Nathaniel Broughton, son of Edward Broughton & Elizabeth Ragan Broughton, married Sarah Benbow around 1800-1802, though no documented proof has been located. Sarah was also a South Carolina-native who was born in 1780 (according to the 1850 census of Monroe County). Sarah is believed to be the daughter of Richard Benbow, who listed a minor daughter Sarah in his will dated 1784.

[On a side-note: Sarah would name one of her sons Richard and one of Sarah's great-granddaughters would bear the name Benbow as her middle name.]

Nathaniel was on the Sumter County, South Carolina census in 1810, but he would not remain in his home state. He left what is present-day Sumter, SC area and settled in Monroe County, Alabama around 1814-7. Sarah Broughton appears on a list of charter members of the Old Salem Church, Monroe County, Alabama in 1817. Edward Broughton, believed to be Nathaniel's father, is listed as deceased in the same church records that same year. Also in 1817, church records indicate a Conference met concerning the baptism of several including Rachel and Mary Ann Broughton. In July 27, 1839, Nathaniel and Sarah Broughton were still listed as members on the church records.

Old Cahaba land records of Broughtons in Alabama list a Nathaniel Broughton in Monroe County on May 5, 1819 and an Edward T. Broughton in Monroe County on October 28, 1836.

Compiling information from a variety of sources indicates Nathaniel and Sarah had the following children...

• James R. Broughton, born 1803 in South Carolina
• Edward Thomas Broughton, born 1805 in South Carolina - married Rachel Winborne Walker
• Nathaniel William Broughton, born 1807-8 in South Carolina - married Ann Nettles
• Charles Richard Broughton, born 1810 in Green County, Georgia - married Mary R. Snell.
• Sarah Broughton - married William Brown
• Susannah Broughton, born 1814 in Alabama - married John O'Gwynne

One book written by a descendant shows Mary Ann ("Mary A. E.") Broughton as the daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah, born May 4, 1810 and died October 14, 1883 in Bucatunna, Mississippi - married to Jesse Cornelius Thames, a Baptist minister. But that same book quote another source Proud to Remember, by Kearl, that states Mary Ann is Edward Broughton's daughter and therefore Nathaniel's sister. Neither source gives documented proof of a connection.

For some unknown reason Nathaniel would head further west for a short time prior to his death. At age 82, he is listed on the 1850 census living with a grandson, Nathaniel W. Broughton (age 23) in Green County, Leakville, Mississippi. Nathaniel died in 1852. His handwritten will, witnessed by Walter Denny and Fasgeher M Leah, was filed in Monroe County, Alabama. In it, he left his wife Sarah, the estate of 4 slaves plus all household and kitchen furniture. After her death, the slaves were to be sold and the money equally divided between his two daughters, Sarah Brown and Susan O'Gwynne. His wife, Sarah died in Monroe County, AL in 1859. Nathaniel also left instructions in his will that his slave, Henry, was to learn carpentry and, at age 21, be given his freedom. Jesse Thames and Washington Aldreidge were appointed to remove the property and see "that the whole of said will be carried out" in Codicil dated June 23, 1852.

John Henry Broughton, was born December 28, 1773 in St Mark's Parish, South Carolina to Edward and Elizabeth Ragan Broughton. (William Ragan's Will, dated January 15, 1785 leaves part of his estate to "John Broughton, the son of my daughter, Elizabeth Broughton. On March 3, 1800, John sold the land, consisting of 208 acres to James Harkness for $500. The deed was originally recorded Sept. 16, 1800.)

Like his brother Nathaniel, John would leave South Carolina behind and head west. He moved to Georgia around 1802, eventually settling in the Greene County area.

John would have several wives. His first was Sarah Dye, with whom he had no children. John Henry's second wife was Mary Jerdine, with whom he had four children:

Mary Jerdine Broughton died in 1808 (during childbirth?) and is buried in Greensboro Cemetery, Greensboro, Georgia. Her headstone is inscribed with:

Her and John's daughter, Mary, is buried there as well. Her tombstone reads:

John's third wife was Margaret Wright, daughter of Robert Wright. To them were born the following children:

• Caroline - married William Carson on Dec. 23, 1835.
• Jeanette (Genette) - married her cousin, John Ragan Broughton, son of her uncle Edward Broughton (Jr.) on May 8, 1833. Following his death three years later, she remarried. Her second husband was Augustus Tarpley.
• Epsey (Essey), born circa 1817 - On May 22, 1838, she followed in her sister Jeanette's footsteps when she too married one of her cousins, Edward Broughton (III), who was the son of Epsey's uncle Edward Broughton (Jr.) and the brother of Jeanette's husband, John Ragan Broughton, .
• Letitia, who died in infancy.
• Sarah, born circa 1821 - married John Branch (born Jan. 21, 1830)
• John T., born circa 1817 - married Ann Americus Perkins (born circa 1825)
• Virginia, who died young.
• Lorena - married Courtney Peyr.
• Jacob Laurentine - married his cousin, Mary Cantey Broughton, daughter of his uncle Edward Broughton (Jr.)

The names of the seven children (who lived to adulthood) from John's last marriage are listed in his will which was reproduced in the Broughton Memoirs, written by M. Leon Broughton.

John is found on the 1850 census in Georgia at the age of 75. He's also listed in the Militia District 1854 Greene County, Georgia as "John F. Broughton" with 64 slaves.

Edward Broughton and Elizabeth (Ragan) Broughton's son, Edward Broughton Jr., shared his father's name. Some researchers say both father and son shared the middle name, Nathaniel, as well and that Edward Jr. would continue the tradition by naming one his sons the same. Unlike his brothers, John Henry and Nathaniel, Edward Jr. would remain in South Carolina where many of his descendants still live.

[NOTE: Jr. is added to his name for the sole purpose of maintaining clarity between father and son. It is not found on any legal historical records. Edward Jr.'s son, whom is also named Edward, will be referred to as Edward Broughton III for the same reason.]

He was born around 1778 (according to the 1850 census of SC which put his age at 72) in St Mark's Parish Craven, Camden, South Carolina. Around 1805, he married Naomi Cantey whose birth (if calculated according to her age given on the 1840 census of SC) was probably around 1785.

According to the Broughton Memoirs, census records and other sources, Edward and Naomi had 11 children listed as follows:

• Martha Broughton, born ca.1806 - married (?) Butler. She's listed Mary Butler, age 44, on 1850 census of Sumter District along with 3 females and 1 male; Laura, age 23; Samuel, age 18; Livia, age 12 and Mary, age 7. All born in South Carolina.
• Charlotte Broughton, born ca. 1808 - married Thomas Maples.
• William C. Broughton- no more info. except record dated Feb. 5, 1835 showing Wm. C. Broughton was witness to Edward Broughton's purchase of a young male slave from James Brunson.
• John Ragan (Ragin) Broughton, born ca. 1812 - married his cousin, Jeanette (Gennette) L. Broughton, daughter of his uncle John, on May 8, 1833. John Ragan died about 3 years later. His father, Edward and uncle, John Henry Broughton, were administrators of his estate, "bond dated November 21, 1836, citation dated November 16, 1836, Sumter conveyance Sumter Roll 2001 1-8-1839. 'John Ragin Broughton moved to Georgia and since died.'"
• Napoleon Laurentine Broughton, who according to father's will went to California - married a minister's daughter & had 3 daughters.
• Edward Broughton (III), born June 24, 1816 in Clarendon, Sumter Dist.,South Carolina - married his cousin, Epsey (Essey or Epsie) Elliot Broughton, daughter of his uncle John Henry Broughton, on May 22, 1838 in Green County, Georgia. Edward III died on Christmas eve, Dec. 24, 1847 in Clarendon South Carolina.
• Thomas Nathaniel Broughton, born 1818 - married Martha Starke on February 27th, 1844. He died June 21, 1874.
• Marie Broughton, born before 1820 and died young.
• Naomi Broughton, born ca.1820 - married James Lawrence.
• Mary Cantey Broughton, born April 10, 1823(1827) - married her cousin, Jacob L. Broughton, son of her uncle John Henry, in 1847. She lived in Georgia and then later moved to Arkansas. Records show a second husband by the name Phillip Agee. Mary died July 17, 1898 in Harmony Grove, Quachita, Arkansas.
• Jackson Jefferson Broughton. born in 1829. Note: Conflicting records from contributing researchers show two different dates of birth for Jackson. One records his birth as February 9, 1829. The other is September 2, 1829. He married on June 28, 1859 to Leonora Harvin, daughter of Charles Richard & Ann Tindall Harvin. Jackson died on August 23, 1890/1898 and is buried in Fulton's Cemetery.

Other notable facts: There have been Broughtons in South Carolina since before 1700. The late 1700s and early 1800s in Georgia and South Carolina are difficult to make Broughton ties because of lost records during the Revolutionary War and the migration into the area from other parts of the country.

Research information was submitted by
Mary Lee Barnes of Tennessee - a descendant of Edward Thomas Broughton Sr.
and
Herbert W. "Hub" Broughton of Frisco, Alabama - a descendant of Nathaniel Broughton