{"id":99347,"date":"2024-06-18T08:54:01","date_gmt":"2024-06-18T12:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=99347"},"modified":"2024-06-18T08:54:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T12:54:23","slug":"three-aged-eccentric-brothers-have-a-reunion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/three-aged-eccentric-brothers-have-a-reunion.html","title":{"rendered":"Three Aged, Eccentric Brothers Have a Reunion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry writes about the 1906 reunion of the three Brackett brothers, whose combined age was 248. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

In 1906 three aged Yankee brothers made it into the newspaper with the catchy headline \u201cTrio Whose Combined Ages Is 248 Yeas Hold Reunion.\u201d These three fellows were prolific artists, dedicated patriots, staunch abolitionists, and wildly eccentric.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Journal (Boston, Massachusetts), 1 February 1906, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photo caption:<\/p>\n

Three Aged Brothers in Reunion.<\/p>\n

Standing \u2013 Walter Brackett, artist. Below \u2013 Col. G. B. Brackett, connected with pomological [study and cultivation of fruit] work in Washington; E. A. Brackett of the Fish and Game Commission.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This article reports:<\/p>\n

Hearty and hale and as lively as men many times less their age, three old citizens of this town [Winchester, Massachusetts], whose combined ages is 248 years, held an informal reunion last week.<\/p>\n

They were E. A. Brackett, Walter Brackett, and Col G. B. Brackett, brothers, who have made for themselves an enviable record on the world\u2019s ledger.<\/p>\n

And so pleased were they that at once they went to the nearest photographer, where a group picture was taken. In order of their names, their ages are 87, 82, and 79, a total of 248 years.<\/p>\n

Edward A. [Augustus] Brackett, the first named, was born in Vassalboro, Me., Oct. 1, 1818, a son of Reuben and Elizabeth (Starkey) Brackett. His early life was devoted to sculpturing and at that he achieved quite a reputation. During the Civil War he was appointed by Gov. Andrew as first lieutenant and battalion quartermaster of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry. Dec. 6, 1904, he was appointed by Gov. Bates as a member of the board of fish and game commissioners, and is now serving in that capacity in spite of his advanced years. [Read more: \u201cHow Winchester\u2019s Edward Brackett Created an Icon for the Abolitionist Movement<\/a>.\u201d]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: earliest known photo of Edward Brackett, from a daguerreotype. Credit: Winchester Archival Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Walter [Moses Brackett], the next oldest brother, has also achieved considerable fame as a painter of salmon, [and] is probably one of the best known of Boston artists. \u201cAs a painter of fish he has never been equaled,\u201d is the statement attributed to a big London art man.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Walter Brackett working in his studio in Boston, Massachusetts. Credit: Maine Memory Network via Maine Historical Society.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Col. G. [Gustavus] B. [Benson] Brackett<\/a>, the [youngest] of the trio, is connected with the pomological department of the United States at Washington, and is known throughout the country. His war record is also a brilliant one. [Col. Brackett was appointed first lieutenant in Company I, Engineer Regiment of the West, and promoted to captain July 5, 1862. He was chief of engineers under General Grant and was topographical engineer with General Sherman in his famous march to the sea. After the war he was for a time a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Militia.]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Gustavus Brackett. Credit: Iowa University Archives.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More Genealogy:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n