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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 was the child of Noah Canner Brannen and Mary Annie Avant.
     
Biography of (Infant) Brannen:

Stillborn set of twins.

     (Infant) Brannen was the child of Noah Canner Brannen and Mary Annie Avant.
     
Biography of (Infant) Brannen:

Stillborn set of twins.

     (Son) Brannen was the son of Henry Thomas Brannen and Margaret Emma Clark.

     Albert Cullen Brannen was the son of Houston English Brannen and Sarah Ann Rowell.

     Albert was born on 5 March 1920.¹ He was the son of Malcolm Samuel Brannen and Agnes Rebecca Bass. Albert Vernard Brannen died on 31 May 2010 at Perry, Taylor Co., Florida, at age 90. He was buried at Friendship Cemetery., Madison Co., Florida.

     Alvaretta Rebecca Gertrude Brannen was the daughter of William Donaldson Brannen and Sarah Ann Fraser.

     Amanda was born on 12 November 1979.¹ She was the daughter of James Marvin Brannen and Dianne Skaggs. Amanda died on 11 December 1979. Her body was buried.²

     Andrew Lloyd Brannen was the son of Houston English Brannen and Sarah Ann Rowell.

     Arianna Savannah Brannen was the daughter of William Donaldson Brannen and Sarah Ann Fraser.