Robert H. Brannan¹ (M)
b. circa 1819, d. 28 November 1864
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=Grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Robert was born circa 1819 in Georgia.² He was the son of Thomas Brannen and Nancy Donaldson. He married Mary Boatright,daughter of Chesley John Daniel Boatright and Rachel Geiger circa 1842 in Florida. Robert died on 28 November 1864 in Elmira, Chemung Co., New York. His body was buried in Elmira Prison Cemetery, Elmira, New York.
     Robert's occupation: Farmer.
Biography of Robert H. Brannan:

We believe that Robert H. Brannen is the son of Thomas Brannen and Nancy Donaldson. We have not found any direct evidence that would confirm that relationship. However, we have found a preponderance of evidence that strongly supports this relationship and no evidence that disproves it. Evidence that shows Robert H. Brannen to be the son of Thomas Brannen is as follows:

     1. Robert H. Brannan is likely named after his maternal grandfather, Robert Donaldson. It was a very common practice to name the first male child after his maternal grandfather.


     2. Robert H. Brannan appears with Thomas Brannan in Hills and Turners Company of Volunteers in the Florida Indian Wars 1836-1840.

     3. Robert H. Brannan appears with William Brannan in Hills and Turners Company of Volunteers in the Florida Indian Wars. Sarah A. Brannen, the widow of William D. Brannen, applied for and received a pension in 1902 for William D. Brannen's Indian War service claiming he served in Capt. Hills, Capt. Turners and Capt. Langford's Co. of the Florida Volunteers. William D. Brannan, is the proven son of Thomas Brannan and Nancy Donaldson. His middle name is Donaldson. This clearly shows that William and Thomas Brannan of the Florida Indian Wars are son and father. Since Robert H. Brannan is a year or two older (Robert was born circa 1819 and William 1821 or 1822) than William it stands to reason that Robert being an older son would also have served in the Volunteer militia along with his father and younger brother.

     4. Robert H. Brannan appears with Thomas Brannan and William Brannan in the 1847 tax digest of Madison County Florida. He is absent in the 1842 Voters records for Florida statehood, as are the names of William and Thomas Brannen. This suggests a relationship between Robert and Thomas.

     5. Robert H. married Mary Boatright about 1842 based on the birthdates of their children. They very likely married in Madison Co. Florida as that is where she and her parents were living at the time. We also know that Thomas Brannen moved into Madison Co. Florida from Lowndes Co. Georgia about 1842 or 1843, this is about the time Robert married Mary Boatright so we have Robert and Thomas near each other thus again suggesting a relationship.

     6. There is an unidentified older male born between 1815 and 1820 in the family of Thomas Brannen in the 1820, 1830 and 1840 Census records. Robert, born circa 1819, fits the age description of each of those three census records.

     7. Robert names his children Frank, Martha, Owen, Rebecca and Ann which are Brannen and Donaldson family names. Unfortunately, we do not find a Thomas in Robert's family.

     8. In 1971, John P. Tompkins (1907-1983) told us that he thought that George Brannan was the name of his grandmothers, Anna Mercy Brannan Parker's, father. It turned out that Robert H. Brannan is the father of Anna Brannan Parker (1858-1926) of Suwannee County, Florida and not George Brannen. However, John Tompkins thinking that George Brannan was his great grandfather suggests to us that a George Brannan was a very close relative of his grandmother, Anna. In addition, John Tompkins would often threaten his children (during the 1930 and 1940's) if they misbehaved by getting "George Brannan's big gun". The George Brannen of the big gun could only be George Brannen (1876-1928) of Taylor Co. Florida who is the grandson of Thomas Brannen. George Brannen of Taylor Co. was indicted for a shooting murder in 1899 in Taylor County. He was tried in Madison County in October,1901. A verdict could not be reached after two trials and the case was finally discharged by the court without a trial decision. George Brannen was thus well known in the area at the turn of the century as someone who may have used a gun to kill. It is our contention that Robert H. Brannan is the son of Thomas Brannen which makes Anna Brannan Parker a first cousin of George Brannan (1876-1928). It is reasonable to think that Anna Brannan Parker would know her first cousin that lived all their lives within 15 miles of each other. Why else would this "Big Gun" reputation of George Brannan be passed down through the Anna Brannan Parker family. We are not sure if John P. Tompkins ever met George Brannan but he would certainly have heard stories about him from his grandmother while he was growing up. We don't think he would have heard those stories if George was not related to his grandmother.

     The earliest record we have is of a Robert H. Brannan enlisting as a private in Turner's Company, 12 Reg't, 1st Brigade of the Florida Mounted Volunteers in the Florida Indian Wars. Robert H. enrolled Sept. 1, 1838 at Tallahassee and mustered out on 17 November 1838 at Camp Taylor. Robert Brannan enlisted in Capt. Hills Company, 2nd Regiment, Florida Mounted Volunteers as a private on June 16, 1837 at San Pedro for 6 months and was on the muster out rolls for this Company at Ft. Gilliland, Florida on 18 December 1837. [National Archives, Microfilm M-629, Index to Service Records Indian Wars 1815-1858] His father, Thomas and his brother William also enlisted at the same time and place in these same companies.

      Robert and his family appear in Columbia County, Florida in the 1850 Census and again in Suwannee County, Florida in the 1860 Census. Likely this is the same place as Suwannee County was formed out of Columbia in 1856. There is also a Martha Leach age 32, born Georgia living with the Brannan family in 1850. This is very likely a sister of Robert.

      Robert H. Brannan is also listed as voter no. 11 in the Poll Book of the Mineral Springs Precinct, No. 4 in Columbia Co., Florida on 2 November 1852.

     Robert, at age 54. enlisted as a private in Company E, (later transferred to Co. H) of the 9th Florida Infantry, Confederate States Army on 4 September 1863 at Lake City, Florida. Nine months later he was killed during the battle of Cold Harbor near Cold Harbor, Virginia on 3 June 1864. [Widow's Pension Application, #18725, of Mary Curl Brannan, widow of W. F. Brannan, Florida State Archive - Tallahassee, Florida]

     There is a record of an R. H. Brannan of Co. H. of the 6th Florida Infantry who died 28 November 1864 as a prisoner of war at Elmira, NY Military Prison. He is buried in the Elmira Prison Cemetery. Since the 6th Florida Infantry was later merged into the 9th Florida Infantry, as reported by Mary C. Brannan in her widow's application of W. F. Brannan, we suspect that this R. H. Brannan is in fact our Robert H. Brannan. Our rationale for this is that he was captured at the battle of Cold Harbor rather than killed and the confederate records are in error. We believe he was captured and transferred to the Federal Military Prison in Elmira, N.Y. where he died and is buried. That is the basis for his date of death and place of burial.

Ronald George Brannan¹ (M)
b. 24 October 1935, d. 27 July 1983
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=4th great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Ronald was born on 24 October 1935 in Winter Haven, Polk Co., Florida. He was the son of William Frank Brannan III and Ida Estelle George. Ronald died on 27 July 1983 in Winter Haven, Polk Co., Florida, at age 47. His body was buried on 30 July 1983 in Lakeside Memorial Cemetery, Winter Haven, Polk Co., Florida.²

Roy Brannan¹ (M)
b. 19 February 1926, d. 8 January 1970
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=4th great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Roy was born on 19 February 1926 in Live Oak, Suwannee Co., Florida. He was the son of Oliver Fletcher Brannan Sr. and Martha Ella Rye. Roy died on 8 January 1970 at age 43.

Ruth Brannan¹ (F)
b. 28 July 1919
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=4th great-granddaughter of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Ruth was born on 28 July 1919 in Live Oak, Suwannee Co., Florida. She was the daughter of Oliver Fletcher Brannan Sr. and Martha Ella Rye. She married (?) Gonzalo.¹

Summer James Brannan¹ (M)
b. 29 April 1901, d. 29 August 1980
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=3rd great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Summer was born on 29 April 1901 in Suwannee Co., Florida. He was the son of John Brannon and Ardelia Roxanne Ross. He married Lawdie Starling.¹ Summer died on 29 August 1980 at age 79. His body was buried in Beulah Church Cemetery, Suwannee Co., Florida.²

Swinton Winston Brannan¹ (M)
b. 21 May 1924
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=4th great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Swinton was born on 21 May 1924 in Live Oak, Suwannee Co., Florida. He was the son of Oliver Fletcher Brannan Sr. and Martha Ella Rye. Swinton died in North Africa.

Thomas Jefferson Brannan¹ (M)
b. 7 March 1914, d. 28 February 1981
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=4th great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Thomas was born on 7 March 1914 in Suwannee Co., Florida. He was the son of William Sherod Brannan and Ida Estelle High. Thomas died on 28 February 1981 in Suwannee Co., Florida, at age 66.

Thomas Solomon Brannan¹ (M)
b. 15 October 1876, d. 30 May 1951
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=2nd great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Thomas was born on 15 October 1876 in Suwannee Co., Florida.² He was the son of William Francis Brannan and Mary Ann Curl. He married Mary Etta Williams,daughter of John Franklin Williams and Julia Emma Bembry on 7 December 1894 in Suwannee Co., Florida.³ Thomas died on 30 May 1951 in Winter Haven, Polk Co., Florida, at age 74. His body was buried in Lakeside Memorial Cemetery, Winter Haven, Polk Co., Florida.

Thomas William Brannan¹ (M)
b. 19 April 1922, d. 29 May 1986
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=4th great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Thomas was born on 19 April 1922 in Suwannee Co., Florida. He was the son of Robert Drew Brannan and Ida Lula Rye. He married Helen Frier,daughter of Ryan Homer Friar and Caroline Harnage on 16 May 1942 in Mayo, Lafayette Co., Florida.¹ Thomas died on 29 May 1986 in Richmond Co., Georgia, at age 64.

Vera Brannan¹ (F)
b. 15 August 1914
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=3rd great-granddaughter of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Vera was born on 15 August 1914 in Suwannee Co., Florida. She was the daughter of Thomas Solomon Brannan and Mary Etta Williams. She married Percy Prevatt.¹ Vera died in Winter Haven, Polk Co., Florida.

Virginia Brannan¹ (F)
b. 3 March 1870, d. 3 March 1870
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=2nd great-granddaughter of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Virginia was born on 3 March 1870 in Suwannee Co., Florida. She was the daughter of William Francis Brannan and Mary Ann Curl. Virginia died on 3 March 1870 in Suwannee Co., Florida, at age 0.

William Francis Brannan (M)
b. 21 August 1845, d. 23 May 1904
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=Great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     William was born on 21 August 1845 in Madison Co., Florida.¹ He was the son of Robert H. Brannan and Mary Boatright. He married Mary Ann Curl,daughter of Jessie Curl and Rebecca (--?--) on 4 October 1865 in Suwannee Co., Florida.² William died on 23 May 1904 in Suwannee Co., Florida, at age 58. His body was buried in May 1904 in Macedonia Cemetery, Suwannee Co., Florida.³

William Frank Brannan (M)
b. 2 October 1873, d. 15 June 1923
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=2nd great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     William was born on 2 October 1873 in Suwannee Co., Florida.¹ He was the son of William Francis Brannan and Mary Ann Curl. He married Lucinda Cornelia Ross,daughter of John Oliver Ross and Roxie Ann Sullivan on 13 November 1892 in Suwannee Co., Florida.² William died on 15 June 1923 in Suwannee Co., Florida, at age 49. His body was buried in June 1923 in Friendship Cemetery., Suwannee Co., Florida.³

William Frank Brannan III¹ (M)
b. 9 February 1910, d. 12 June 1976
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=3rd great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     William was born on 9 February 1910 in Suwannee Co., Florida. He was the son of Thomas Solomon Brannan and Mary Etta Williams. He married Ida Estelle George, on 26 December 1933 in Bartow, Polk Co., Florida.¹ William died on 12 June 1976 in Lake City, Columbia Co., Florida, at age 66. His body was buried in Lakeside Memorial Cemetery, Winter Haven, Polk Co., Florida.

William Sherod Brannan¹ (M)
b. 4 October 1894, d. 11 August 1931
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=3rd great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     William was born on 4 October 1894. He was the son of William Frank Brannan and Lucinda Cornelia Ross. He married Ida Estelle High,daughter of Daniel Leslie High and Christiana Melinda Hurst. William died on 11 August 1931 at age 36.

"Progenitor" Brannen (M)

     
     
Biography of "Progenitor" Brannen:

We have created "Progenitor" Brannen for the purpose of providing a begining framework aimed at determining the relationship between all the Brannen's we have identified in Burke, Screven and Bulloch County Georgia in the time period after 1787. We are hopeful other Brannen researchers will review this work and contribute to further clarification of this family's early origins.

The parentage and relationship between Henry Brannen (1755), John Brannen (1765), William Brannen (1765), Thomas Brannen (1770), Hugh Brannen (1785) and Thomas Brannen (1794) is not known at present. These men are the first and only Brannen's to appear in Screven County, Georgia records from the counties begining in 1793 into the early 1800's. In all cases the birth year shown is our best current estimate based on records we have found. One thing is quite clear. They all lived in the area between the forks of the Savannah River and Briar Creek, mostly along and bordering Briar Creek. Henry, John, Thomas and William all acquired headright lands in Burke County Georgia in the time period 1787 to 1792. This land became part of Screven County when it was formed out of Burke in 1793. Unfortunately Burke County early records were destroyed in several courthouse fires in the 1800's so finding additional Brannen records in this time period is difficult.

There appears to be several "traditional" versions regarding the origins of the Brannen family in Bulloch County, Georgia. The first which we call the "three brothers" tradition is recorded by Brannen and Brinson as follows: "The Brannens of Bulloch County by tradition, are descended from three Brannens, William, Hugh and Henry who emigrated together from Ireland to America." [Brannen and Brinson, The Descendants of John Brannen, (Statesboro, GA; Privately printed, 1965) p. 4.] This tradition was recorded by Jesse Ewell Brannen in the 1930's while doing research on his family.

This tradition is furthered enhanced by Alvaretta Kenan Register in her 1967 genealogy entitled "The Keenan Family and Some Allied Families of the Compiler and Publisher" where in she states (in quotation marks) in the first paragraph to the "Brannen" section: "William, Hughey and John Brannen came from Ireland when boys and settled first in North Carolina, later coming to Screven Co. Georgia. At that time William married Elizabeth Gross, and about that year [they moved] to the place now (1910) owned by William P. Donaldson at Blitch, Bulloch Co., Georgia. He died in 1840 and is bur. in Lower Lotts Creek Church Cemetery in Bulloch Co. His widow died later is bur. at the same place. William raised a large family." Ms. Register goes on to say in the next paragraph "The compiler's BRANNEN family is said to descend from Hugh or Hugey, as he is spoken of above, though no record has been found to substantiate this. Family tradition is that Thomas was a sone of Hughey. Only verified data is given below."

Another "traditional" version of the origin of this family is recorded in a 1950 pamphlet entitled "A Short History of the Brannen and The Donaldson Families" that was prepared for a 29 October 1950 reunion at Bethlehem Church near Statesboro. That pamphlet reads in part as follows:

" It is not known just by what route the family came to Bulloch county, but it is probable that the first came to Pennsylvania to old Donegal Church, which was a Scotch-Irish stronghold, and from this point traveled through the valley of Virginia, and thence to Georgia"

" Mrs. Julian Lane found records in Screven county of a Major Thomas Alexander Brannen, who fought against the Spanish in the Colonial Wars. He married Susanna Terrell. They lived on the Ogeechee River, probably at Blitch. The sons were: Hugh, Thomas, Alexander, William and John."

"We have no positive proof that this Major Thomas Brannen was our ancestor".

We have heard and seen other variation of the above "traditions", but without documentation or other evidence these "traditions" remain just that, "traditions".

We have seen some information suggesting that William Brannen (1765) came from Johnson County, North Carolina. Our work to date does not support the Brannen's of Bulloch or Screven Co. Georgia being from Johnson Co. North Carolina.

We did find where a Thomas Brannen was awarded bounty land in 1784 for military service. The land he received is in present day Greene Co., Georgia. There are also Brannen's in Wilkes Co., Georgia after the Revolutionary War. However, we have yet to find evidence to support a connection between these Brannen's and the Brannen's of Bulloch/Screven.

In addition, there are Brannen's with first names of Thomas, William, Hugh, John or Henry to be found in pre-revolutionary war times in South Carolina and Virginia. Thus the Brannen's of Screven County could have come from these areas.

(Infant) Brannen (?)
b. circa 1929
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=3rd great-grandchild of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     (Infant) was born circa 1929 in Pomona Park, Putnam Co., Florida.¹ (Infant) Brannen was the child of Noah Canner Brannen and Mary Annie Avant.
     
Biography of (Infant) Brannen:

Stillborn set of twins.

(Infant) Brannen (?)
b. circa 1929
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=3rd great-grandchild of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     (Infant) was born circa 1929 in Pomona Park, Putnam Co., Florida.¹ (Infant) Brannen was the child of Noah Canner Brannen and Mary Annie Avant.
     
Biography of (Infant) Brannen:

Stillborn set of twins.

(Son) Brannen (M)
b. 1902, d. 1902
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=2nd great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     (Son) was born in 1902 in Taylor Co., Florida. He was the son of Henry Thomas Brannen and Margaret Emma Clark. (Son) died in 1902 in Taylor Co., Florida. His body was buried in Fellowship Prim. Bap. Chr. Cem, Madison Co., Florida.¹

Albert Cullen Brannen (M)
b. 19 March 1884, d. 31 December 1919
Pop-up Pedigree
Relationship=Great-grandson of "Progenitor" Brannen.

     Albert was born on 19 March 1884 in Taylor Co., Florida.¹ He was the son of Houston English Brannen and Sarah Ann Rowell. He married Stella Irene Pickles, circa 1910 in Taylor Co., Florida.² Albert died on 31 December 1919 in Taylor Co., Florida, at age 35. His body was buried in Fellowship Prim. Bap. Chr. Cem, Madison Co., Florida.³