Robert Braden 1841-1906

This particular Robert Braden was the son of Joseph Addison and Virginia (Ward) Braden.  He was born in December 1841, but the exact date of his birth has not been found.  He was probably born in Leon Co., Florida.  I suspect he was named for his paternal grandfather.

The 1850 census (taken in November 1850), lists Robert as 8 years old.  The family was living at Manatee Settlement, Hillsborough Co., Florida.

In March 1854, Robert wrote a letter to "Dr. W. S. Miller" who was in Virginia (based on the contents of the letter).  This newsy letter is currently in the possession of a collector in Florida who was, when last we corresponded, interested in selling it; I can put you in touch, if you are interested in buying it.  Anyway, in this letter, Robert (who was about 12) wrote "Pa, Ma, Aunt Mary, Annie and myself joined the Methodist church about a month ago...."

Robert was about 14 when the Indian attack on Braden Castle occurred in March 1856.

Sometime after this attack, the family left the Manatee area.  By mid 1858, they were in LaGrange, Georgia.  The two girls, Anny and Jenny, were in school at LaGrange Female Academy.  If Robert was in school, I have not found record of it.

Robert's father, Joseph Addison, died in February 1859 in LaGrange, Troup Co., Georgia.  Robert was about 17.

It seems likely that Virginia and her children left LaGrange after Joseph's death and went for a time to her family's plantation, "Southwood" since Robert's infant brother, William, died in June 1859 and is buried in the little cemetery at "Southwood."

The 1860 census found Virginia, Robert, Anny, and Jenny living in the 1st Ward of Galveston, Texas.    This is currently the last record I have found of Anny and Jenny.

Robert is mentioned with Virginia on the 1861 Galveston Co. tax roll.  The entry says "Braden, VA by R. Braden" and gives her personal property as "32 negroes" valued at $2,400.  The 1861 Galveston Co. tax roll lists "Braden, Robt" as owning 32 slaves valued at $2,000.

Then in January 1863, Robert enlisted in the Confederate Army.  He appears on a Muster Roll of the 1st Regiment Texas State Troops, "drafted for the term of three months service, who will report for duty Jan. 29, 1863, conformable to G.O. 46, Hdqrs. 1st Brig. Texas State Troops.  Roll dated Galveston, Jan. 24, 1863."  Another record, dated 5 February 1863, states Robert enlisted (or was drafted?) as a private in the Confederate Army for 3 months.  His commanding officer was Capt. T.B. Stubbs.  He served in Co. B. of Drafted Men, Galveston Cty., 1st Brigade, General Thomas B. Howard,  Commanding.

An interesting side note:  this Robert's cousin, Robert F. Braden (1833-1877), son of his father's brother, Burr Braden, enlisted in the Union Army in August 1861 and served for the duration of the war.   Cousins, both named for their grandfather, Robert, fought on opposite sides of the Civil War.

Robert re-enlisted January 6, 1864 in Lake City, Florida for the duration of the war.  He was assigned to the Commissary Dept. at Lake City, Florida.  He was listed as absent without leave beginning Oct. 13, 1864.   He then appears on a list of Prisoners of War surrendered May 10, 1865 at Tallahassee, Florida.  On May 16, 1865, he was paroled at Madison, Florida.  On May 16, 1865, he signed an oath paroling him as a prisoner of war and agreeing not to bear arms against the United States.

On 4 January 1867, Robert's mother, Virginia, died in Jacksonville, Florida.  Her obituary states that she only had one surviving child, a son, so this must be Robert.  I would love to discover what happened to his sisters, but so far have had no success.

Robert seems to have spent the rest of his life in Jacksonville, Florida.  He appears on the 1870 census living with the family of Theodore Hartridge.  He was 27 years old (born ca 1843), a bookkeeper, white, and born in Florida. The 1876 city directory listed him as a bookkeeper.  He was boarding at 87 E. Forsyth St.

I don't find him on the 1880 census, but the 1882 city directory listed him as still boarding at 87 E. Forsyth St.  I suspect the census taker just missed him.  In the 1884  city directory, he is listed as the deputy city tax collector and a boarder at 87 E. Forsyth.  On the 1885 Florida State Census, Robert was listed with the families of Theodore Hartridge and Walter B. Clarkson at 87 E. Forsyth St., and shown as 40 years old.

In the 1886 and 1887 city directories, he was listed as the deputy city tax collector working at the corner of W. Bay & Cedar and as a boarder at 87 E. Forsyth.  In 1888, he was still living on Forsyth, but no occupation was listed.

In the 1895 Jacksonville Business Directory, W. B. Clarkson is shown at 13 E Forsyth and listed as an Agent for Financial, Land, and Loans.  This is next door to the place where Robert Braden was working as a house renting agent at 11 E Forsyth.  The 1899 city directory lists him as a rental agent at 211 E Forsyth and his home as 41 E Forsyth.  Vance's Business Directory says he was a Rent Agent at 211 E Forsyth which was the address of the Clarkson Real Estate Agency.  So it seems Robert was boarding with the family of his employer, Walter Clarkson.

On the 1900 census, Robert was still boarding on Forsyth Street.  The household was Susan Hartridge, widowed; Sue, daughter; Annie & Theodore Clarkson, grandchildren; Lester & Catharine Walson; Thomas Davis, boarder; Robert Braden, boarder.

Robert was still boarding with the Hartridge family on 3 May 1901 when the Great Jacksonville Fire destroyed their home and business.  He was found on a list of residents who lost all their possessions to the fire.

The city directories for 1904, 1905, and 1906 show Robert was still boarding at 401 E. Forsyth St. at the home of the Clarkson and Hartridge families.  I will not go into detail on the Clarkson and Hartridge families, but here they are, briefly:

Theodore¹ Hartridge, b. circa 1812 GA, d. before 1900

+Susan A.¹ (--?--), b. Aug 1829 SC

├── Madison L² Hartridge, b. circa 1847 FL

├── John E² Hartridge, b. circa 1850 FL

├── Susan M² Hartridge, b. 1856

├── Lea A.² Hartridge, b. 25 Feb 1861 FL, d. 19 Feb 1888 Jacksonville, FL

│   +Walter B.² Clarkson, b. 24 Jun 1857, d. 2 Jan 1910

│   ├── Annie³ Clarkson, b. 17 Jun 1885, d. 28 Mar 1967

│   │   +Thomas Frederick³ Davis, b. 24 Apr 1877, d. 17 Oct 1946

│   │   └── Leah⁴ Davis, b. 1905, d. Oct 1994

│   │       +Donald Mathews⁴ Merritt, b. 22 Aug 1891, d. 18 Apr 1970

│   └── Theodore Hartridge³ Clarkson, b. 9 Apr 1887, d. 21 Nov 1928

└── Augustus P² Hartridge, b. circa 1869 FL

Robert Braden died in Jacksonville, Florida in July 1906.  He was 64 years old.  Cause of death was "Hydro PeriCarditis."  He was single at the time of his death and seems to have never married.

On 21 July 1906, Robert was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville.  The lot was owned by Walter B. Clarkson.  Also buried on this lot: Mrs. Lea A. Clarkson; W.B. Clarkson; Charles T Chase; Theodore H Clarkson; Inft of W. H. Jervis; Mrs. Rose M Clarkson; Thomas Frederick Davis; Annie Clarkson Davis; Donald Mathews Merritt; Leah Davis Merritt.