Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 922
WILLIAM HUSTON BRANSON

William Huston BRANSON, a representative farmer of St. John's Township, came to Harrison County, with the vanguard of civilization, arriving in October, 1853, in company with three others: John Latham, John Mostiller and Harvey Mostiller. They came with horse team and covered wagon, and one single horse, with no other companions, save their guns, which they bought in Terre Haute, Ind.; they started West with the object of hunting. January 1, 1854, Mr. BRANSON in company with Peter Deal, started back to Indiana, returning to Iowa the following March, and shortly after his arrival here bought forty acres of land in Calhoun Township, with a land warrant, and later purchased eighty acres on section 6, of St. John's Township. During the summer of 1854, our subject was unable to accomplish much on account of sickness. The following season he worked by the month. During the winter of 1855-56, he worked for Andrew Cox.

March 2, 1856, marked a new era in this pioneer's life, for it was upon that day that he married Nancy CASE, a native of Indiana, the ceremony being performed by H.B. Cox. Mrs. BRANSON was born April 17, 1839, and was the daughter of John and Sarah CASE. The father was born July 15, 1798, and the mother October 20, 1800. The summer after our subject's marriage, he worked the Jewell farm at Harris Grove, and the next season worked land belonging to Henry Reel, Jr. In the fall of 1857, he traded with Joseph Moss and got his present farm, moving to the place in February 1858. The original tract comprised forty acres, to which he has added until he has two hundred acres.

Our subject was born in Parke County, Ind., May 23, 1831, and is the son of Jonathan and Melinda (MOORE) BRANSON. The father was a native of Tennessee, born February 23, 1802, and came West about 1860 and settled in Pottawattamie County, where he died in 1882. The mother of our subject was born in Kentucky, and died in Indiana. They reared a family of ten children, four sons and six daughters, our subject being the eldest. His education was acquired at the district schools, common to the Hoosier State at that day, and he remained at home until coming to Harrison County. His father always followed farming for a livelihood, and trained his sons to be successful tillers of the soil.

Our subject met with the first great loss of his life-time March 17, 1884, when his wife passed from earth. They were the parents of twelve children; Sarah M., born May 17, 1857; Samantha, December 28, 1858; Isaiah Jacob, May 5, 1861; Jonathan, born January 23, 1863 (deceased); William H. born December 17, 1864; Jesse September 11, 1866 (deceased); John G., born August 22, 1868; James M, August 17, 1870; Nancy J August 8, 1872; Viola, January 6, 1874 (deceased); Marian L., born April 18, 1876, (deceased); Melvin M. born January 7, 1878, (deceased).

Politically, our subject affiliates with the Democratic party, and he has always sought to work for the best interests of Harrison County, which has been his home for the last thirty-eight years, during which time he has always had "plenty and to spare," with the exception of times of sickness.

Among the early incidents this pioneer relates to the historian, is that how the day after he arrived in Harrison County, he was chosen to help drive the thieving Indians away from the settlement, as they had been taking the liberty of digging the setters' potatoes and appropriating their swine to their own use. Suffice to say the work was done effectually, and without bloodshed. Mr. Branson also speaks of the great abundance of game he found upon his arrival in the county. He being a "good shot," many a nimble-footed deer ebbed its life away at the crack of his rifle.

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