Villah M Bratt
Kentucky Post, Saturday, 26 October 1895, page 71
The schools were ordered closed on election day that the teachers might vote. The salary of the assistant writing teacher was increased to $600. Miss Louise Knoof was elected to the position and Miss Villa Bratt was elected to succeed her.
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Kentucky Post, Tuesday, 8 March 1904, page 5
The Newport committee on Salaries and Appointments recommendd the following to constitute the revised substitute list: Villa M Bratt.
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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 18 January 1911, page 5
Miss Villa Bratt is quite ill.
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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 28 December 1911, page 5
Capt. Peter McArthur, pioneer resident of Campbell c. is circulating a petition for the pardon of Henry Youtsey from the Frankfort Penitentiary, where he is serving a life sentence for alleged complicity in the assassination of Governor William Goebel.
One of Capt. McArthur's chief aides in his work of securing a petition for the pardon of Youtsey is Miss Villah M Bratt, Youtsey's old school teacher when he was a pupil at the little old schoolhouse at Cold Spring, where he was born and reared. Miss Bratt has always believed in the innocence of her former pupil and declares his model life during his long imprisonment shows clearly that Youtsey is not the murderer that his imprisonment would indicate.
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Kentucky Post, Monday, 25 June 1951, page 3
Miss Villah M Bratt, 99, of Cold Spring, is pictured at the cornerstone laying Sunday at the new Campbell County Protestant Orphans Home in Cold Spring. Miss Bratt, who lives alone was the oldest contributor to the new institution and the oldest spectator present at the ceremoney.
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Kentucky Post, Friday, 28 September 1951, page 1
Miss Villah M Bratt oldest resident of Cold Spring, was 14 years old when the Civil War ended. And when her 100th birthday rolls around Sunday, her neighbors and friends are going to give her a party worthy of such an occasion. Miss Bratt, who lives alone and likes it, says the reason she's enjoying her old age so much is because "of happy memories and the continual acquistion of new friends to replace the old ones who are gone.
Reminiscing has notonly been comforting to Miss Bratt but her many and frequent visitors derive great pleasure from listening to her first hand accounts of pioneer experiences. She recalls vividly the excitement of Lincoln's campaign; how she and a group of children booed a procession of Democrats; how they yelled "hurrah, hurrah for Lincoln" as the Republican parade went by.
Miss Bratt remembers when the news of Lincoln's assassination reached Newport, how quickly the housewives rushed out to buy black glazed muslin with which to drape their windows in mourning. The rebels draped their homes, too, not with enthusiasm, but in self-defense. "It was better to have the pane draped then than to have no pane. Lincoln was the finest American who ever lived. I always felt that had I met a man like Lincoln I'd have gotten married. I have no regrets. I've had a wonderful like and wouldn't change a bit of it."
Making sure that in praising Lincoln she had not committed herself to party affiliation. Miss Bratt further qualified her statement by saying. "I have voted Democrat, Republican and Socialist in my many trips to the polls." It was this same innate spirit of deciding for oneself that caused Miss Bratt to join the westward trek in 1879. In Nebraska's prairie country of sod houses and dugout homes; of Indian scares and cattle roundups; of dust and snowstorms, this courageous young girl staked a timber and homestead claim.
"I carried a revolver and kept a dog and I was never afraid. All in all it was a great adventure and I am proud to have had a part of it." Miss Bratt loved the West and still does. However, when her aging parents needed her, she returned to Kentucky and nursed them in their last days. Her father died at 86. Her mother was 96. Miss Bratt continued to live in the old homestead, a half mile off Alexandria pike. When she goes for a ride on U. S. 27, she can't help but recall the time when this modern highway was a cobblestone road and there was a toll gate in years gone by.
"Farmers with their produce in horse drawn vehicles had to pay a fee to go into Newport. Besides going for occasional rides and visiting in the home of friends, Miss Bratt take great pleasure in listening to her radio. She has particular programs, some serials she has been listening to for years, that she especially enjoys.
She was a school teacher for many years and taught in Wyoming and Nebraska as well as Newport, Cold Spring and Poole's Creek Ky. Some of her pupils of long ago still keep in touch with her. Now that her birthday is drawing near cards are pouring in from all over. Miss Bratt is a gently little lade, beaming with a great sense of humor. A friend recently remarked to her, "You've done a great many things in your life."
"That's nothing to my credit," she replied, "I have had a great many years in which to do things." Come to think of it, she has, an even century to be exact.
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Kentucky Post, Monday, 17 December 1951, page 1
Miss Villah Bratt, Cold Spring, who observed her 100th birthday Sept 30, suffered a hip fracture Sunday when she fell on a rug at her home. Alone when she had the accident at 11 am, Miss Bratt was discovered four hours later by a neighbor. Taken to Booth Hospital in an ambulance, she was reported in "fair" condition Monday.
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Kentucky Post, Friday, 21 December 1951, page 1
Girls during the days of the Civil War, two prominent Northern Kentucky women died Thursday after passing their 100 year mark. The centarians were Mrs. Martha Evelyn Hodge of Cynthiana and Miss Villa M Bratt, 100 last September 30 of Cold Spring. Miss Bratt, native of Sharon, Pa. came to Newport as a child and taught in the Newport public schools as early as 1875. Later she moved to the west and opened a book store in Nebraska in the 1880's after which she homesteaed near Stratton, Neb. before operating a general store there.
Several times during the ensuing yeas she returned to Kentucky and kept title to her land as a source of income, even after returning here to live. She celebrated her 100th birthday anniversary with an open house at her residence on old Alexandria pike, Cold Spring. Death occurred at Booth Hospital, Covington, five days after she suffered a hip fracture at her home.
Muehlenkamp Funeral Home, Newport, is completing arrangements for Miss Bratt. She leaves six nieces and three nephews. Services will be held at 1 pm Sunday at the residence, Alexandria. Chapter 337, Order of the Eastern Star will hold services at 8 pm Saturday. Friends may call at the residence after 1 pm Saturday.
Page 12-BRATT, Villah, beloved daughter of the late
George and Cornelia Bratt (nee Poston) died Thursday, December 20, 1951, age 100
years. Services at the late residence, Old Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, Ky.
Sunday at 1 pm where friends may call after 1 pm Saturday.