Several years ago I learned of a lone grave somewhere in the hollow called Shanty Branch. Shanty Branch hollow is just off Williams Creek and KY SR 1654 in eastern Carter County KY. The historic coal mining community of Grant KY was at the mouth of Shanty Branch, where the #7 mine of the Ashland Coal and Iron Railway (later Ashland Iron and Mining) was located and produced from 1893 to the very early 1900’s. There was a nearby railroad platform stop at Grant for the Ashland KY to Lexington KY rail line.
In the 1940’s and 1950’s relatives in the Burton, Brainard, and Wilburn families, local to Shanty Branch, went up the side of a hill forming Shanty Branch hollow to decorate the lone grave of a relative called Seed Brainard. Ruth Brainard Burton (1915 – 1994) and her children George “Corky” Burton (1935 – 1996), Bobby Jack Burton (1937 – 2013), Lou Ann Burton Crace (b 1939), Janet Burton Amick (b 1942) and Ruth’s niece Clotine “Tat” Brainard Wilburn (1922 – 2012) and “Tat’s” children, Charles “Charlie” Wilburn (b 1937), James Wilburn (b 1939), Jo Ann Wilburn Fannin (b 1941), and Betty Wilburn Sturgill (b 1942) participated in this annual grave decoration. It is very likely other Brainard, and Wilburn relatives participated in decorating this lone grave. The grave was decorated with fresh flowers and colorful pieces of broken glass.
A few years ago I spoke with Charlie Wilburn, he indicated despite not being at this grave for several decades he was reasonably sure he could locate this grave. Charlie recalled some sort of earth excavation commenced on that hill several decades previously, likely in the 1970’s. Charlie’s younger brother, John Paul “Johnny” Wilburn (1946 – 1978), lived in Pickle Hollow in Shanty Branch and was concerned this excavation might disturb Seed Brainard’s grave. Johnny walked to the grave area and talked with those engaged in the earth moving initiative. They were constructing a crude narrow dirt road to the top of the hill that contained Seed Brainard’s grave, likely for mineral exploration of that general area. Johnny identified Seed’s grave location and the road builders kindly bypassed the grave.
On a delightfully warm and pleasant day, 5 Aug 2017, Charlie and I decided to attempt to locate Seed’s grave and get an accurate GPS assignment for this lone grave. I have been assigning GPS locations to the approximately 50 graveyards in the Williams Creek Basin. This was one of the last few grave sites I had not identified. Charlie was correct and after an hour or so we located the grave. The grave has no formal tombstone or other more obvious markings. It is only marked with a couple of pieces of local sandstone and some broken glass.
Image of Charlie at Seeds grave, note the lingering piece of glass at the gravestone.
Google Maps Link showing location of Seed’s grave at the Red Teardrop Marker, GPS 38.32285, -82.82381. Just click on this line.
I have not been able to definitively learn much about Seed Brainard other than the location of his grave. I found some very vague, undocumented info on Seed on Ancestry.Com. From chatting with Charlie Wilburn, James Wilburn, Jo Ann Wilburn Fannin, Bobby Jack Burton, Lou Ann Burton Crace, Janet Burton Amick, Polly Brainard (b 1955), and Randy Brainard (b 1953), that all had some recollection via family stories, I have gathered these tidbits that I have classified in two groups. Grace Clotine “Tat” Brainard (1922 – 2012) had noted in her copy of the published Genealogy of the Brainard Family that Seed was the illegitimate son of Martha Florence Brainard Branham (1863 – 1916). There was no notation on who Seed’s Father may have been.
Reasonably likely to be accurate:
- Seed was taken in when young, sort of an unofficial adoption, by the married couple Charles Brainard (1869 – 1961) and Ella Adkins Brainard (1874 – 1960).
- Seed Brainard was raised in the Shanty Branch area and moved away.
- Seed died when reasonably young.
- Seed’s body was returned to the Shanty Branch area for burial.
- Seed is very likely a nickname.
Possibly accurate, but no definitive proof:
- Seed was likely an illegitimate son of Martha Florence Brainard Branham (1863 – 1916) and possibly born in about 1884 in the Rush KY area.
- Seed’s given name was possibly Cecil and he possibly died in about 1907.
- When young, Seed may have been mistreated by relative Wiser Adkins (1840 – 1915), prompting the informal adoption by Charles Brainard (1869 – 1961) and Seed’s possible aunt, Ella Adkins Brainard (1874 – 1960).
- Seed may have been killed when a young adult in a gambling related row, possibly in West Virginia in about 1907.
- Seed’s body was sent to the train stop platform at Grant with only a paper document accompanying the body.
Many questions remain:
- What was Seed’s given name?
- When was Seed born, when did he die?
- What were Seed’s precise family connections with the Brainard or other local families?
- Why was Seed buried all alone when there are several other cemeteries close by, two Adkins cemeteries, a Davis cemetery, and a Lucas Cemetery?
A big thanks to Charlie Wilburn, James Wilburn, Jo Ann Wilburn Fannin, Bobby Jack Burton, Lou Ann Burton Crace, Janet Burton Amick, Polly Brainard, and Randy Brainard for their kind help.
Enjoy! Lon
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