It took a bit to verify that Jonah Richards Broughton Sr (1815-1878) is my 3rd great-grandfather and the son of my 4th great-grandfather Zephon W. Broughton (1791-1856) but I have verified it. I want to share here what information I have found about his life. (Hoping to find more.)

I hit a brick wall on the Broughton line of my ancestry for many years, stuck at my great-grandfather Oren Oliver Broughton (1872-1947) . I often wondered how Oren came to be born in Clay County Kansas. Piecing together Jonah’s life (he died and is buried in Clay County Kansas) has given me clues as to how I can now strongly surmise how Oren was born in Kansas. More on that later.

Johan Richards Broughton Sr, from what I learned lived an interesting life. He was born 5 December 1815 in Silver Springs NY to Zephon W. Broughton (1791-1856) & Elizabeth Warriner (1793-1863) both came from Rutland County, Vermont.

He married Temperance Udell Sturgis (1824-1863) on 11 February 1841 in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. They had the following children together:

• William Henry Broughton (1842-1899)
• Mary Jane Broughton (1843-1942)
• Jonah Richards Broughton Jr (1845-1864)
• Samuel Kelog Broughton (1847-1916) who is my second great-grandfather
• Angeline Broughton (1849-1866)
• Orren Oliver Broughton (1851-1928)
• Mortimer P. Broughton (1853-1854)
• Lucy Jeanette Broughton (1856-1926)
• James A. Broughton (1860-1931)
  

At age 46 (they have him listed as age 40, he must have lied about his ole age 😎 ) my 3rd great-grandfather volunteered for the US Civil War on the side of Union. He signed up to join the 111th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers Company B (roster) as a Corporal on 20 November 1861 in Warren, PA. The 111th mustered out from Erie, PA on the 9th of December 1861. On the 16th of May 1862 he was discharged in Baltimore, MD via a surgeons certificate because of disability. During that 5 months of service the 111th he missed all the battles that the 111th would eventual fight.

But that did not end the trials of the Civil war for Jonah. Two of his sons also volunteered to fight for the Union.

His second born son, my 2nd great-uncle Jonah Richards Broughton Jr (1845-1864) also signed up with his dad to join up with the 111th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers Company B (roster) as a Private.

The 111th fought many bloody battles and lost many men. Jonah Jr survived the Battles of Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain and other battles after in the pursuit of Lee down south.

Sadly he was killed at the Battle at Dallas, GA on 31 May 1864. He is buried in Marietta National Cemetery Marietta, Georgia.

(The 111th Battles fought.) (The 111th memorial at Gettysburg.) There is much informational available online about the 111th and I will make a future post on it.

Jonah Sr’s 1st born son William Henry Broughton (1842-1899) also fought in the US Civil War. He was a Sergeant for the 145th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers Company F. He mustered into service on 2 August 1862 and mustered out with the Company on 31 May 1865 when the Company ended their service. He fought in all the Battles the 145th fought. During the Battle of Gettysburg the 145th fought in the Wheatfield and Rose Woods locations, that on day two saw some of the bloodiest fighting of the entire three day battle. The 145th Gettysburg Monument is located in the Rose Woods area of the battlefield. The 145th fought many bloody battles and lost many men. It is amazing to me that William my 2nd great-uncle survived them all. More will be presented here on the 145th in a future blog post.

I could not imagine Jonah Sr must as felt at this time with two of his sons fighting at the same time at the Battle of Gettysburg. Jonah Jr with 111th at Culps Hill and William with the 145th at the Wheatfield Rose Woods area.

Back to the mystery of how my great-grandfather Oren Oliver (who was named after his uncle, the 4th born son of Jonah Sr) came to be born in Clay County Kansas. I often wondered if his father Samuel Kelog Broughton (3rd born son of Jonah Sr) was a homesteader. Turns out that after the US Civil war is was William Henry Broughton who became a homesteader. He was successful at it too.

I surmise that William invited his brother Samuel Kelog to move out went with him. A census record later shows this to be true. Thus my great-grandfather being born there in Clay County Kansas in 1872. Sam did not stay long in Kansas as he moved back to Crawford County PA. I have a trip planned next week to visit my 2nd great-grandfather Samuel Kelog’s grave in Pittsfield, Warren County PA.

I am working on a project of looking at numerous Census records to chart the often moves of Jonah Richards Broughton Sr. I can surmise his son William encouraged him to move to Clay County Kansas to live on his farm towards the end of his life. William had 300 acres of land he homesteaded.

Not much more is know about Jonah Richards Broughton Sr. I keep looking. Hoping some day a photo of him can be acquired. If you have more information about him I would love to hear from you. Please do shoot me an E-mail!