When we talk about founding fathers, Colonel John Branch certainly fits the bill of the striving, hard working, pioneer that built the early frontier of colonial North Carolina. He was of a breed of men that brought the region to independence and to the new governance of the federal period. He was active in building his family and his community in Enfield, Halifax and the state.
Col. Branch Legacy of Descendants
We know Col. Branch primarily by his legacy of descendants because details of his life in the frontier of Halifax NC are hard to come by. Colonel Branch was most famous as the father to a governor of both NC and Florida. His son, Gov. John Branch, was also a Senator and the Secretary of the Navy under Jackson. Colonel Branch must have instilled a grand confidence and wide range of abilities in his son as Governor Branch was comfortable in the governors mansion, the congress, and in the society of Washington DC as much as he was confident to explore the young wild territory of early Florida and lead many families of the Halifax area to migrate to the Florida panhandle. In addition, the colonel’s son, the governor, was a regular traveler across Georgia between Enfield North Carolina and Tallahassee Florida. I suspect that in addition to university education at UNC, Gov Branch learned from his father the skills of this new American life in the ever expanding south.
Also digging a bit deeper, Colonel Branch, thru his oldest son, Joseph, was grandfather to the famed Gen. Lawrence O’Bryan Branch of the Confederate Army and hero of the Battle of Antietam. Next, the colonel’s nephew (through brother William) was famous as the bank founder of BB&T or Branch Banking and Trust in Wilson NC – Alpheus Branch. And in the 20th century, NC Supreme Court Justice Joseph Branch (1915-1991)(also a proud son of Enfield) was a cousin line of Colonel John Branch through his Southampton Virginia relations descending through Francis Branch of Southampton Virginia.
Col. Branch partners with older brother, William Branch
Colonel John Branch of Enfield most importantly had a famous partnership with his much older (by 20 years) brother, William Branch, with whom he sometimes shared the office of Sheriff of Halifax as they did in 1779. Also in 1779 during the Revolutionary War, John Branch was chosen Lt. Colonel for the State Militia under Col. John Whitaker. The Battles that the Halifax Militia were in included Moore’s Creek Bridge in NC, as well as various conflicts in South Carolina and Georgia in 1779, 1780 and 1781. In 1781 and 1782 , John Branch returned to North Carolina and represented Halifax in the State House of Commons. After the war, his youngest son John was born. Then in 1794 a pivotal year happened as he was appointed a group of councilors to the state governor and later that year his brother William died.
Colonel Branch apparently was skilled as a leader of men, a traveler throughout North Carolina attending to politics and business, amassing land and wealth and, we must remember, in the society of the times, he claimed ownership enslaved African Americans. We must acknowledge that his wealth and that of his extended family was built on that tragic human legacy. Col John Branch in the 1790 census claimed possession of 28 persons.
Parents, John Branch Sr. and Ann Browne Branch
Who were the parents of Col John Branch? Where did he come from? Colonel Branch was of the line of early Branch families from Isle of Wight and Southampton Counties Virginia. Likely a couple named John Branch Sr and Ann Brown as evidenced by an early Edgecombe deed that cites “John Branch Sr and John Branch Jr. In Bertie County, Ann Brown inherited land from her father as a teen and the couple sold it in 1730 investing in early Edgecombe County areas which later became Halifax and Enfield. The children of John Branch Sr and Ann Brown included Sheriff William Branch who was born in 1720 and Colonel John Branch born around 1737; other siblings, if any, are not known.
Col. Branch wives Rebecca Bradford and Elizabeth Norwood
Colonel John Branch married Rebecca Bradford around 1760 and built his family in the 15 years prior to the revolution. Rebecca Bradford was born 25 Dec 1752, daughter of Patience (Reed) and John Bradford. With Rebecca Bradford, he fathered Martha Whitaker, Joseph Branch, James Branch, (Gov. ) John Branch, and Patience Southall. After Rebecca’s death, he married and started a second family in the period 1800 to 1806 with young Elizabeth Norwood. She was born 19 Mar 1770, daughter of Leah Crawley (Lenoir Whitaker) and John Norwood. Her younger children were Elizabeth Alston Burge, William Joseph Branch, and Washington Lenoir Branch. Elizabeth apparently lived off his Revolutionary War pension which took her some effort receive. The colonel seems to have resided during his second marriage in the Marsh Swamp area north of Enfield and perhaps handed The Cellars plantation off to his older son Joseph as his legacy. The marriage of Col John Branch and Elizabeth Norwood lasted 6 years until his death and she lived on over 50 more years moving to Louisburg in Franklin County.
Col. Branch descendant of George Branch Sr.
Colonel John Branch was likely the son of John Branch II of IOW Virginia, grandson of the first John Branch I and great-grandson of an early Tidewater Virginia settler George Branch Sr. George Branch’ origins while obscure appear to be attached to a colonist group out of Bristol England that collected around the southern bank of the James River across from Jamestown and later Williamsburg. There is some circumstantial evidence that a cabin boy of 13 named John Branch on the 1635 ship “Abraham” could be the progenitor of the George Branch line but that is unproven entirely. John Branch later settled on land in the area of present day Hampton Roads overlooking the tidewaters at the Chesapeake Bay.
George Branch Sr married Ann England and had two daughters (Ann Hodges, Sarah Lupo) and three sons: The brothers: George Jr., Francis and John I. All three son had a least some descendants that migrated south to NC.
The original son John Branch of George Sr., appears to have been less well off and he may have died rather early perhaps creating orphans that moved south to North Carolina. His brother Francis prospered in Isle of Wight Virginia until his death around 1717 and his offspring stayed in Southampton and in the border area of Northampton North Carolina. His brother George Jr. set out for the Albemarle region of NC in about 1694.
Of the three brothers, George Jr. was in early Edenton and his descendants remained there through the 1800’s. Cousin William Branch built an Edenton tavern/ house in 1718 that survives as the oldest extent house structure in NC. Second son Francis Branch had many children and a son Benjamin who was an early inhabitant of Northampton County at the Branches Bridge area near the Virginia line. Lastly third son John Branch I of IOW is likely the father of John Branch who settled in 1718 NC and the grandfather of our Colonel John Branch as well as Arthur Branch of 1757 Dobbs/Wayne County (my line).
The Cellars Plantation of Enfield, NC
The Cellars was likely acquired by Col. John Branch. It was first inherited by his son Joseph Branch, and at his death passed to brother Gov John Branch on behalf of his children including LOB Branch. Joseph died in 1827 in Tennessee pursuing the Revolutionary War bounty award of 5000 acres on the Duck River south of Nashville no doubt fulfilling Col John Branch’s dream of an immense Tennessee estate.
Today we salute the service of Col. John Branch in forging the future of North Carolina and America. He is of the best examples of service to his countrymen.
By Dawn Branch King, November 2021.
These remarks were given by myself at a gathering of Branch, Bradford and Denton Descendants in Enfield and Halifax on November 12, 2021 at the Elwood Cemetery in Enfield NC just down the street from The Cellars, the Branch home in Enfield. The ceremony was organized by Historic Halifax and spearheaded by Jeff Dickens. The restoration of the Bradford-Denton House was celebrated and the day involved several events, one of which was to unveil historic markers honoring Col. John Bradford, Rev. Henry Bradford, and Col. John Branch. I hope this is a good summary of Col. Branch as his life details are hard to find. I did my best to honor his service. Note that I am not a direct descendant of Col. John Branch but a lateral descendant; John Branch I born in the late 1600’s of Isle of Wight Virginia and, his father George Branch Sr., (ca. 1637-1688) are our common ancestors. This is my text although I shortened it considerably when it came time to speak on behalf of the Branch Family.
The Branch and Bradford families were linked by marriage. Col. John Bradford’s daughter, Rebecca Bradford, was married to Col. John Branch and Rev. Henry Bradford was Rebecca’s brother.