BANISTER BRACE was a son of a Revolutionary War Patriot , William Brace (1749 - 1820). He was born about 1774 in Heartwellville, Vermont, what is now called Readsboro. He married Huldah Burham , aka "Rhoda" about 1797 and for quite some time lived in Sandy Hill area of Washington County, New York. Banister along with his brothers ran a grist and lumber mill in Kingsbury - Queensbury area , believed to have been initially owned by his father William Brace. Before 1820, Banister with is family in tow, removed to Bath Township, New York in Steuben County where he took up farming and blacksmithing. He lived there until about 1838, where he again packed up his family and removed to Portage, then a part of Allegany County. Here he was associated with farming and operated a flour mill, along with one of his son's, Halsey R. Brace.

Banister's children were mostly born in Sandy Hill and eventually removed to all parts of the United States and Canada.

His first born son, was Charles Brace , born 1799. In about 1825, he married Elizabeth Kellogg in Bath, New York. Charles had at least 4 children with Elizabeth, namely Ruth Elizabeth, William Charles, Henry Kellog, and George Brace. Henry , William, Charles, and Ruth E. removed to Cleveland where they lived out the rest of their days. George removed to Michigan. Charles Brace's wife, Elizabeth Kellogg died 8 October 1841 in Bath, and after that he removed to Genesee Falls, In Wyoming County , New York and lived with his sister and family Parmelia Brigham. Shortly after 1850, Charles re-married and removed back to his father's native land in Washington/Warren counties. It is presumed he died before 1880.

Banister's first born daughter, Belvadrie married Daniel Cooley of Hume, New York. ( sometime before 1825) Shortly after , they removed to Deerfield, Ohio, where most of her children were born. Daniel is reported to have been a military veteran and died sometime after 1850 in Ohio. Belvadrie with her young family in tow , removed back to New York and lived in Genesee Falls. She had 6 children in total, Emiline married William Holly, Alantha unknown, Seraphine married an unknown gentleman Johnson, and Orson removed to Wisconsin and then on to Iowa. Her death is presumed to have been after 1860 in Gensee Falls area of New York.

Banister's second daughter, Parmelia married John S. Brigham of Portage. By 1850 they are found in Gensee Falls, 1860 in Michigan, and by 1870 in Somonauk, Illinois. She was a mother of 7 children namely; Harriet, Rhoda, Charles, Jerome, John P.,Artemus, and George, all of which were born in Portage-Genessee Falls areas. In Somonauk township, the Brigham family owned and operated some sort of lumber mill. John S. Brigham died 15 December 1871 in Somonauk, and Parmelia died 6 November 1881 in Chicago, at the home of her daughter Harriet White. Both are buried at Culver Cemetery in Northville Township, Illinois LaSalle County. As of 2004 , their headstones are barely legible. Jerome Brigham is also buried their with an infant child, both of which died in 1886. Harriet married George W. White of Gensee Falls, and they also followed the Brigham's to Illinois. George was an engineer. Here in Chicago , Harriet had 3 children , Fredrick, Carrie, and Emma.

Charles Brigham removed to Iowa and died in 1910. He was a father of 10 children with two different wives. Artemus also died in Iowa in 1924, a father of at least three children, he also was married twice. Rhoda and John P. Brigham's whereabouts are unknown. George Brigham a musician , died in Chicago in 1888, of Cholera, which was running rampant in Chicago during that time.

Banister's second son was Harvey Brace, born in 1808, also in Sandy Hill, New York. In 1831, he moved up to Canada, first locating in Vaughn Township in York County. Here he married Mary Ann Fisher, daughter of Valentine Fisher Shortly after 1835, he removed to Goderich, in Huron County and settled there to raise his large family. By 1841, he purchased land in Colborne Township and farmed the land there, while maintaining his domicile in Goderich. He had 8 sons, and 5 girls. Of the girls only 3 are known to the writer at this time. The sons were Lewis John, Thomas Fisher , George B, Harvey Jr., Robert, William A., Halsey, and Dunlop. Of the girls, he had at least Sarah, Emiline, and Parmelia. Lewis John ran a lumber mill in Turnberry Township and held several appointed public positions. Thomas Fisher married and removed back to the states locating in Michigan. He married three times and had three children, only one living to adulthood. George removed to Wisconsin initially, and then to Iowa, where he married and had 2 girls. Eventually he removed to California where he died. William A. removed to Monroe County, New York and nothing more is known at this time about him. Halsey and Dunlop died early in Huron County and are buried in an unknown cemetery, along with their mother Mary Ann Brace.

Parmelia married Joseph Nicholls, and had several children, all of which remained in Canada. Sarah married Benjamin Leary and died in 1869 in Wingham, Ontario.

Emiline married a sheriff, Walter N. Hossie and had 2 children. She died 1862 in Stratford, Ontario. In 1882, the widowed Harvey Brace Sr, and two of his sons ( Lewis J, and Harvey Jr.) removed to Spokane, Washington. Lewis J. immediatley went to work establishing a lumber mill, and by 1900 moved his "company" to Seattle. Here in Seattle he became quite prosperous and had many children who helped run and establish the lumber mill. To current times, his descendants are still operating in the lumber and architecture industries in Seattle. Harvey Brace remained in Spokane, and died 22 February 1893. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Greenwood Memorial Terrace in Spokane.

Louisa Brace, another daughter of Banister, removed to Medina, Ohio and married an attorney Hiram W. Floyd. Here in Medina she had five children. Louisa died sometime between 1853-1858 in Medina. Hiram re-married and had one more child, also in Medina.

Danverse Brace, another son of Banister, married Emiline Dutton , and removed to Wisconsin locating in Green Lake Township. He was a father to 4 children all living to maturity. Mary Ellen Brace married a civil war veteran and had one child. Albert Brace, marrie dtwice and had 9 children total. He removed to Kansas, and died in 1907. Lansing Brace married just a couple years before his death in 1894, fathering only a daughter. Bertram Brace, lived in Berlin, very close to Green Lake and fathered 2 sons.

Harriet Brace, the last daughter of Banister Brace , married a gentleman Scott, and nothing more is known of her at this time.

Halsey Brace, born 5 January 1820 in Bath, New York married first to Everlin B. Luther. With Everlin he had 3 children. Only Emogene lived to adulthood. Little Ella and Elmer Brace died young and are buried at Pennycook Cemetery , alongside Grandma Brace. ( Huldah Brace - aka "Rhoda", wife of Banister) Halsey re-married the widow of Rev. Elmer Lamb, named Betsey. With Betsey he had 4 more children and a step-child Mary Bertha Lamb. About 1872 Halsey and his family removed to Butler County , Iowa . He died in 1902 and is buried in Toldeo, Iowa.

Louis John Brace, the last born son to Banister Brace, initially removed to Ontario , Canada locating in Galt. Here he married Laura Woodward and had 9 children, all born in Waterloo Township in Ontario. By 1860 , he and his family removed back to Portage , presumably to run the Brace farm. By 1870, he moved his family once again, this time to Wisconsin, locating in Otsego in Columbia county. A year later he passed away, and 3 of his sons removed back to New York and located themselves in Nunda. His wife Laura, took up residence with a daughter in Iowa, where she died in 1886.

Banister Brace died in 1855 in Medina at the home of his son in law , Hiram Floyd. As of 2006 no headstone has ever been found in Medina. His wife Huldah Burnham, aka Rhoda died 8 of September 1853 and is buried at Pennycook Cemetery, in Hunt.

Louis John Brace

Louis, aka "Louie" John Brace, was born 4 August 1815 in Sandy Hill, New York Washington County, a son of Banister Brace and Rhoda Burnham.

About 1840, he removed to Canada and worked as a blacksmith in Galt, Waterloo County, Ontario. He married Laura A. Woodward, presumably of Canada, on 27 May 1840, and took up farming. They had a total of nine children in Waterloo County. After the death of his parents he removed back to Portage in Livingston County , presumably he inheriting some of his father's farm land. By 1870, he and the family removed to Wisconsin, locating in Otsego, Columbia County. Not long after he died, on the 23rd of February 1871. His wife died some years later on the 8th of November 1887, in Iowa at the home of a daughter.

Lumon Harvey Brace, Louie's first born, stayed in New York while the family moved east. He located himself on Mill Street in Nunda, and worked as a carriage trimmer.

He married Mary Emaline Wagor in 1866, and together they had three children. Louise, Leo, and Eva Dot Brace. Leo worked as a newspaper man in Sumner, Iowa for awhile. Louise married a George Bond and also initially removed to Sumner, Iowa. Eva Dot married Edwrad Laughlin and removed to Brighton, New York. After the death of their parents, Leo and Louise removed to Eau Gallie , Florida, where they died. Eva Dot died at age 35 of pneumonia, is is buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester. Lumon and Mary both died in 1916, and are buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Nunda.

William Henry Brace, Louie's second born son, initially came to Wisconsin with the family. Here he met and married Mary Helen Ackerman on 16 March 1870. She was a daughter of Sophia Ackerman. After his father's death, he removed back to New York, locating in Castile. He died on 24 December 1882, leaving young Mary Helen with two young children. Mary Helen and one son removed to New Castle, Pennsylvania and worked in a box tin mill. The other son, William Earl, was left with one of William's cousin's, Emogene Burnell, and was raised as her own in Pike, New York Wyoming County. he became a rather famous photographer, and lived in Penn Yan, Ny, and then to Sarasota, Florida where he died. No one knows if he was ever legally adopted, but he went by William Burnell. His death certificate does proove his parents as William & Mary Brace. The second son, Louis Roy Brace, removed to Buffalo for many years ,and eventually joined his brother in Sarasota. William Brace is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Nunda. The whereabouts of Mary Helen are unknown at this time. Furthermore, it is noted that she lived until at least 1935 and never re-married. She lived for many years in Buffalo, near her son Louis.

Mary Jane Brace, or Jennie as she liked ot be called, removed to Wisconsin with the family and married Edgar E. Cole in 1873. They farmed in Hamilton County , Iowa and had six children. It was with this family that Laura Brace lived with when she died. The whole family is buried at the Alden Cemetery, in Iowa.

Cyrus Washington Brace, was born 2 December 1848, and died 9th of January 1873, presumably a member of the Civil War Regiment. His burial location is not known at this time.

Rhoda Sophia Brace, also removed with the family to Wisconsin. Here she married her brother in law, Edgar's brother, Dewitt Clinton Cole. They remained in the are and raised six sons. She and her husband are buried at Ohio Cemetery in Rio, Wisconsin.

John Milton Brace, removed to Iowa, and then on to Carthage, South Dakota. He too was a farmer by trade. He married Julia A. Robbins, and they had eight children. He and his wife are buried at Pleasant View Cemetery in Carthage.

Charles Brace, removed to Cattaraugus County and was part owner of the Ontario Knife Company for over twenty years. He married a Miss Ella Redner. They are also both buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Nunda. Two daughters were born to them.

Hattie Alice Brace was born 8 of August 1861and died in November of 1862. It is presumed she is buried somewhere in Livingston County.

Mable Adel Brace was born Decmber 4th, 1863. She married a James H. Shields and removed to South Dakota by her brother John M. Brace. She died after two years of marriage, and is also buried at Pleasant View Cemetery in Carthage. She had no children.

Please bear in mind this information is derived from various sources , and is very likely to contain omissions and errors.