Barnabas Branham and
Lavina Davis
Barnabas Branham lived most of
his adult life in Clinton County, apart from one relatively
short period he moved his family to Missouri and another
when he enlisted in the Confederate cavalry in Tennessee at
the outbreak of the Civil War. Barnabas married Lavina
Davis, probably around 1841 and probably in either Clinton
or Cumberland Counties. We know from the entries for
several of Barnabas and Lavina's children in the 1852-59
Clinton County birth register that her surname was Davis,
and we have identified her parents as John Davis and Nancy Hamilton
from Clinton County Deed Records.
Barnabas first appears in census records in 1840, when he
is enumerated living alone in Clinton County; he may also
have been enumerated in his father's household, as well,
since George Branham's entry also shows a male, 15-20
(Barnabas's age). Around 1848, Barnabas moved his young
family to Dodge (now Putnam) County in Missouri, where his
family lived two houses away from his brother-in-law
Hamilton Davis and about seven houses away from his wife's
aunt, Elizabeth Davis McCollum. Barnabas was a farmer at
this time, although he did not own his own land. His first
son, George, was born probably in Putnam County in 1849.
However, by 1855, Barnabas had returned to Clinton County,
where his son James was born. Barnabas worked as a trader
(possibly with the financial support of his father,
George Branham, who loaned him
$2,200).
At the start of the Civil War, Barnabas enlisted as a
40-year-old in Company F/A, 4th (Murray's) Tennessee
Cavalry at Camp Myer, TN and by 31 August 1862 began
appearing as a Bvt 2nd LT on the muster rolls. He also was
listed on the muster rolls for Company D, 1st Confederate
Cavalry in early 1863, as a 3rd LT. By 30 May 1863, he
submitted a letter of resignation (which gives his
birthdate), complaining that he had not been paid his
bounty and that he was not well. He appears to have
remained with his unit, however, because he was captured on
14 September 1863 at Ringgold GA; he was sent to Louisville
with other prisoners and was discharged on 26 October 1863.
According to "Early Times," which cites a letter from his
daughter, Louisa Jane Branham Lee, Barnabas died on 18
September 1866 in Greenwood, Pulaski (now McCreary), KY;
according to George Branham's 1873 will, Barnabas had
already died.
We have not yet located Lavina Branham in the 1870 census,
but in 1880, a Lavina Branam is enumerated in Overton
County, TN (just over the state line), along with daughters
Margaret E. Branham and Helen and grandson James P. Branam.
According to "Early Times,", she died in 1898.
Barnabas
Branham (27 Oct 1821,
prob. Roane, TN - 18 Sep 1866, Greenwood, Pulaski (now
McCreary), KY)
m. ca. 1841,
probably Clinton Co KY
Lavina Davis
(b. 1826, KY - d. Jul 1898,
residence unknown)
Children:
i. Serena Angeline Branham
(1842-1923); m.
William
Huff
ii. Louisa Jane Branham (1844-1932); m. Anderson
Lee
iii. Savannah Malvina
Branham (1847-1905);
m. ?
iv. George Branham (1849-by 1900); m. Sarah E. Lawrence
v.
Manirva
Branham (1851-d. 28
May 1854, Clinton Co, KY)
vi. Milton Branham
(Jun 1852-Dec 1852, Clinton
Co, KY)
vii. John Branham
(20 Jun 1853-12 Jul 1853)
vi. James K. Polk Branham (1855-aft 1860)
ix. Maryetta P.
Branham (1858-aft
1860); m. John
Pleasants
x. Margaret Ellen
Branham (1863-aft
1880)
xi. Ruetta Helen
Branham (1865-aft
1880)