Family History

Our History

Gottlieb Frederick (G.F.) Bram moved to Denver Missouri after his discharge from the Army at the ending of the Civil War. Denver is located six miles southeast of Grant City, the county seat of Worth County, Missouri. It was in Denver in 1865, that he established the G.F. Bram General Merchandise Store.

A black and white photo of a horse drawn carriage.

As many proprietors of that era found, local families needed an outlet for caskets. Soon G.F. hired a wood craftsman and the Bram Funeral Home was born.


In those days, families would take care of much of the preparation of the deceased and the funeral service was conducted at home or at a Church. Funeral parlors came around later. In 1880 G.F. purchased his first horse drawn hearse. A photo of that very hearse is on this page.

A black and white photo of a horse drawn carriage.

Our History

Gottlieb Frederick (G.F.) Bram moved to Denver, Missouri after his discharge from the Army at the ending of the Civil War. Denver is located six miles southeast of Grant City, the county seat of Worth County, Missouri. It was in Denver in 1865, that he established the G.F. Bram General Merchandise Store. As many proprietors of that era found, local families needed an outlet for caskets. Soon G.F. hired a wood craftsman, and the Bram Funeral Home was born.

In those days, families would take care of much of the preparation of the deceased and the funeral service was conducted at home or at a Church. Funeral parlors came around later. In 1880 G.F. purchased his first horse drawn hearse. A photo of that very hearse is on this page.

G.F.'s two sons, John Peter Bram and Rudolph Jacob Andrew (J.A.) Bram would succeed him in business. John Peter was the first to go to embalming school in Kansas City and become licensed. After Rudolph J. A. had received his license, they renamed the business Bram Brothers and partnered until 1929. Their red block building still stands in Denver, east of the former Bar X Steakhouse, and northeast of the city square. The name Bram is still legible above the southwest corner door.


Later in 1929, Rudolph J.A. bought the Parish Hardware store in Hamilton, MO and added the undertaking business to it. J.P.'s sons, John G. and Kermit, and J.A.'s sons, Lester and Morris, went on to lead the business as the third generation owners.


In the 1960's, the fourth generation, Philip, son of Kermit; Earl, son of Morris; and Pete, son of John, next joined the funeral profession. The Bram family had a total of 16 funeral homes operating in Missouri at that time.


The fifth generation is Jeff Bram, son of Philip. Jeff is the founder of the Bram Funeral Home of Maryville. Jeff received his funeral directing license in 1984, and embalming license in 1985. Jeff and Kim Bram have three children and have been serving the Maryville community for the past four decades.

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