Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= USGenNet Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Milwaukee Journal Wednesday, April 1, 1936 He Left the Lake; Now Capt. Braeger Is Dead. "A man wouldn't live long if he left the lake for good." A fisherman spoke those words and that fisherman did leave the lake. Six months after living on land he began "ailing," and for a year and a half he "wasn't himself." Monday that man, FRANK BRAEGER, one of the oldest commercial fisher- men on Lake Michigan, died at the home of his son, "inland." CAPT. BRAEGER, 78, had fished Lake Michigan since 1874, the days of open sailing boats, and fished through the advent of steam tugs and modern oil burning, weatherproof, fishing craft. Not long ago he said, "It isn't hard fishing like it used to be, but still you get a blow, and you get bounced, by jingers, you get bounced around like a rubber ball. Them old bones aren't so limber any more, by gollies." And so CAPT. BRAEGER gave up the lake and went to live in his home in Tippecanoe. A short while ago when he became quite ill, his son, CHARLES, made him live with him at his home, 3049-A S. Wentworth av. Besides CHARLES, who is carrying on the business, CAPT. BRAEGER is survived by two daughters, MRS. EMIL FISCHER and MRS. WALTER MENGART; four grandchildren and three great grand- children, all of Milwaukee. Lived Here Since Age of 4. CAPT. BRAEGER, born in Germany, was brought to Milwaukee by his parents, WILLIAM and AMELIA, when he was 4 years old. When he was 16 he quit his job at a cooperage and took a room with his older brother, FRED, on Jones island. FRED had started in the fish- ing business and FRANK followed suit. After working hard for four years he had enough money to buy a boat, get married, and go into business for himself. He married AMANDA HENNELL, a native of Kenosha, who lived on the island with her parents. Her father, CHARLES, was a fisherman. FRANK'S first boat was an open fishing smack, the Paul Jones. In 1901 the Paul Jones was made over into a steam tug and CAPT. BRAEGER used it for another five years. In 1906 he had a new tug built, the FRANK BRAEGER. That boat was used until 1931 when another by the same name replaced it. The new FRANK BRAEGER, an oil burning tug, launched in Milwaukee, is considered one of the finest fishing boats on the lakes. He "Visited" the Lake. CAPT. BRAEGER lived on Jones island until 18 years ago. His children were all born on the island. In 1928 the captain and his wife celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, and four years later his wife died. When telling recently how hard it was to get away from the water, CAPT. BRAEGER said, "When my wife was sick she wanted me in. She didn't want me to go out on the lake any more. By jingers, I stayed in and I was sick right along with her, away from fishing. Then she died and I came back." Last summer CAPT. BRAEGER went out on the lake for a "visit." Funeral services for the captain will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Niemann chapel, 2486 S. Kin- nickinnic av., and at 2:30 p.m. at St. Stephen's Lutheran church. Burial will be in Forest Home cemetery. ===========================================================================