Barbara married JEREMIASON, Charles George in 1960, and was divorced in 1964. Charles (son of JEREMIASON, George Adolph and MALCOLM, Margaret Elaine) was born on 19 Aug 1934 in South Dakota, USA; died on 5 Jan 2002 in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa, California, USA; was buried on 6 May 2003 in San Diego, San Diego County, California, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Family/Spouse: UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

October 28, 1934

The New York Times, which lacked both cartoons and comics, nevertheless found a reason to chuckle over the California race. Upton Sinclair, the Times declared, had accomplished an authentic miracle in transforming Frank Finley Merriam into a New Dealer. "When a standpat Republican politician abandons a lifetime of party regularity at 70 to come out in hearty praise of a Democratic President," the paper noted, "it is time for connoisseurs of the unusual to stand by and take notes." Surely a GOP-White House deal to scuttle Sinclair was in the works.

Another notable aspect of the Merriam campaign, the New York Times observed in a second article, was the effective way it pitted jobholders against the jobless. That's what the paranoid warning about an invasion of indigents -- transmitted via billboard, radio, and movie screen -- was all about. In fact, the entire Merriam message was aimed at "the great white-collar class of the State. It is a unique sort of campaign," the Times commented, "as it probably marks the first attempt at a large scale and effective organization of this class in the history of American politics."

The Times hinted, however, that the election of Sinclair was not out of the question. The EPIC movement remained formidable, and public outrage over the GOP vote-purge drive had aroused "resentment and suspicion." The Times, which trumpeted news of the bums' rush earlier, now labeled as propaganda the GOP's charge that the unemployed were flocking to California.

Among Republicans in California, certainty was giving way to worry, even trepidation. The smear campaign had peaked too early, some feared; intimidation tactics backfired, others believed.

Upton Sinclair remained hopeful of a miracle finish. Returning this week to Southern California, EPIC's hotbed, had lifted his spirits. And every time he thought about quitting, someone came along to put him back on track.

This morning he received a telegram from a man named George Brasfield, who had lost his job Thursday at a biscuit company in San Francisco for objecting to the distribution of "nefarious, intimidating" anti-Sinclair literature at his office. But Brasfield seemed more concerned about Sinclair than himself. "Stay in and fight," he wired the candidate. "You are the next governor of California... "

George married NEILSON, Fern T. in Berkeley, Alameda, California, USA. Fern (daughter of NEILSON, Thomas Scott and CATHIE, Eliza Louise Merriman) was born on 20 Feb 1913 in British Columbia, Canada; died on 20 Dec 2004 in Berkeley, Alameda County, California, United States of America; was buried in El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Fern Neilson Brasfield Fern Neilson Brasfield passed away peacefully on Monday, December 20, at the age of 91. Devoted wife of the late George A. Brasfield and loving mother of Barbara A. Brasfield of Kensington and Thomas A. Brasfield and wife, Nancy, of Reno, NV. She was the middle daughter of Thomas and Eliza Neilson and was predeceased by her two sisters, Elsie N. Kosel and Jessie N. Jones. She is also survived by two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter and several nieces and a nephew. She was loving mother and grandmother, devoted to her family. A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, she came to Berkeley with her parents in 1920 and moved to Kensington in 1935. She was an Alta Bates Volunteer and a longtime member of the St. Francis Yacht Club. Family services to be held. Donations in her memory may be made to the Pulmonary Rehab Program, c/o Alta Bates Foundation, 2855 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705. Published in the Contra Costa Times on 12/31/2004.

Hiram married ALBRIGHT, Ina on 12 Jun 1905 in Portland, Clackamas, Oregon, USA. Ina (daughter of ALBRIGHT, Edward and STRANG, Kate) was born on 1 Mar 1872 in Oregon, USA; died on 14 Mar 1964 in Alameda, California, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married CATHIE, Eliza Louise Merriman on 8 Dec 1909. Eliza was born on 16 Feb 1888 in Glasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland; died on 6 Oct 1975 in Contra Costa County, California, United States of America; was buried in El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

BRASFIELD

Posted by Lee Gentemann on Tue, 21 Jul 1998

Surname:

BRASFIELD, James W.--was born in Platt county, Missouri, 16 January 1840. His father Thomas W. R. BRASFIELD, was a pioneer of 1821 to Missouri. At the age of 14 our subject entered his father's store where he received his early education in the mercantile business. In 1860 he went to St. Joseph, where he clerked for 2 years; he then joined a
part of young men to seek their fortune in the Golden State, but on arriving near Fort Hall their route was changed and they came to Oregon. In 1863, Mr BRASFIELD went to Harrisburg and entered the employ of Hon. Hiram SMITH, and one year later was admitted as a partner under the firm name of SMITH & BRASFIELD. This firm continued for 10 years, when Mr. B sold out and started a store in Junction City where he did business until 1881, when he sold out and selected Yaquina Bay as his future home and at that time opened his present general store in Newport. In 1883 he purchased the well known Seal Rock property, one of the most delightful places to be found on the Pacific Coast, a description of which will be found in its proper place in this work. Mr
BRASFIELD was married in Harrisburg, Linn county, 1 January 1865 to Miss Lydia OWENS, a native of Kansas, and a daughter of Col Henry OWENS of Topeka; by this union they have an interesting family of 5 children, Arthur S., Hiram, Thomas W. R., Sank O., and Sadie.
Source:
HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY, OREGON
Pub. By: David D. Fagan
Portland, Oregon, 1885

****************************************

The completion of the Oregon Pacific Railroad opened to capital many profitable investments, but it was speculated that "probably none, considering the outlay required, would prove more remunerative than the erection of a hotel and the improvement of grounds near Seal Rock," a challenge took up 1887 by Lydia Owens and James W. Brassfield who attempted to develop the area.

Seal Rocks Resort 1887

South of Highlands and For Far, which were developed in 1888 by William Grant, a Scotsman who was described in a newspaper of the day as a hard working tailor from Corvallis, was Seal Rock Resorts, developed by Lydia Owens and James W. Brassfield in 1887. Brassfield was born in Platt County, Missouri, January 16, 1840. His father, Thomas W. R. Brassfield, was a Missouri pioneer in 1821. At the age of 14, Brassfield entered his father's store where he received his early education in the mercantile business. In 1860, he moved to Saint Joseph, where he clerked for two years. He then joined a party of young men on their way to California, then known as the Golden State. Upon arriving at Fort Hall, their route changed, and they ended up in Oregon.
In 1863, Brassfield moved to Harrisburg, where he was employed by Judge Hiram Smith, a pioneer of 1853, and one year later he was admitted as a partner under the firm of Smith & Brassfield.
January 1, 1865, he married Lydia Owens, a native of Kansas and a daughter of Col. Henry Owens, of Topeka, in Harrisburg, Kansas, January 1, 1865. The couple had five children: Arthur S., Hiram, Thomas, W. R., Frank O. and Sadie.
The firm of Smith & Brassfield continued for ten years, after which the Brassfields sold out and started a store in Junction City where they did business until 1881.
In 1887, Lydia and James Brassfield sold out again and moved to Yaquina Bay where they opened a general store. They purchased the well known Seal Rock property—one of the most delightful places on the Pacific Coast—and filed a plat map showing their holdings divided into 600 lots.
In 1885, historian David Fagan wrote that the place, together with a large tract of land adjoining,

was then the property of James W. Brassfield, a merchant of Newport, who erected a fine residence near the beach and a short distance south of Seal Rock, where his family in the summer months resided and enjoyed the beauties of nature and the ceaseless roar of the surf, which at this place is truly magnificent; and, fortunate indeed is he who is permitted to enjoy the hospitality of the Brassfields. At this point are shell beds, indicating that it had been the home of the Coastal Indians for generations, as the beds are numerous and range in depth of one to six feet.

Three entire blocks were dedicated for hotel construction. A year later, two additions to Seal Rocks Resort were mapped.
The couple managed to build a hotel and sell a few lots before getting into financial trouble. Many of their lots were deeded to a Portland creditor. Of the few lots they sold, most were abandoned by their purchasers and sold at auction by the county for as little as $9 a piece.
The post office was established April 25, 1890, with Brassfield postmaster. Now a community post office out of Waldport, Seal Rock is on US-101, the Oregon Coast Highway. It was named for the several smaller rocks, but is called Seal Rock for the one large rock at the shoreline.
In the past, a pedestrian-friendly community with well-organized streets, parks, and public gathering places was, for the most part, a sales pitch. The vision of developers is being rekindled in many Lincoln County communities, and people are now actively working to make such improvements a reality.
Today, the chainsaw sculptures of Ray Kowalski and Brian McEneny are featured prominently at Seal Rock.

James married OWENS, Lydia on 1 Jan 1865 in Harrisburg, Linn, Oregon, USA. Lydia (daughter of OWENS, Henry and SMITH, Missouri Ann) was born on 30 Jan 1848 in Smithville, Clay, Missouri, USA; died on 26 Jan 1930 in Berkeley, Alameda, California, USA; was buried in Oakland, Alameda, California, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Mountain View Park Cemetery

Edward married STRANG, Kate. Kate was born about 1849. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Unknown married SINCLAIR, Unknown. Unknown was born about 1863. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]