

Born in pioneer log cabin I have six first cousins living in Harriston. One cousin was kind enough to take me out to the place where I was born. It was in a pioneer log cabin situated on a nice hill. A few apple trees still remain. We saw the site of the little, Methodist Church where I attended Sunday School. Sat through a long Sunday service and listened to many tiring sermons. The choir was composed of my uncles, aunts and cousins. The organist and choir leader was my aunt by marriage. I thought they were wonderful. Then we never missed the Epworth League, which was held every Thursday night. I once learned and recited Ralph Connor's Four Horse Race, which I realize now was quite an accomplishment. I cherish now my early church training which has been a great anchor and which kept me in safe waters when I ventured into the unsafe whirlpools of life.

We toured the old school section of which the centre was the little red schoolhouse. The grounds now is a small public rest place operated by the department of public highways. Two relics remain, the school pump and outhouse, objects for many as an excuse to get a breather from the monotony of classes. We could find only two farms which remain in the original families. One of these is my great-grandfather's original homestead operated by my third cousin, Scott Wilkin. Nearer Palmerston is the homestead of my grandfather Bramhill, still in the family and operated by my second cousin, Bob Bramhill. I have five Bramhill first cousins living in Palmerston.

Countryside has changed What struck me most forcibly and gave me cause for concern was that the whole countryside has changed. It once consisted of 100-acre farms which were family units and almost self-contained. Much of what was grown on the farm was traded for groceries and clothing. It consisted of butter, eggs, wool, fruits, maple syrup and maybe homemade delicacies. Each farm had its cows, beef cattle, hogs, sheep and every type of fowl. Each farm was a busy little rural industry, with plenty of work for all the family and an extra hired man in the summer.

Now the little farms have been all bought up and enlarged to from 300 to 500 acres in size. Here and there is a large dairy, beef hog or poultry enterprise but otherwise the whole area is planted to corn. Some of these corn farms have been acquired by city people who commute to them on weekends. Others are mostly owned by Dutch or other European people, who farm in the summer and have other interests or go to Florida for the winter

Now I guess I am a bit old fashioned and unprogressive. The pioneer cleared his land and tilled it with loving husbandry. They left it for the next generation as fertile as they found it. Everything, vegetable and animal went back into the land. I air apprehensive about growing crops year after year with artificial fertilizer, weed killers and the many poisons, which are spread or our land.

We did not in pioneer days require great institutions to house and care for a large percentage of our population. Not to speak of the great percentage of unemployment and other social benefits. Just sometimes wonder if progress has not overtaken common sense.

- End of Article –


Their children:
                Betty married to Ross Franklin of Caledon East
                William George (Bill) married Rosamond
                Barbara of Edmonton, Alberta
                Bob of London, Ontario
 

Betty Bramhill

Betty Bramhill, daughter of George Garland Bramhill, married Ross Franklin of Caledon East (905-584-2802)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Their children;
                Rob
                John
 
 
 
 

Rob and Karen Franklin


John and Colleen Franklin




Stuart and Catherine Franklin



Scott Franklin Family




Ian and Jo Franklin




Wilson "William" George Bramhill

William George (Bill) married Rosamond Yake. Bill was born on January 21, 1915. He passed away on December 26, 1980.

Their children:
                Barbara
                Brenda
                Brian
 
 
 
 

Brenda Bramhill

Brenda Bramhill, daughter of William George Bramhill and Rosamond Yake, was raised in Ontario Canada. She currently lives in Skokie, Illinois, USA.
 

Barbara Bramhill

 

Barbara, daughter of William George Bramhill and Rosamond Yake, married Jim Lockyer. Jim and Barbara raise horses in the Owen Sound area of Ontario.

Jim, Barbara, Deborah, Trevor
(Daughter Dana is missing from the picture)

Their children:
                Deborah
                Trevor
                Dana
 
 

Deborah Lockyer

 Deborah Lockyer is the daughter of Barbara Bramhill and Jim Lockyer. Deborah is married to Rob Crofts. The have two children Ashleigh and Andrew.

Deborah, Ashleigh, Andrew, Rob

Their children:
                Ashleigh
                Andrew
 

Trevor Lockyer

Trevor is the son of Barbara Bramhill and Jim Lockyer. Trevor married Sarah. They have one child Madeline.

Sarah, Madeline, Trevor



Their children:
                Madeline
 
 
 

Barbara Bramhill

Barbara Bramhill, daughter of William George Bramhill and Rosamond Yake, lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband Nick Balash. The have two children.

Their children:
                Jim
                Judy Polamar Gain
 
 
 

Bob Bramhill

Bob Bramhill and his wife Pauline live in London, Ontario.

Bob and Pauline Bramhill



Descendants of William George Bramhill

Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM GEORGE7 BRAMHILL (GEORGE6, MATTHEW5, JOHN4, THOMAS3, THOMAS2, JOHN1) was born September 19, 1861 in Palmerston, Minto Township, Ontario, Canada, and died March 24, 1891. He married JANE WILKIN March 14, 1887 in Minto Township, County of Wellington, daughter of LOUIS WILKIN and MARY SHAW.

Notes for WILLIAM GEORGE BRAMHILL:
William George died at age 29 years of TB leaving one son only 6 months old.

His Grand-daughter Betty has the Marriage Certificate of William George Bramhill and Jane Wilkin. They were married in Minto Township of the County of Wellington on March 14 , 1887. The officiating minister was Joseph Gibson.

Notes for JANE WILKIN:
Married Mar. 14, 1887 by Rev. Joseph Gibson.

Child of WILLIAM BRAMHILL and JANE WILKIN is:

2. i. GEORGE GARLAND8 BRAMHILL, b. October 19, 1890.
 
 
Generation No. 2

2. GEORGE GARLAND8 BRAMHILL (WILLIAM GEORGE7, GEORGE6, MATTHEW5, JOHN4, THOMAS3, THOMAS2, JOHN1) was born October 19, 1890.

Children of GEORGE GARLAND BRAMHILL are:

   i. BETTY9 BRAMHILL, m. ROSS FRANKLIN.

Notes for BETTY BRAMHILL:
Has Marriage Certificate of William George Bramhill and Jane Wilkin. They were married in Minto Township of the County of Wellington on March 17, 1887. The officiating minister was Joseph Gibson.

3. ii. WILLIAM GEORGE BRAMHILL.
    iii. BOB BRAMHILL.
    iv. BARBARA BRAMHILL.
 
 
Generation No. 3

3. WILLIAM GEORGE9 BRAMHILL (GEORGE GARLAND8, WILLIAM GEORGE7, GEORGE6, MATTHEW5, JOHN4, THOMAS3, THOMAS2, JOHN1). He married ROSAMOND.

Children of WILLIAM BRAMHILL and ROSAMOND are:

i. BRIAN10 BRAMHILL, b. Lives in Pheonix Arizona.
ii. BARBARA BRAMHILL, m. LOCKYER.
iii. BRENDA BRAMHILL.
 
 
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