Elizabeth
Wright Braden was born in Loudoun Co., Virginia on 16 December 1813. She was the youngest child of Robert and
Elizabeth (Stevens) Braden. She was named in her father’s will (written
June 1827) and was only 13 when her father died in November 1827. Probate records from her father, Robert’s
estate, indicate that she received $100 annually from the estate.
She lived in
Waterford, Virginia, with her mother until after her mother’s death in February
1831 when Elizabeth was 17. After her mother’s death, she
seems to have lived with various friends.
In April 1831, she was living with the family of Thomas and Rachel
(Taylor) Phillips. In September 1831,
she was living in Alexandria, Virginia with William H. and Amy Ann (Phillips)
Miller.
Family
letters indicate that her brother, Hector, encouraged her to move to Florida to
live with him. Other letters indicate
that the family of her brother, Burr, in Indiana suggested she move to Indiana to be with them.
In 1834,
Elizabeth was living with her brother, Noble, and his wife, Mary Ann, at Eudora
near Waterford, Loudoun Co., Virginia.
On 11 September
1834, Elizabeth Wright Braden married Fleming Wilson Patterson Hixon at the
First Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, Maryland.
The marriage announcement in the Genius of Liberty newspaper dated 20
September 1834, states: "Married Thursday, Sept. 11 at the First
Presbyterian Church in Baltimore by Rev. Nevins, Fleming Hixon of Leesburg to
Elizabeth W. Braden, daughter of the late Major Braden, of Loudoun Co.." A notice in the Virginia Free
Press of 18 September 1834, gave the same information. Comments in the Braden family letters
indicate that Elizabeth and Fleming were married sometime between 30 August
1834 and 15 February 1835.
By February 1835, Elizabeth and her husband,
Fleming, were living at Harper’s Ferry, which at that time was part of Virginia. On 21 January 1836, their daughter, MargaretElizabeth Hixon, was born at Harper’s Ferry.
She was named for Fleming’s mother, Margaret, and Elizabeth’s mother,
Elizabeth. The family called her “Bettie.”
By 1837, the family was living in Leesburg,
Virginia. Apparently, Elizabeth’s health
was not good.
On 3 October 1838, Fleming, Elizabeth and Bettie
sailed from Baltimore, Maryland for Tallahassee, Florida. It seems the family thought Florida’s climate
might be better for Elizabeth’s health.
But on 10 October 1838, Elizabeth Wright (Braden) Hixon died aboard
ship. A letter from her husband,
Fleming, gives the full story of her death and burial. That letter can be read in my blog biography
of Fleming.
Elizabeth was buried on Great Stirrup Cay. The account of her burial is also in Fleming’s
letter. Here is a link to her
Find-A-Grave Memorial.
Notices published in the Genius of Liberty, the Alexandria Gazette, and
the Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser all give the same information: "Died at sea, Oct. 10, on passage to
Tallahassee for restoration of health, Mrs. Elizabeth W. Hixon, wife of Fleming
Hixon, Esq., Daughter of late Major Robert Braden."
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