American Biography

Emmet S. Brumbaugh is the second of the three constitiuent principals in the prominent Omaha law firm of Gray, Brumbaugh & McNeil, with offices in the First National Bank Building, and he is a son-in-law of Joseph P. Gray, who is the senior member of this firm.

Mr. Brumbaugh was born at Young America, Cass County, Indiana, November 13, 1888, and is a son of Theodore E. Brumbaugh and Minnie J. (McMeans) Brumbaugh. Theodore E. Brumbaugh was a scion of sterling old Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, and he became one of the substantial and highly esteemed citizens of Cass County, Indiana, having been about fifty-two years of age at the time of his death and his widow being now a resident of Omaha. Mrs. Brumbaugh was born in Indiana and is of Scotch and English lineage.

Theodore E. Brumbaugh was born at Goshen, Indiana, November 21, 1863, and in his native state he was for many years engaged in saw-mill operations and other lumbering enterprise. He finally became a traveling salesman for the great National Cash Register Company of Dayton, Ohio, and he was a resident of Omaha at the time of his death, which occurred July 15, 1915.

Emmet S. Brumbaugh was a lad of five years at the time of the family removal to the city of Logansport, judicial center of his native county, and in this fair old Indiana city he continued his studies in the public schools until his graduation from high school as a member of the class of 1907, of which he was the president at the time of his graduation. Thereafter Mr. Brumbaugh was for one year a student in DePauw University at Greencastle, Indiana, and he then entered the University of Indiana, in which he was graduated in 1912, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in the law department of which he was graduated in the following year, his reception of the degree of Bachelor of Laws having been virtually coincident with his admission to the bar of his native state.

Brumbaugh soon moved to Nebraska and established his residence in Omaha, having been admitted to the bar of that state in 1914 and having since continued in the active practice of his profession in the Nebraska metropolis, where he has made a record of worthy and successful achievement. Mr. Brumbaugh has membership in the Nebraska State Bar Association and the American Bar Association, is a Republican in political allegiance, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. In their home city he and his wife are zealous members of the First Presbyterian Church, in which he is serving as an elder.

In initiating the practice of his profession in Omaha, in 1914, Mr. Brumbaugh became the junior member of the firm of Gray & Brumbaugh, the senior member of which likewise became his father-in-law about three years later. The original firm title was retained until November, 1924, when Donald W. McNeil was admitted to partnership and the present title of Gray, Brumbaugh & McNeil was adopted.

In the period of the nation’s participation in the World war Mr. Brumbaugh was able to give his meed of patriotic service through his association with the Emergency Fleet Corporation in New York City.

On the 23d of March 1918, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Brumbaugh and Miss Maude Lucille Gray, the only child of Joseph P. Gray, and the one child of this union is a daughter, Lucille Gray Brumbaugh, who was born June 9, 1923.

LeRoy Fitch was a naval officer, born in Indiana, in October, 1835. He entered the U.S. naval academy in 1852 and graduated in 1856. Through successive promotions he attained the rank of Master Mariner.

On September 5th 1859, Fitch was assigned to the Mississippi squadron operating under Flag-Officers Foote and Davis. During the Civil War he assisted in the capture of Fort Donelson, Fort Pillow, the reduction of Island No. 10, as well as the destruction of the Confederate fleet at Memphis.

LeRoy Fitch was promoted to Lieutenant September 21st 1862, and commanded the steamers Moose and Lexington in operations on the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers during 1862 and 1863. He prevented Col. John Morgan, the guerrilla chief, from crossing the Ohio river at Bufiington’s Island. Later, he seized Morgan’s train and a portion of his guns, which so crippled him as to lead to his capture.

Fitch was also involved in the defense of Johnsonville Tennessee, from attack by Forrest, and he provided support to General Thomas at Nashville against the Confederate force under General Hood in December, 1864. He continued his exploits against Confederate guerillas on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, making several expeditions inland to cut off marauding parties.

LeRoy Fitch died at Logansport, Indiana on April 13th 1875.