Marshall F. Brake

In 1906, Marshall F. and Charity B. (Lewis) Brake left their Hamilton 
County farm home and came to Mt. Vernon. Then this family numbered 
parents, five daughters and three sons. They selected a small cottage
at 1407 South 10th, Mt. Vernon, as their home, and with industrious hands 
and minds, made it into a home for this large family. This, with the 
exception of a few months following a fire which destroyed that home, 
remained the Brake homestead until death took the father and mother in 
1933.

The father became an employee of the Mt. Vernon Car Manufacturing Co., 
worked as a common laborer; sons and. daughters of employable age too, 
became wage earners, while the younger children entered schools, 
learning to become respected citizens of the city and community.
Life of the parents immediately took a trend of citizenship in which 
they took up responsibilities of community welfare and the Brake name 
was entered upon the rolls of some fraternal and church bodies. These 
activities continued so long as health permitted.

As for the children, school activities found them accepting the
teaching with which Mt. Vernon students have been blessed. Graduation days found
them among the leaders of their respective classes. Growing older, they
proved to be citizens of merit and the family has contributed to the 
growth of the community.

The family is not lacking in patriotic activities, one son being a 
veteran of military service during World War I, seven grandsons serving
with honor in World War II, one grandson and granddaughter serving 
during the Korean War and one grandson now serving in our American 
embassy at London, England.

The family has been fortunate so far as length of life is concerned; 
only two deaths of the eight children have marred the family picture. 
Today all surviving children live in Mt. Vernon with the exception of 
Pearl, the daughter now living in California.
The Brake name is still alive in Mt. Vernon, in that the one surviving 
son, Earl, maintains a home here, as do three of the daughters, all 
widows. They are Stacy Kern, Maude Eller and Candace Dougherty .

One grandson, Neal Brake, temporarily residing in London, is a member
of the American embassy, also considers his home with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Earl Brake of Mt. Vernon. ­
- Lewis Marshall Brake


*NOTE*
Some ommisions may have occured to protect living individuals.



"Facts and Folks A History of Jefferson County, Illinois"
Jefferson County Historical Society
Printed by Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX
Page 97

Submitted by Sandy Whalen Bauer