This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Bratton-Wood-Miller-Mitchell-Hitt-Askin-Jett-Browning-Holtzclaw-Douglas Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/FdF.2ACEB/349 Message Board Post: There is a large binder of tons of painstaking research on the Bratton family to be found in the Robertson County, KY public library in their genealogy section. Much of it was done painstakingly by hand/snailmail/ etc. There is a wealth of information in it sitting patiently waiting to be consulted. Here is but a little that I transcribed as the copier was down and I don't have a scanner. I copied and pasted it from a letter I wrote to my great aunt 7/07/2004: "There was a great deal of research in the BrattonBig Red Book as it is often referred to in cc of letters exchanged by Bratton’s descendants. Most of the information within it is older, the cc’s of letters on onionskin carbon paper. I have to respect the researcher for painstaking, dogged letter-writing and travel to research the references and records. Apparently, from this research, our first Bratton was an O’Bratten from Northern Ireland. The researcher has it listed as Autrin. I haven’t checked to see if there is an Autrin just yet. (I suspect the writer might be referring to County Antrim, in Northern Ireland.) There is allegedly a record of a John Bratton who settled on Pocomoke Creek, MD circa 1664. I didn’t see any further reference to him that pertained to us so I’ll have to try to follow that up later. This research reflects the line to start at Andrew Bratton, b ca. 1686/1690 in Autrin, Ireland. His children were: Robert Bratton b. 1712 Ireland, married an Ann McFarland Dunlap of VA. He allegedly had a son, James Bratton, b 1746 who wed a Rebecca Hogstead. They migrated to Clark Cnty, Ky. and on to “Walnut Twp, IN” (no county listed). James Brattton b. 1714 in Ireland, married an Elizabeth Graham. He allegedly “went to Kentucky with his children.” I suspect he went as an older man if you look at the birth date. This seems to be who the researcher suspects was responsible for the Mason/Robertson/Bracken line of Brattons. Sammuel Bratton, b. 1716 Ireland. Went to Pennsylvania. William Bratton. b 1718 Ireland. Allegedly mentioned in Draper Manuscripts and possibly killed in French and Indian War. There is a copy of the Draper Manuscripts here in the Batavia, Clermont County Library, so here is another project for me! There is a James B. Bratton on the Bourbon County (KY)Tax Lists for 1792, 1794, 1796, 1797, and 1799. There is also a James B. Bratton living in Clark County, Ky. 6/18/1796 on Peyton’s Lick of the Hinkston Fork of the Licking River. The 1810 Mason County KY Census had a James B. Bratton. The dates they have for our John Bratton that married Nancy Hitt are b. 10/06/1791 d. 4/10/1846. This is my transcription of the marriage bond: "Know by all Men by these Presents That we John Bratton and Aaron Hitt are held firmly unto the Commonwealth of Kentuck in the penal sum of 50 pounds current money, for the payment of which well and truly be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, or administrators jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated the 7th day of February 1818. The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas a marriage is intended to be had and solemnized between the said Jno Bratton and Nancy Hitt. Now if there is no legal cause to obstruct the same, then the above obligation to be void, else to remain in full force and virtue." signed "John Bratton" with a circle with what look like his initials and "A.Hitt" with a circle and what appear to be his initials.