William Fenton Braden, 1806-1832

William Fenton Braden was born 24 August 1806 in Loudoun Co., Virginia, the sixth child of Robert and Elizabeth (Stevens) Braden.  He seems to have usually been called Fenton by his family. He attended the Leesburg Academy and is found among a list of students who won awards in September 1824. 

William was still in Loudoun Co. in July 1828 when he attended a July 4th celebration at the Waterford Inn, Waterford, Virginia.  An account of the celebration and its many toasts can be found in the Genius of Liberty (Leesburg, VA) dated 12 July 1828.  And in June 1830, he added a post script to a letter written by his mother, Elizabeth (Stevens) Braden, from Waterford to his brother, Burr, in Indiana.  William wrote:

"Dr Burr.  According to your request your Bureau was forwarded to Fredericktown some months since, and I had hoped was on its was to you ere this.  Noble passed thro [sic] Fred.n on the way to Phil.a and was informed by Talbot that it wd cost $7.00 to send it to Wheeling, & in consequence he had not forwarded it.  Presuming that you wo.d like to have it, I shall order him to forward it, altho [sic] I fear it will prove a dear piece of furniture to you-  the wool is packed up with it-  The table co.d not be sent with any convenience-  It is probable you will not receive the Bureau until fall, as the water will be too low in the Wabash.   there is no news-  Hixon will be on in a few days-   Hector & Bob were well when last heard from   Write soon  Have you no goose-quills in yr country,-  you can make ink out of maple bark.  You have been extremely remiss &c                      Wm F. Braden"  

The next item I find for him is a notice dated 5 April 1831 that he was admitted to the bar in Leon Co., Florida.  

Just a little over a year later, on 1 June 1832, William died at Tallahassee from "pulmonary consumption" (tuberculosis).  He was 26 years old.  A death notice published 19 June 1832 in the Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, VA) said he had moved to Tallahassee about 5 years before (ca 1827) and had lived there ever since.

I have not yet found probate records on William, nor have I found the location of his burial.  I found one reference to his brother, Hector, as the administrator of the estate, selling land to the Presbyterian Church in Monticello, Florida, but have not yet tracked down any official documents on the estate.

So far, there is no indication that William married or had children.

Mysteries:  
Where is he buried?  
Where are his estate records? Can we find any other documents that fill in the life of this young man?


Copyright 2015 Sue Beach.

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