Samuel Lawson Braden

Samuel Lawson Braden and his wife, Clara Deitz Braden, came to Mt. 
Vernon in 1918 from Kentucky, where Mr. Braden had farmed. He was a 
druggist and owned and operated drug stores in Hamilton County. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Braden were natives of McLeansboro. At the time of his death
in 1931, Mr. Braden was the custodian of the Mt. Vernon Township High 
School. They had two daughters; Thelma, who married (first) Lester 
Moore, and (second) Edward H. Eby of Indiana; and Doris, who married 
Moss M. Threlkeld in Mt. Vernon.

Samuel Braden was the grandson of William Braden (Bree­den), who for
his services in the Creek Indian War of 1812, was given a grant of land in 
Spring Garden Township, Jefferson County. He was given another grant 
about 1856, for land adjoining his first grant, this one in Moore's 
Prairie.

His military record in the Tennessee Archives was under the name of 
William Breeden and his children married under the name of Breden; but 
possibly because of the similarity of sound, and because of the large 
settlement of Bradens at Braden Valley in Hamilton County, it became 
Braden and his land was sold under that name. William Braden sold his 
land in 1862 and moved "west" to a destination unknown. He had six 
children; Elizabeth, Andrew, James and John (twins), William and
Dorothy.

Clara Deitz Braden was the daughter of Emma Jane Goodridge Deitz of 
McLeansboro, who was prominent in educational circles and a well
known poetess. Her father was Lorenzo Goodridge who with his wife Desiah 
Damon, moved to Hamilton County about 1843. The ancestry of both can be
traced back to the first settlers as early as 1630.


*NOTE*
Some ommisions may have occured to protect living individuals.



"Facts and Folks A History of Jefferson County, Illinois"
Jefferson County Historical Society
Printed by Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX
Page 97

Submitted by Sandy Whalen Bauer