W. G. Bratten, Farmer, was born in 1823, in Smith County (now Dekalb), the oldest of two sons of Henry and Nancy (Givan) Bratton, The former of Irish origin, born in Maryland about 1798, and the latter of Scotch origin, born in the same State about the same year. The mother’s parents came when she was a year old to Nashville by boat after reaching the Ohio River, and where three weeks in cutting a road to Liberty, which was named by her father in honor of their old home in Maryland, as he was something of a leader in the forty families which came there. The father’s people were among the number, and about 1820 they were married, and in 1823 the father died. Joel Bratton, an ancestor, was one of the Mayflower Pilgrims. The mother afterward married Osburn Munlacks. Their three children were Mary, Sarah and Joseph. She died about 1831 near Liberty.
Our subject, reared by his uncle, and with little education, married when twenty-two, Caroline, daughter of James and Lucretia Groom, of North Carolina, and began farming in Cannon County. After eight years he sold and bought his present farm near Liberty. Mrs. Bratton was born in 1826 on our subject’s present farm and died in 1859. But one of their eight children is living, Thomas G., our subject married Martha, daughter of James and Nance (Branch) Young, in Wilson County, where she was born in 1832. Their four children are Annie, Nettie, Herschal A., (who has considerable artistic genius), Geneva and Minnie.
Beginning life with but a horse, saddle and bridle, our subject now owns a fine residence on his two equally fine farms of 300 acres, and is in vigorous life even at sixty-four years of age. Formerly a Whig he is now a Democrat; has been a Mason since twenty-two years of age. His whole families are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.