Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/130

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

Gravesend, below London, England, em- barked on the ship "America," June 23, 1635, for Virginia. Savage, in his "Notes," identifies this Thomas with Thomas Eroughton, of Watertown, Massachusetts, who before 1643 married Mary, daughter of Nathaniel Brescoe. He owned large grants and made purchases at Berwick, Maine, and Dover, New Hampshire, where he erected mills. His descendants settled in Mame, New Hampshire. Vermont and Massachu- setts, the Virginia family descending from the Vermont branch, the great-great-grand- father of James Marion Broughton settling near Norfolk in the Back Bay district. One of the sons of the settler located in North Carolina, another settled far up the West Branch, the third choosing Norfolk as his residence and there becoming a wealthy planter.

William Edward Elroughton, grandson of the settler and son of the Norfolk planter, was educated in the public schools, afterward learning the trades of blacksmith and ship- caulker, following both at different times. At the beginning of the war between the states he enlisted in the Confederate army, joining Paight's Rangers, and participated in the fighting about Petersburg. While in New York on business he was, in the par- lance of the sea, "shanghaied," placed on board the "Vermont," and was present at the battle of Mobile. William Edward Broughton was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, fraternized with the Ma- sonic order, and in political faith was a Democrat. He married Mary Pierce, and had six children, five of them sons, all of whom were at different times employed in the United States navy-yard at Norfolk. Children: Joseph, of whom further: Mis- souri, married John Tatum ; George Wash- ington ; Charles, deceased ; Morse A. : James M.

Joseph Broughton, son of William Ed- ward and Mary (Pierce) Broughton, was born September 16. 1843. After attending the public schools he learned the trade of carpenter, an occupation in which he was engaged until he enlisted in the Confed- erate army, becoming a member of Marion's Rifles, afterward the Virginia Rifles. Not long after his enlistment he was raised to the rank of corporal, and so served for three years and three months, his service ending with the close of the war. Returning from

the front he again took up work at his trade, being so occupied for ten years, when he changed his calling to that of ship joiner, obtaining employment in the Norfolk navy- yard, where his skillful ability soon won him high favor. His years in the navy-yard now number twenty-six, a period that in- cludes nothing but the most faithful service, the most competent discharge of duty. Dur- ing the yellow fever plague of 1855 he was stricken with the dread disease, and is one of two who were the only ones to recover after arriving at what are usually the last stages of the sickness. He was at one time superintendent of the almshouse and was also department sergeant. Joseph Brough- ton is a communicant of the Methodist Epis- co])al church, and is a sympathizer with Socialistic principles.

Joseph Broughton married, April 4, 1867, Sarah E. Brewer, born September 10, 1848, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Sparks) Brewer, of North Carolina, and has chil- dren: I. Joseph Frank, born March 9, 1868; married, March 2, 1888, Annie M. Lawman, and has a daughter, Mary, born in March, 1889, married, in November, 191 1, Clyde Miller. 2. Robert Edward Lee, born June 9. 1870, died January 9, 1872. 3. James Marion, of whom further. 4. Edward Powell, born June 17, 1878; married (first) August 20, 1900, Nellie King, born Novem- ber 29, 1882, died February 13, 1913, (sec- ond) February 25. 1914, Ruth McCoy, born September 7, 1896. 5. Liel Augustus, twin of Edward Powell, married, April 4, 1899, Mary S. Journee. and has : Charles Edward, born July 14, 1900, Liel Augustus Jr., born February 20, 1902, Joseph Nathaniel Epps, born October 14, 1906, William Henry, born February 2, 1908, and Dorothy Lewis, born November 26, 191 1. 6. Rosa Mildred, born June 16, 1889; married, April 4, 1908, John Kiel, and has John Joseph, born July 4, 191 1, and James Broughton. born April 10, 1914.

James Marion Broughton, third child and son of the six children of Joseph and Sarah E. (Brewer) Broughton, was born in Ports- mouth, Virginia. January 20, 1873. After a course in the academy taught by Profes- sor George Stokes, he attended the public schools, and as a youth of seventeen years apprenticed himself to the ship-joiner's trade in the United States navy-yard, which he mastered. The next few years he spent in