William Brannon, Pvt.

~ IN MEMORY OF ~

William Brannon, Pvt.


VITAL STATS
William Brannon was known affectionately by relatives as "Uncle Duck."

b 17 Jun 1837 Monroe CO, TN d 15 Jul 1913 buried Unaka Baptist Church Cemetery, Cherokee CO, NC
son of Larkin & Eliza Ann Brannon of Coker Creek, Monroe CO, TN
m ca 1863 to
Charlotte Evans
b 12 Dec 1842 d 19 Mar 1912 buried Unaka Baptist Church Cemetery, Cherokee CO, NC
dau of John B. Evans & Mary "Polly" Miller of Cherokee CO, NC

William Brannon filed a pension claim 9 Apr 1883 for service first in Capt Goldman Bryson's CO of Union Volunteers of 1863 and then in CO H, 7th TN MTD INF, Union Army Volunteers of 1864-65. He listed places of residence as Beaver, Ogreeta, and Unaka in Cherokee CO, NC. On 20 Aug 1883, the Adjutant General of the Army reported to the Commissioner of Pensions that his name did not appear on the muster rolls of CO H, 7th TN MTD INF. A. B. Casselman, a special investigator for the pension office, took depostion on 9 Dec 1885 from James Bryson, an orderly sergeant of said company. Bryson, aged 58, said that he and William Brannon married sisters. He also said that when CO H was mustered in at Athens, TN the officer in charge asked Brannon to stand aside and not be enlisted. Brannon was not enrolled because of defective eyesight. Casselman then sent this information to the Commissioner of Pensions with a comment that this claim might be fraudulent.

However, on 13 Dec 1894, Col Fred O. Ainsworth said that William Brannon was a member of Capt Goldman Bryson's CO of Scouts & Guides only from 15 Sep 1863 - Nov 1863. The second auditor in the Treasury Dept reported to the Commissioner that Brannon was paid $50.20 on 10 May 1888 for service in Capt Goldman Bryson's CO, pursuant to Act of Congress on 1 Mar 1869. The auditor for the War Dept reported to US Senator Jeter C. Pritchard of NC that Brannon was paid $50.70 for his service in Capt Bryson's CO from 7 Jul 1863 - 3 Nov 1863, or three months and twenty-seven days. This payment was made by Paymaster Larned on 10 May 1888. Therefore, all claims were rejected on 11 Nov 1884 because his service was less than 90 days. Several appeals were made to the Secretary of the Interior but denied.

William Brannon/Branum previously enlisted in Capt C. C. Berry's CO A, Walker's Battalion, Thomas' Confederate Legion at Beaver Dam, Cherokee CO, NC on 18 Jul 1862. Enrolled at age 25, he joined for three years or duration of war. He was recorded as present on Jan and Feb rolls of 1863. He was listed in the 1860 Cherokee CO, NC census within the John B. Evans' household as farm laborer.

by
Sandra Ratledge, 1st cousin, 4 times removed

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