Ephraim McLean Brank (1791 - 1875)

Born 1 Sep 1791 in North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Campbell) Brank — married 1817 in Muhlenberg, Kentucky, United States

Husband of Ruth (Beach) Brank — married 1859 in Muhlenberg, Kentucky, United States

Died 5 Sep 1875 at age 84 in Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky

Biography

Ephraim Brank is Notable.

Lieutenant Ephraim Brank served in the War of 1812
Service started: 20 Nov 1814
Unit(s): Kentucky Militia, rifleman
Service ended: 1815

Ephraim Brank was acclaimed for his exceptional marksmanship in the War of 1812 ^[1].

He married Mary B Campbell in 1817 ^[2]. They resided in Muhlenburg County ^[3][4]. He married again in 1859 to Ruth Beach Weir ^[5] He passed away in 1875 ^[6]

Research Notes

Of the many interesting gravestones in Old Greenville is that of Ephraim McLean Brank. Ephraim was a soldier during the War of 1812 and was the highly acclaimed ‘crack shot’ that helped win the Battle of New Orleans. That being said, his comrades spent their time re-loading rifles and handing them to him, one by one picking off the enemy. In a blog from August 6, 2019, I discuss this brave individual. https://kentuckykindredgenealogy.com/2019/08/06/ephraim-mclean-brank-kentucky-hero-battle-of-new-orleans/

Ephraim Brank married Mary Campbell in 1817 in Muhlenberg County. The couple lived in Hopkins County in 1820, but moved to Muhlenberg before the 1830 census, where they lived until their deaths. Five children were born to the couple – Tabitha, July 5, 1820 – November 1, 1894; Robert Garland, November 3, 1824 – August 21, 1895 in St. Louis, Missouri, buried in the Lexington Cemetery in Fayette County, Kentucky, married Ruth A. Smith; Mary Jane, March 26, 1826 – February 18, 1861, the second wife of William Henry Yost, died August 13, 1862, buried in Old Greenville Cemetery; Samuel Campbell who died young; and Louisa, married James M. Taylor, and who died 1884.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States War of 1812 Index to Pension Application Files, 1812-1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8CX-Z4C : 23 February 2021), Ephraim M Brank Or Brauk, ; citing military unit Pvt Capt R Crockett's Co Ky Mil Lieut Capt Alvey McLean's Co Ky Mil, NARA microfilm publication M313 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 840,441.
2. ↑ "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWYP-GLX : 11 May 2022), Ephriam M. Frank, 1817.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XHPG-7PS : Fri Jun 30 04:55:44 UTC 2023), Entry for Ephraim M Banl, 1830.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M65F-TJ1 : 22 December 2020), E M Brank, Muhlenberg, Kentucky, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)."United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZBF-L72 : 18 February 2021), Ephraim M Brank, 1860.
5. ↑ "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWYG-R5Z : 11 May 2022), Brank, 1859.
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70328072/ephraim-mclean-brank: accessed 02 July 2023), memorial page for Lieut Ephraim McLean Brank (1 Sep 1791–5 Sep 1875), Find a Grave Memorial ID 70328072, citing Old Greenville Cemetery, Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by D. L. Lee (contributor 47772418).
7. ↑ https://kentuckykindredgenealogy.com/2023/06/29/ephraim-mclean-brank-kentucky-hero-of-the-war-of-1812/

See also:

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephraim_McLean_Brank
• "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 ", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HR7L-MH6Z : 15 February 2020), E M Brank in entry for MM9.1.1/MVZQ-582:, 1850.
• Old Greenville Cemetery

Marker Number: 1609 Location: Entrance to cem. on Court Row, Greenville Land for this cemetery given to Presbyterian Church by Charles and Nancy Wing in two deeds, 1825 and 1826. One plot deeded by Jas. Weir, 1827. Trustees of the Church-Ephraim M. Brank, M. C. Hay and Alney Dennis-deeded cemetery to city of Greenville, 1874. Ephraim M. Brank, distinguished war hero of 1812, and other pioneer citizens of Greenville are buried here. https://history.ky.gov/markers/old-greenville-cemetery