V. C. BRATTON. This gentleman is the owner of a well-conducted mercantile establishment at Marshall, and is an enterprising and wide-awake man of affairs. He was born at Wiley’s Cove, Searcy County, July 19, 1860, being the eldest of a family of eight children born to James and Dicy A. (Hatchett) Bratton, who arc still residents of Wiley’s Cove, where they are well respected and have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.
The youthful days of V. C. Bratton were passed in learning the details of farming and in attending the common schools of the vicinity, where he secured a practical education, in every way sufficient to fit him for the ordinary duties of life. When still quite young in years he took up bookkeeping, and in 1886 was elected to the clerkship of Searcy County, a position he filled with marked ability for four years, and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned as well as to that of his Democratic constituents. He has been quite active in the political affairs of his section, and has been a delegate to a number of State conventions. He is a member of Marshall Lodges of the A. F & .A. M. and the I. O.O . F., in the former order of which he has held the office of secretary, and in the latter that of noble grand. In 1889 he opened a mercantile establishment at Marshall. He has conducted his business affairs entirely alone up to the present time, and owing to honorable business methods, undeviating industry and to the fact that he keeps an excellent line of goods and is reasonable in his prices, he has built up a patronage eminently satisfactory in every way. His annual sales amount to about $15,000, and he keeps constantly on hand a stock valued at $3,500.
Mr. Bratton’s wife was formerly Miss Nettie Greenhaw, a daughter of G. B. Greenhaw, a sketch of whom appears in this work, and he and his wife are the parents of one child, Una R. Capt. G. B. Greenhaw has been a resident of Searcy County since 1854, but was born in Tennessee, October 19, 1841, a son of James and Usley (Brumley) Greenhaw, who came to Arkansas at the same time as their son and settled on Richland Creek, where the father tilled the soil. He was an Alabamian, and died in Marshall in 1875, his widow surviving him until 1893, when she too passed away in Marshall. They reared a family of nine children, six of whom survive, four being residents of this county. The Greenhaws are of French descent, and some of the early members of the family took part in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Capt. G. B. Greenhaw was but thirteen years of age when he first saw Searcy County, and after obtaining such education as could be had in the public schools of that day he, in 1860, started out to do for himself. He was married in October of that year to Miss Mary Ethridge, a daughter of William Ethridge. In 1862 Mr. Greenhaw took up arms in defense of the Confederate cause, for which he fought gallantly and well until the war closed. He was on the Price raid and commanded a company in that memorable campaign. Prior to this, however, he was located with his command on Calf Creek and was a participant in a number of pitched battles. In 1868 he took up his residence in Marshall, opened a well-appointed mercantile establishment and conducted the same for about twenty years, during which time he also successfully carried on farming. He has ever been a Democrat sympathizer and is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has held the office of trustee, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and they are highly respected citizens. He has been one of the leading men of the county for many years, has been a delegate to various State and National conventions, and is one of the most public-spirited citizens of Marshall. His life has been a useful, honorable and prosperous one, and of him it may well be said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” He and his wife reared a family of seven children to honorable manhood and womanhood: Franklin P., Nettie, G. B., Mollie, Barton, Myrtle and Ras.