The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-01-04
HENRY JASPER BRABHAM
PASSES TO GREAT BEYOND
AS Soldier, Patriot and Public Spirited Citizen
He Leaves Magnificent Record of
Duty Well Performed.

shows that he was often one of the
leaders when an enemy was to be
faced and he had many narrow es-
capes from death while on the battle
field. He was wounded twice. His
record shows that he entered the ar
my at the outbreak of the war and
remained on the firing line until Lee
surrendered at AppomattoX. His
name appears on the rolls of the
Southern Historical Society at Rich
mond as having surrendered with
his company; he was member of
Company C, being second sergeant;
Col. Johnson Hagood was the head
of his regiment, which was the First
South Carolina Volunteers; this regi-
ment was in Britton's Brigade. His
intense loyalty and devotion to the
South and his comrades has been evil
denced time and again. In times Of
business, when it might seem that
he would have no time for conversa-
ton on matters other than business,
he would greet an old Confederate
and go over the hard times together.
And yet he never forced the subject
on any one. He was a good listen
er as well as talker. And it is re-
garded by many as more of virtue
to possess that attainment than to
be a good talker. In connection
with his Confederate service, he
bought a handsome Confederate me-
mortal souvenir during the past
year, to be given to all of the old
veterans especially. This he termed
his first expenditure of any of the
banks money for sentiment. The
truth of this statement was known
to those associated with him, for out
of the numerous calls for help, for
contributions, and donations, he was
the one who gave and it was from
his own personal funds, he taking
the position that the banks money
was not for such purposes. The Con-
federate memorial was in reality an
advertisement of the bank and not
a mere sentimental expenditure as he
said.
Business Career.
In October, 1865, following soon
after the close of the war, he came
to Bamberg and began what proved
to be a lifelong citizenship here.
Entering the mercantile business, he
passed through the stormy times of
1878 and the carpet-bagger times Of
1876 successfully, and when he sold
out his business in 1887 to enter an
other line of business, he had accu-
mulated a comfortable living. The
successes of his mercantile career are
we'll known to the older citizens Of
the town, as we'll as of the neighbor-
ing country for miles around. Bam-
berg was a mere village when he
began and he was a pioneer in the
community. At the time of his death
he had been living here longer than
any other citizen and while some
few are older in years as to age, they
came here later. And in all that
time, this man was a worker, build
er, a helper and no man has ever
lived here or died here who will be
missed quite so much as he. His
business career has been one of con-
tinued success, but it was success
which came to a man who worked
for it. =,
In 1886 when Captain Isaac Bam-
berg was elected State Treasurer and
the private banking business which
he had conducted was discontinued,
H. J. Brabham took steps to organ
ize State bank, and in January,
1887, the doors of the Bamberg
Banking Company were opened with
Mr.. Brabham as cashier and General
Francis Marion Bamberg, that other
splendid man, as president. Mr..
Brabham gave up his mercantile
business at great sacrifice to him
self financially, for he has received
a mere pittance as a salary for years.
He refused to let the directors in
crease his salary time and time
again, and even during the time of
his greatest activity, he would not
consent for the expenses of the in
stitution to be increased by adding
to his salary. He held the position
of cashier until Gen. Bamberg re-
tired from the presidency in 1898.
at which time he was elected to that
position. He labored faithfully in
that capacity until his death, his res
ignation having taken effect only one
day before his death. The very te-
nacity with which he held on to his