Samuel Lawson Braden and his wife, Clara Deitz Braden, came to Mt. Vernon in 1918 from Kentucky, where Mr. Braden had farmed. He was a druggist and owned and operated drug stores in Hamilton County. Both Mr. and Mrs. Braden were natives of McLeansboro.

At the time of his death in 1931, Mr. Braden was the custodian of the Mt. Vernon Township High School. They had two daughters;

1. Thelma, who married (first) Lester Moore, and (second) Edward H. Eby of Indiana; and
2. Doris, who married Moss M. Threlkeld in Mt. Vernon.

Samuel Braden was the grandson of William Braden (Bree­den), who for his services in the Creek Indian War of 1812, was given a grant of land in Spring Garden Township, Jefferson County. He was given another grant about 1856, for land adjoining his first grant, this one in Moore's Prairie.

His military record in the Tennessee Archives was under the name of William Breeden and his children married under the name of Breden; but possibly because of the similarity of sound, and because of the large settlement of Bradens at Braden Valley in Hamilton County, it became Braden and his land was sold under that name. William Braden sold his land in 1862 and moved "west" to a destination unknown. He had six children;

1. Elizabeth,
2. Andrew,
3. James and
4. John (twins),
5. William and
6. Dorothy.

Clara Deitz Braden was the daughter of Emma Jane Goodridge Deitz of McLeansboro, who was prominent in educational circles and a well known poetess. Her father was Lorenzo Goodridge who with his wife Desiah Damon, moved to Hamilton County about 1843. The ancestry of both can be traced back to the first settlers as early as 1630.

*NOTE* Some ommisions may have occured to protect living individuals.

"Facts and Folks A History of Jefferson County, Illinois"
Jefferson County Historical Society
Printed by Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, TX Page 97
Submitted by Sandy Whalen Bauer