After the death of Joseph Braun in 1907, son, William, joined his father and brother John in the lumber business.
Mathias died in 1908 and was buried in Athens. His wife, Gertrude Becker Braun, then married Peter Phillippi in 1909. He was the widower of Mary Braun, the first child born to Mathias and Gertrude Stein.
In the fall of 1910, Frank and Louis Braun and William Phillippi had a frightening experience while cutting wood with a 14" circular saw powered by a steam engine. The boiler exploded and the hot ashes from the fire pit were sprayed all over the place. Frank got the brunt of this in his face and eyes. He still is asked how he got the grayish pock marks on his face. After the shock of the incident, William, who had stayed at a distance from the machine, remarked, "Sometimes it pays to be a coward”.
Braun Bros. & Co. has continued through the years, but has changed with time. In the early days, logs were sawed in to lumber and the mill ran day and night. Lath, shingles and doors were manufactured. The saw mill was discontinued in 1953.
Over the years, changes in the partnership were also in evidence. Edward A. Braun, John's son, joined the company in 1920. He left in the early 1930's when he started his own oil business and car dealership.
Irene K Braun, June 1970