Maj. John Brackett Bodwell (1838 - 1927)

Son of Horace 1816

At left: John Brackett Bodwell about 40 years of age.

Next photo of John Brackett Bodwell holding grandson Paul G. Bodwell, Jr. Daughter-in-law Avis Spessard Bodwell at right with daughter Elsie sitting in her lap.

As a teenager, John was almost shot by his father, who thought he was an intruder, when John was returning home late one night. John Brackett wanted to be a musician, but his father wanted him to study law. John Brackett studied law under the tutorship of I. F. Kimball, in Sanford, Maine, and took examinations in Boston. Later he worked for the US Government in Washington, D.C. and sang in a Catholic Church. He had a beautiful tenor voice. When the Civil War broke out, his father Horace paid $1,000 to keep John out of the war. Nevertheless, the last year of the Civil War, John put together a musical band and joined the Army with the rank of Major. Because of throat trouble, his doctor advised him to go west to a drier climate. He located in Logan, Kansas with his sister Miriam. In Logan, he was a surveyor and attorney for the Union Pacific Railway, and afterwards, President of the Farmer's Bank and Trust Company of Logan. Lottie died sometime before 1885 and John married Anna. Anna Belle Alvord was the daughter of a Baptist minister from New York. Anna met John at his sister's home where Anna worked as a dressmaker. About 1890, the bank failed and the family moved farther west to Logan, Kansas. In 1887 they moved to Palm Beach Florida. For awhile John moved furniture on riverboats and picked tomatoes for Flagler. Since there were no houses to rent, the family lived in a house boat. In West Palm Beach, John organized a band that played for dances at the Palm Beach Hotel. While in Palm Beach, John directed the Episcopal Church Choir. In 1893, the family moved to Harriman, Tennessee. John first worked with his father in law in the manufacture of brick. Then John became agent for the Belt Railroad. In 1897 John went to work for the City of Harriman first in charge of maintaining the city's electric lights, and later as City Clerk until he retired in 1913 at the age of 75.

In this photo from 1918, Major John is proudly displaying his grandson Paul Jr. while granddaughter Elsie sits on daughter-in-law Avis' lap.

Born	Died	Married	Spouse
5 Oct 1838	19 Aug 1927	20 Jul 1862	Charlotte (Lottie) Emory
Acton Corners, Me	Harriman, Tn	Acton, Me	b. 26 Jul 1838
		1 Feb 1885	Anna Belle Alvord
		Centralia, Ks	25 Aug 1862

Child of John and Charlotte (Emory) Bodwell

	Name	Birth Date	Birth Place	Death Date	Death Place
1.	Angie	26 Feb 1865	Sanford, Me	BEF 1927	Harriman, Tn

Children of John and Anna (Alvord) Bodwell

	Name	Birth Date	Birth Place	Death Date	Death Place
1.	Paul Garvin	15 Nov 1885	Logan, Ks	1 Feb 1968	Tampa, Fl
2.	Florence	23 Oct 1886	Logan, Ks	Dec 1977

Daughter Florence at left.
December 26, 1996

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