Stephen Brayton was born in Lower Canada, June 1, 1807. At the age of ten years he accompanied his father, Gideon Brayton, to Ohio, later to Michigan, Indiana, and finally to Illinois, becoming one of the pioneers of this state. Stephen Brayton, Sr., made his way through Chicago, then containing only a few log houses, and located near Rockford. He was married in Ohio to Catherine Coleman, a native of Pennsylvania, and in 1836 he removed to Rock Island county with his family. He first took a claim of eighty acres and afterward purchased an additional eighty, which he cleared and developed, transforming the wild land into a fine farm upon which he reared his family. In the meantime he entered a claim in Iowa, but afterward sold it, making his home in Rock Island county. His death occurred in May, 1882, but his widow still survives him and resides on the old homestead with her son.

The family numbered six sons and four daughters: Mary J., wife of B. F. Brown, of Dallas county, Iowa; Joseph, who was a soldier of Company H, Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry, and died at Shiloh; Stephen B., of this sketch; William, of Logan, Harrison county, Iowa, who served in Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry until the close of the war; Coleman, who was first lieutenant of Company K, One Hundred and Fortieth Illinois Infantry; Gideon, a member of Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry until the close of the war; John, now a resident of this county; Lucy Ann, deceased wife of B. F. Brown; Elizabeth, wife of James T. Sedam, a farmer on the old Brayton homestead.

(Source: Rock Island County Biographical Record, 1897)

Name: Stephen Brayton
Spouse Name: Catherine Coleman
Marriage Date: 27 Nov 1831
Marriage County: St. Joseph

(Source: Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941)

Name: Stephen Brayton
Issue Date: 20 May 1841
Acres: 80
Meridian: 4th PM - 1815 Illinois
State: Illinois
County: Rock Island
Township: 16-N
Range: 4-W
Section: 6
Accession Number: IL4350__.060
Metes and Bounds: No
Land Office: Galena
Canceled: No
US Reservations: No
Mineral Reservations: No
Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566)
Document Number: 4676

(Source: U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907)


Name: Stephen Brayton
Age: 40
Birth Year: abt 1810
Birthplace: Canada
Home in 1850: District 37, Rock Island, Illinois
Gender: Male
Family Number: 1810
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephen Brayton 40
Katharine Brayton 36
Mary J Brayton 17
James Brayton 15
Simon Brayton 13
Wm Brayton 11
C Brayton 8
George F Brayton 6
Lyman A Brayton 2
Emily Brayton 1

(Source: 1850 United States Federal Census)


Name: Stephen Brayton
Age in 1860: 55
Birth Year: abt 1805
Birthplace: Canada
Home in 1860: Buffalo Prairie, Rock Island, Illinois
Gender: Male
Post Office: Illinois City
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephen Brayton 55
Catharine Brayton 46
Joseph Brayton 27
Stephen Brayton 25
Wm Brayton 21
Coleman Brayton 18
Gideon F Brayton 16
Lucy Ann Brayton 14
Elizabeth Brayton 12
John Brayton 4
Harriet Coleman 22

(Source: 1860 United States Federal Census)


Name: Sephen Brayton
Age in 1870: 63
Birth Year: abt 1807
Birthplace: Canada
Home in 1870: Buffalo Prairie, Rock Island, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Illinois City
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Sephen Brayton 63
Catherine Brayton 57
Mary J Brayton 40
Stephen Brayton 35
William Brayton 31
John Brayton 15

(Source: 1870 United States Federal Census)

Name: Stephin Brayton
Age: 73
Birth Year: abt 1807
Birthplace: Ohio
Home in 1880: Buffalo Prairie, Rock Island, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Cathrin Brayton
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
Neighbors: View others on page
Occupation: Retired Farmer
Cannot read/write:
Blind:
Deaf and Dumb:
Otherwise disabled:
Idiotic or insane:
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephin Brayton 73
Cathrin Brayton 68
John Brayton 24
Mary J. Brayton 21
William Brayton 2

(Source: 1880 United States Federal Census)

*******
Parents:
Gideon Brayton
Ruth Brayton

Spouse:
Catherine Coleman

Children:

*Mary Jane Brayton (1833- 1914) married(1852) Hiram Andrews (1825–1880) then married (1881) Benjamin Franklin Brown (1844- 1888)
Joseph Brayton (1835- ????)- died at Shiloh
*Stephen B. Brayton Jr. (1837- 1928)
*William Brayton (1838- 1911) married(????) Lydia R. Reel (1841–1923)
*Coleman Brayton (1840- 1934) married(1864) Margaret A Hahn (1846 - 1935)
*Gideon F. Brayton (1843- 1895) married(1867) Almyra Bruner (1844–1927)
*Lucinda Ann Brayton (1847- 1881) married(1868) Benjamin Franklin Brown (1844- 1888)
*Elizabeth Brayton (1849- 1916) married(1867) James T. Sedam (1846- 1923)
*John Brayton (1855- 1933) married(1876) Mary Jane Sedam (1859 - 1938)