WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
JAMES BENNETT BRACKEN, SR.
(pioneer settler of St. George and Pine Valley)
BIOGRAPHY
James Bennett Bracken, Sr. was born on January 14, 1816 in Colerain Heights, Hamilton County, Ohio.Sarah Head was born February 15, 1817 in Howard County, Missouri.
James married Elizabeth Ann "Betsy" Fawcett in September 1837 in Caldwell County, Missouri.
Betsy died on February 12, 1842.
James married Sarah Head on April 23, 1843 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois.
In 1852, James and his family crossed the plains with an oxcart in the Thomas C.D. Howell Company,
arriving in Salt Lake City in September of 1852. They settled in Payson for a while.
The Bracken family was sent to St. George in 1861. Two years later, they moved to Pine Valley where they
pioneered and spent the rest of their lives. James farmed, raised stock, and was a shingle maker. He was
very active in civic and religious affairs. James was the Superintendent of the Sunday School in Pine Valley.
The family would spend their winters in St. George.
James died on March 31, 1900 in Panguitch, Garfield County, Utah while visiting at the home of his daughter,
Martha. He was taken back and buried in Block 2, Lot 26 of the Pine Valley Cemetery.
Sarah died on July 4, 1901 in Pine Valley and was also buried in the Pine Valley Cemetery.
FAMILY
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James' Parents and Siblings:
Levi Bracken Elizabeth Clark Bracken Mary Ann Bracken Hannah Marie Bracken James Bennett Bracken, Sr. William Bracken Martha Ruth Bracken Lucretia Charlotte Bracken Matilda Bracken Elizabeth Ann Bracken |
(3/13/1792-8/1/1852) (married xx/xx/~1810) (10/24/1790-6/14/1876) (xx/xx/1811-xx/xx/1855) (married Luther C. Ramsay) (xx/xx/1814-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Levi P. Tomlin) (1/14/1816-3/31/1900) (married Sarah Head) (xx/xx/1818-xx/xx/1818) (1/14/1820-12/4/1914) (married James Thomas Hampton) (12/6/18231-8/26/1893) (married William Bailey Maxwell) (4/19/18241-5/10/1855) (married James McLean McFate) (10/30/1828-7/6/1915) (married Dabney Uel Keele) |
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Sarah's Parents and Siblings:
Anthony Head Catherine Maggard Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
(xx/xx/1792-xx/xx/1852) (married xx/xx/xxxx) (xx/xx/1790-xx/xx/1876) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) |
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First Wife and Children: Elizabeth Ann Fawcett Bracken Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
(xx/xx/xxxx-2/12/1842) (married 9/xx/1837) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) |
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Second Wife and Children: Sarah Head Bracken Martha Ann Bracken James Bennett Bracken, Jr. William Albert Bracken Levi Clarence Bracken Norvil Extine Bracken Orlando Henry Bracken Marcellus Edward Bracken |
(2/15/1817-7/4/1901) (married 4/21or23/1843) (2/10/1844-6/20/1920) (married Cyrus Mortimer Hancock) (9/4/1845-1/19/1918) (married Marian Whipple) (3/2/1848-5/23/1940) (married Clarissa Jane "Clara" Burgess) (6/2/1850-4/11/1855) (2/8/1852-1/5/1853) (3/9/1854-4/1/1942) (married Martha Ann Mathews) (6/8/1857-10/20/1954) (married Janet McMurtrie) |
PHOTOS
 James B. Bracken, Sr. |
 James B. Bracken, Sr. |
 Sarah H. Bracken |
REFERENCES
Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel entry for James Bennett Bracken Sr. and familyJames Bennett Bracken
By El Reva Clayton Hess (a great granddaughter), August 11, 1964
My Great, Greats in Washington County 1854-1863: A Talk by Ron Bracken
Stories about James B. Bracken Sr. start at 35:10 into the 58-minute talk.
Find-A-Grave entry for James Bennett Bracken, Sr
Geni entry for James Bennett Bracken Sr
Find-A-Grave entry for Sarah Head Bracken