Branscomb Genealogy - George Riley Branscomb

Branscomb/Branscum Genealogy

The Genealogy of
Richard Branscomb
of Brunswick County, Virginia,
and a Number of his Descendants

by Fred Tubbs

The Children of Henry and Elizabeth Branscomb:
George Riley Branscomb

Please check the Author's Notes for an explanation of the numbering system I use for identifying individuals within any family.
The line of descent for George Riley Branscomb is:

Richard Branscomb, the immigrant (d. 1775 in Brunswick County, Va.) and Sarah Proctor, parents of:
John Branscomb (md. Olive E. ___; d. 1821 in Wayne County, Ky.) John and Olive were the (presumed) parents of:
Henry Branscomb (b. ca. 1809 in Patrick County, Va.; md. Elizabeth Burris, d. ca. 1855-1864 in Putnam County, Mo.) Henry and Elizabeth were the parents of:

A(=10). George Riley Branscomb
Riley was b. 1 April 1854 in Macon County, Mo.; he d. 18 November 1937. Md. 9 July 1876 Helen Catherine Beerbower (b. 8 August 1858 in Queen City, Schuyler Co, Mo., d. 21 November 1927 in Newcastle, Wyo.). Catherine was apparently the d/o John Peter Beerbower and Cordelia Johnson. The IGI gives that parentage for Catherine, and the 1880 census shows John’s family in proximity to George’s.
During his early years George Riley probably was most often known by his second name. At the time of the 1870 census for Putnam County, presumably he was the R. Branchon, age 17, b. Mo., in the household of Jas Brasfield (p. 245, dwelling #314). He probably went to live with a neighbor, perhaps as an apprentice or laborer, at or before the time his mother remarried in October 1865. At least by 1880 his widowed mother was living in George’s home, and she was still in his household at the time of her death.
On 24 February 1878 George Riley Branscom gave a quit claim deed to Henry Taylor, and on 8 October Jas. Branscom gave Geo. R. Branscom a quit claim deed for the same property, in S20 T65 R16. These deeds have not been explored further; nor has Jas. Branscom been identified, although #38 James A. Branscomb is the likely candidate. By the time of the 1880 census George and his family were across the Chariton River in Schuyler County, Mo. The deed by which he sold his land in Putnam County to J. H. Martin was dated 13 October 1881: 35 acres on the west side of the NW¼ of the SW¼ in S28 T65 R16.
Following is the information for George and family from the 1880 census for Schuyler County (p. 57C):

Age Where
born Pa
born Ma
born

George Braiscomb 27 Mo. Ky. Ky. (Note spelling of surname.)

Helen

Dennis 2 Mo. Mo. Mo.

Fanny M 8/12 Mo. Mo. Mo.

Elizabeth Houghton 70 Ky. Ky. Ky. Mother, widow

On p. 56B was the family of John Bierbower, age 65, b, Va., his wife Cordelia, age 50, b. N.Y. and a number of children.
Riley and Catherine may have continued to reside in Schuyler County until after the death of his mother. The 1898 report of Elizabeth’s death in the news for Martinstown stated that she died “at the home of her son Riley Branscom east of this place,” and Schuyler County is east of Martinstown -- and all of Putnam County. Soon after Elizabeth died, George Riley moved with his family to Weston County, Wyoming. It appears that he may have been the first of the descendants of Henry to settle there, although that is not yet definite. On 31 May 1913 George R. Branscom obtained a homestead patent for 320 acres in T48N R62W: in S33, the SW¼ plus the N½ and the SW¼ of the SE¼; also the NW¼ of the SW¼ of S34. On 19 March 1920 he obtained another homestead patent, this one for stock grazing, in S8 T46N R62W: the W½ of the NW¼, the W½ of the SE¼, and the SW¼.
The 1920 census for Weston Co, Wyo., shows George R. and Helen C. Branscom in the home of their daughter Edna Jahrig in Plum Creek Township; see below.
Of the ten children of George R. and Catherine, the following information is known currently:

A1. Dennis Branscomb, b. ca. 1878, as shown in the 1880 census.

A2. Frances M. Branscomb (“Fannie”), b. ca. October 1879 Mo., Md. (1) Clarence Cain. Two children:

A21. Ernest Cain
A22. Chester Cain, died young of meningitis; said to be buried at the Newcastle Cem.

Fannie’s husband Clarence deserted the family shortly after the birth of Chester. Fannie md. (2) ____ Failor. Thereafter Ernest was known by the surname Failor. (Information from Jayne Hubble was sent to me by Marjorie Warren.)

A6. Harry Robert Branscomb, b. 1890 in Loup City, Iowa; d. 1955 in Newcastle, Wyo. Md. in Newcastle in 1919 Ruby E. Murrain(Information from Ernest Hiltz, relayed by Jayne Hubbell to Marjorie Warren.)

A8 Edna M. Branscomb, b. ca. 1896, md. __ Jahrig, who died before 1920. CEB names him as Albert Jahrig. The 1920 census for Weston County, Wyo., Plum Creek Township, shows Edna as head of a household in which reside her three children and her parents:

Age Where
born Pa
born Ma
born

Jahrig, Edna 24 Mo. Mo. Mo.

Evelyn E. 5

Ernest G. 4

Ugene H. 2

Branscom, George R. 65 Mo. Mo. Mo. Father

Helen C. 60 (blank) Mo. Mo. Mother

A9. Harley Branscom received on 28 September 1922 a homestead land patent for 320 acres in T48N R62W, located in Weston County: in S27 the SW¼ of the SE¼; and in S34 the NW¼ plus the W½ of the NE¼ and the NE¼ of the SW¼. This land was adjacent to the grazing land which was patented to George R. Branscom on 19 March 1920.

(CEB names the ten children of George Riley and Helen Branscomb as follows:

Dennis Branscomb, b. 1877.
Fannie May Branscomb, b. 1879; md. Josephena A. Failor.
Leona Branscomb, b. 1883, md. Frank Carter.
Della Branscomb.
Lucretia Branscomb, b. 1888; md. Benjamin B. White & [sic].
Harry Rob Branscomb, b. 1890; md. Ruby E. Murrain-Della Morgan.
Ethel Bell Branscomb, b. 1893, md. Monroe Adkins.
Edna Myrtle Branscomb, b. 189; md. Albert Jahrig-James M. Bohan.
Harley G. Branscomb, b. 1897; md. Florence Love-Lucinda Draper
Nellie N. Branscomb, b. 1901.

Note: The following named book is cited in the text by the author's initials, "CEB." Branscome, Cletie Elroy--"Branscom, Branscome, Branscomb, Branscombe." Laurel Fork, Va.: published by the author (1966).
See also:
Henry Branscomb, son of John and Olive E. Branscomb
Elizabeth Burris, wife of Henry
Children of Henry and Elizabeth (Burris) Branscomb

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