DR. BENJAMIN H. BRATCHER (1860 - 1945)
St. Clair Co., MO Library Files:
The Physical Growth of Collins - In 1880, Dr. Selvidge and Dr. Bratcher started a Drug Store, in the frame building still in use two doors east of Marquis’s Grocery Store.
Collins – “The City on a Hill”:
The old brownstone hotel on Main Street (everything was on Main Street) just east of the depot was operated by Ben and Lily Bratcher. To my young mind it was the epitome of luxury living. The ground beside it was a beautiful carpet of grass and a lawn swing was so enticing that somebody was always sitting in it or so it seemed. Some of them may not have been invited. I wanted in the most pressing way to sit in that swing. Salesmen who came to town were “drummers” and they stayed at the hotel. There was always a joke or interesting story floating around about the drummers. It was a world of adventure and excitement to me which I could only dream about but never participate in. In its last days the hotel was operated by Mrs. Edith Taylor, widow of Joe the produce man. It was a sad day when that impressive old building had to be demolished to make room for Highway 13. This was an era which came to a sad end in March 1920. A devastating fire, fanned by high winds, left the town in smoldering desolation. Only a few buildings survived. The Bratcher hotel, the Tillery Porte building, the store operated by Henry and Fanny Capps, the bank on the corner, the Wilson store and the building across the street to the east.
1900 St. Clair Co., MO – Collins Twp., Collins Village:
Dist. 6, ED 140, Page 3A, Line 6, 4 June
Living on D Street
62/63 Bratcher, Benjamin H., head, white male, born December 1860, age 39, married 4 years, born MO, father born TN, mother born MO, Capitalist, unemployed 0 months, can read & write, speaks English, owned house free
Lillie M., wife, white female, born July 1874, age 25, married 4 years, 0 children, 0 living, born KY, father born VA, mother born WV, can read & write, speaks English
1910 St. Clair Co., MO – Collins Twp., Collins Village:
Dist. 6, ED 129, Page 1B, Line 81, 15 April
24/24 Bratcher, Ben H., head, white male, age 45, married 14 years, 1st marriage, born MO, both parents born MO, speaks English, Land Lord, Hotel, Employer, can read & write, owns home free
Lily M., wife, white female, age 33, married 14 years, 1st marriage, 0 children, 0 living, born WV, both parents born WV, speaks English, no occupation, can read & write
Henry, Orna, sister-in-law, white female, age 17, single, born MO, both parents born WV, speaks English, Cook, Hotel, not unemployed, can read & write, not attending school
Toalson, Glen E., boarder, white male, age 21, single, born MO, both parents born MO, speaks English, Manager, Dry Goods Store, not attending school, can read & write
1920 St. Clair Co., MO – Collins Twp., Collins Village:
Dist. 6, ED 138, Page 5A, Line 18, 10 January
Living on B Street
102/102 Bradshaw, Ben H., head, renting farm, white male, age 57, married, can read & write, born MO, father born TN, mother born MO, speaks English, Hotel Keeper, Hotel
Lillie, wife, white female, age 44, married, can read & write, born WV, both parents born WV, speaks English, Mistress, Hotel
Henry, Onera, sister-in-law, white female, age 26, single, can read & write, born MO, both parents born WV, speaks English, Waitress, Hotel
Bristow, Porsene, lodger, white male, age 54, single, can read & write, born IL, both parents born Quebec Canada, home language French, speaks English, Real Estate, In Hotel
Plaster, William, lodger, white male, age 49, single, can read & write, born KS, father born KY, mother born MO, speaks English, Lawyer, Office
1930 St. Clair Co., MO Census – Collins Twp., Collins Town:
Dist. 10, ED 93-7, Page 2A, Line 6, 18 April
36/37 Bratcher, Benjamin, head, owned home, $6,000 value, not living on farm, white male, age 69, married age 31, not attending school, can read & write, born MO, father born TN, mother born MO, speaks English, Hotel Keeper, Hotel, at work yesterday, not a Veteran
Lillie, wife, white female, age 55, married at age 20, not attending school, can read & write, born WV, both parents born WV, speaks English, Hotel, at work yesterday
Family Data Collection, World Trees:
Lilly Marie Henry, born 25 August 1874 West Milford, Harrison Co., WV; died 9 September 1960 Osceola, St. Clair Co., MO. Married Benjamin H. Bratcher November 1895, Collins, St. Clair Co., MO.
St. Clair Co., MO Cemetery Records:
Freeman – Holsapple Cemetery
Bratcher, Ben H., December 1860 – 1945
Bratcher, Lillie M., July 1874 - 1960
