Historic Bramwell Pioneers

The following information is per Bob Gallagher who furnished this material: This above photograph is of Bramwell's pioneers, James and Elizabeth Toy as taken in Bramwell area with their children at the time, Alice Beatrice, Arthur Wearn, and Harry Stanley. Bob shared that his grandmother was Anne Theresa Toy (Liebermann) who was born in Bramwell, WV in 1901-02. Her father was James Toy who lived with his family for a time in Bramwell and worked for John Freeman (“as grandma told me, running the company store”). James Toy was married to Elizabeth Beals, Elizabeth being the sister of Annie Beals (Freeman) who married John Freeman’s son, George. Thus the family connection. The Toy family was based primarily in St. Petersburg, PA (N.W. Pennsylvania) as was the George Freeman family. Exact date of the photo is unknown but Bob wrote that, "my great Aunt Mary and great Uncle Paul were born after Alice, Arthur, and Harry shown in this photo and before my grandmother’s birth so I am guessing this photo could have been taken during the 1890’s." Bob also shared in regards to the Toy family moving back to Pennsylvania that "I read somewhere that Alice Beatrice contracted a substantial disease in Bramwell relating to bad water and in light of that, James moved his family quickly back to St. Petersburg."

Material furnihed by Bob Gallagher

The below set of photos and information was also provided by Bob: The top photograph is of a group of men including (cousin) Rowland Toy on a work train in Bramwell, WV and was taken perhaps around the 1900 time frame. The next photographs are of a 1918 postcard that featured the village of Freeman, WV that is now a part of the town of Bramwell . Bob said, "the November 18, 1918 postcard is from cousin Rowland Toy who was in Bramwell area at the time and is one of the men on the train in the top photograph. As you can see, grandma has marked him with an X and an arrow. (Look for the mark just over the head of Rowland Toy in the photograph.) The postcard photograph is clearly of Freeman, WV in 1918 as you can see the Elizabeth Bowen Methodist Church as well as the large historic Sexton home in the foreground that still stands today.

Material furnished by Bob Gallagher

The postcard photograph is of Freeman, WV and one can see the Methodist Church. The large house in the foreground is the historic Sexton home that still stands as shown.

Material furnihed by Bob Gallagher