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James Lacey Branham

Our great grandfather, James Lacey Branham, was born September 21, 1841, in Blount County, Alabama, the son of William Branham and Arenna R. (last name unknown).

James Lacey grew up in Blount County. He is listed as eight years old on the 1850 Blount County census, and 17 years old on the 1860 Blount County census.

In 1860 or early 1861, William Branham moved his family to Searcy County, Arkansas. They lived near Leslie, in Wiley's Cove Township. A short time before their arrival in Searcy County, Lewis L. Branham had settled near Leslie. Lewis L. Branham was born about 1828, in Georgia, and moved to Alabama where he married and several of his children were born. He then moved to Arkansas, prior to 1860. His descendants changed the spelling of the name to Branum. We believe James Lacey and Lewis L. were closely related, but have no documentation at this time.

James Lacey and Lewis L. Branham both joined the 45th Arkansas Confederate Militia, Co. C, in November 1861, at Leslie. After the outbreak of hostilities in 1862, the militia was reorganized into an infantry unit. James Lacey enlisted with the newly formed 32nd Arkansas Infantry, Co. F, on June 16, 1862, at Burrowville, in Searcy County. (In 1867, the name Burrowville was changed to Marshall.) Lewis L. Branham enlisted at the same time as James Lacey, and in the same unit. They both enlisted for a period of three years, or until the end of the war.

Military muster records show James Lacey deserted at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on December 7, 1862. Lewis L. was reported as being left sick at a hospital at Austin, Arkansas, on October 9, 1862, and as having deserted from the hospital in November 1862. We have been unable to determine if James Lacey did desert, of if he was merely separated from his unit during or after a skirmish. It was a quite common occurrence for a soldier to move from company to company, as he would become separated from his unit in battle or in retreat.

The next record we have of James Lacey is when he enlisted in the Union Army on July 13, 1864, at Lewisburg, in Conway County, Arkansas, for a period of three years, or until the end of the war. He enlisted with the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, Co. I. His tombstone bears the engraving of the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry.

James Lacey's Union military records verify that he was born in Blount County, Alabama. The records describe James Lacey as 5' 8" tall, with blue eyes and light auburn hair. He received $100 for joining the Union Army, an enormous amount of money for a poor farm boy during those days. He received $25 when he enlisted, and the balance was paid at a later date. James Lacey was mustered-out at Lewisburg, Conway County, Arkansas, on June 30, 1865.

According to James Lacey's pension application, he returned to Blount County, Alabama, in 1867, after the war. Then in 1868, he went to Cherokee County, Alabama, then to St. Clair County, Alabama, in 1869. His application says he returned to Arkansas in 1871 (probably soon after his marriage) where he remained. (My sincere thanks to Dale Daley for providing me with a copy of the pension application.)

James Lacey married our great grandmother, Eliza Jane "Liza" Ausburn (Osborn), on July 30, 1871, in Cherokee County, Alabama. Liza Jane Ausburn was born January 1855, in Illinois, according to census. At this time we do not know the identity of her parents. Our aunt, Della Branham Williams, age 83, who is a granddaughter of James Lacey and Liza Jane, has said she was told that James Lacey and Liza Jane named their daughter "Renie" after both of that child's grandmothers. The daughter was named Sarah Ann Arenna Branham. Arenna was the name of James Lacey's mother, so if Aunt Della is correct, Liza Jane's mother was named Sarah Ann. This has not been proven, however. Oral family history relates that Liza Jane was part Cherokee Indian. We have been unable to document this, however.

Oral family history also relates that James Lacey and Liza Jane had at least eleven children, but only six of them lived beyond infancy. The 1900 and 1910 census records both show Liza Jane had given birth to 11 children, but only 6 were living. We believe the first child to live beyond infancy was actually about the fourth child to be born to the couple.

James Lacey and Liza Jane were at Leslie, in Searcy County, Arkansas, when their daughter Mandy was born in August 1876. When their next child was born in June 1879, the family was living in Crittenden County, Arkansas, not far from the Mississippi River. They returned to Leslie, in Searcy County before the birth of their son in August 1885. James Lacey was a farmer.

James Lacey Branham received a land patent on July 26, 1899 for 42.61 acres of land he homesteaded in Searcy County. The legal description is given as the "northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 26 of Township 14 North, Range 15 West".

The 1900 Searcy County census shows James Lacey and Liza living in Wiley's Cove Township, at Leslie. Their four youngest children, Will, Tennie, Frances and Viona also appear on the census.

In 1901, three different affidavits were filed on behalf of James Lacey, in an effort to get his Civil War pension started. In 1903, and again in 1904, two more affidavits were filed for that same purpose. Information contained in the five affidavits indicate that James Lacey suffered from epilepsy which was caused by a head injury. Two affidavits said the injury occurred when a stone fell on him while he was working in a well for a Mr. John C. Thompson in Independence County, Arkansas, in about 1880. Another affidavit said the injury occurred when he fell into a well. Affidavits from three doctors said he had a crushed or depressed fracture of the skull and it put pressure on the brain and caused the seizures. The various affidavits indicate the seizures occurred about once or twice a month and lasted about half an hour each time. The affidavits also indicate that he was left weak and unable to work. (My sincere thanks to Dale Daley for providing me with a copy of those affidavits.)

The family appears on the 1910 Van Buren County, Arkansas census in Culpepper Township. Will and Viona were the only children listed on the census with James Lacey and Liza Jane. The family was living not far from their daughter Tennie Sheridan and her family.

On October 11, 1911, James Lacey filed an application for his Civil War pension. His application was approved, and he drew $15 per month, beginning October 18, 1911.

James Lacey filed another application for his pension on May 31, 1912. It was approved and his pension was increased to $19 per month, effective June 14, 1912, and was to increase to $22.50 per month from September 21, 1916.

James Lacey died September 27, 1914, at Culpepper, in Van Buren County. He is buried in the Culpepper Cemetery. A Civil War monument marks his grave.

Liza Jane applied for a widow's pension on his military service on October 29, 1914.

Liza Jane appears on the 1920 Van Buren County census, living with her daughter Tennie (Sheridan) VanDusen and her family, in Culpepper Township. Liza Jane was 59 years old. This is the only census that says she was born in Pennsylvania, as were her parents. All other census records indicate she was born in Illinois.

Around 1930, Liza Jane moved to Hominy, Oklahoma, with her daughter Tennie and her family. She lived with Tennie the remainder of her life. Liza Jane died November 16, 1940, at Hominy, Oklahoma. She is buried in the Blackburn Cemetery, a few miles from Hominy, in Pawnee County, Oklahoma.