Jake Brokaw in 1885Jacob Swan Brokaw (b. Oct. 22, 1861, near Litchfield, Illinois), who went by the name
of "Jake", was the older son of John P. Brokaw .
Jake Brokaw in 1885
In 1895 he was living in Denver, CO. He became a building contractor in Southern California. In about 1902, he was working in construction in Avalon on Catalina Island. The following is his photograph of downtown Avalon at that time:
Later, he lived at 478 East Avenue 28, just east of Elysian Park in Los Angeles, and then
at 204 East 67th St. in south central Los Angeles. He was married to Flora Ella
Shaw (b. March 19, 1862; d. Jan. 20, 1897) by Rev. Henry Bullard (Presbyterian) on
Dec. 6, 1892.
Flora and Jake Brokaw ca. 1890
Jake and Flora had only one child, Clydia Anna, born on April 18, 1896; she
died before her 20th birthday, Feb. 9, 1916. Jake was remarried to Nellie Sophronia
Gulliford (b. Oct. 14, 1866; d. Dec. 25, 1945) on May 3, 1900, by the Rev. DeWitt
Clinton of M. E. Church. Jake died on Feb. 22, 1944.
Clydia and Nellie in front of their home in Avalon.
John P. Brokaw had an older sister, Phoebe Ann, born Nov 25, 1825, who married Jacob
DeGroot Swan ; presumably Jake was named after this uncle.