Posted on: Guernsey Co. Oh Obituaries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Oh/GuernseyObits/10127 Surname: BRANINGER, SNYDER, SEVERNS ------------------------- Francis Braninger died at his residence in Birmingham, Guernsey County, Thursday morning, November 7th, 1895, in the 78th year of his life. With the death of "Uncle Frank," as he was familiarly and widely known, Guernsey County loses one of its pioneer citizens, and Birmingham its oldest inhabitant. Born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, his father's family removed to this county, settling on a farm near Birmingham, when he was five years old. At an early age he was apprenticed to James Rosemond, with whom he learned the saddlery and harness trade. After his apprenticeship, for some years he did journey work in several of the principal towns of this state and West Virginia. Tiring of this he returned to Birmingham and at the age of twenty-eight years married Miss Jane P. Snyder. He opened a shop of his own, which he continued successfully for forty years, after which he retired from active business, but for a number of years held an interest in the general mercantile business of Braninger & Severns. His wife and seven children, four sons and three daughters, survive him, and all were present at the funeral except Jacob, whose sickness at his home in the far west prevented his attendance. Two children, Adda and Eli, died in youth; and the sons all settled in farms in the west, Jacob, Rolland and Clayton, near Marysville, Missouri, and Alfonzo, near Waterloo, Iowa. The daughters, Mrs. W.B. Severns and Misses Alice and Emma, reside in Birmingham. Mr. Braninger was a close observer, a man of sound judgement, of frugal habits, a quiet, peaceable citizen.