This is a memorial based on actual birth name, that also points to his memorial with his pseudonym.

His family line: Ed is the son of ...
Merle Edward Branstetter 1915-1962, son of...
Charles Jackson Branstetter, 1885-1952, son of ...
Amos J. Branstetter, 1861-1910, son of ...
Jackson S. Branstetter, born 1838, son of ...
Stephen J. Branstetter, 1809-1882, son of ...
Adam Branstetter, 1784-1868

and some of his history comes from this source found online, where Ed is descended from the second son of Adam Branstetter, Stephen, who married Charity Jackson:

A PIONEER SETTLER OF PIKE COUNTY
Vandalia Leader, Feb. 19, 1915 page 3 column 2

ADAM BRANSTETTER, the oldest son of Michael Branstetter who was the son of Matthew Branstetter came from Kentucky in 1816 and settled on Lick Creek south of Curryville in western part of Pike County, Missouri. He married Rachel Suavley in Kentucky about the year 1907 and had four or five children before he emigrated [sic] to Missouri. He raised a family of fourteen children, nine boys and five girls. The boys names were Andres; Stephen; William; John; Samuel; Henry; Martin; Simon and Adam. The girls names were Polly; Elizabeth; Julia; Susan and Amanda. They all married and raised families.

Andrew married Minerva Scott and raised a family of eight boys and three girls. He lived near his father until about the year 1856 when he moved on the prarie [sic] in Audrain County and lived just south of Vandalia near where the new coal mine is now located. The place on which he lived is now known as the Graffort land. He moved to Texas County, Missouri in 1861. Seven of his boys volunteered in the U.S. service during the civil war and because he had seven boys to volunteer in the Army the goverment [sic] granted him a lifetime pension. Four of the boys lost their lives in the service, and three went thru [sic] the war, received an honorable discharge, and two of them are still living.

The second son of Adam Branstetter was Stephen. He married Charity Jackson and lived in Illinois for a number of years, but about 1866 he moved near New Harmony living there and in New Harmony where he died at the age of 72 years. He raised a family of three sons and four girls, namely Jackson; Mary; Ellen; Stephen; Amos; Tirissa and Emma.

The third son of Adam Branstetter was William. He married Mary Pigg. He lived and died in Wisconsin. He had a son Jackson and a daughter Mary.

John Branstetter, the fourth son married Dollie Henderson and lived on Lick Creek south of Curryville. He had a family of three boys and three girls. Julia the oldest girl married James Strother. Katie married Sam Green and Viola married James Steel. The boys were Henry who now lives in Oregon; Oscar who lives near the old homestead on Lick Creek, and the other son never married, but died about the time he was entering into manhood.

Samuel Branstetter married Sina Tombs and settled at the spring on the farm now owned by John Hagan. He had three boys Martin; Simon and Isom. Samuel Branstetter died and his widow with the three boys moved and settled the place where Will Maiden now owns and lives. Sina Tombs Branstetter, widow of Samuel Branstetter died on this farm. Samuel her second son married, had one child and died in New Harmony. The other two boys moved to southwest Missouri.

Henry and Martin Btranstetter two of Adam Branstetter’s sons went to California, married, lived and died there.

Simon Branstetter next to the youngest son went to California in 1854 and married there. He returned in 1868, lived in Wellsville, Missouri for a number of years then moved to southwest Missouri and died in 1912 at the age of 85 years, he being the last one as all the rest of the family had crossed over the River that seperates [sic] the seen from the unseen. Two boys and two girls survive him. One boy lives at Hannibal and one at Moberly. One girl lives in the state of Washington and the other in southwest Missouri.

Adam, the youngest son of Adam Branstetter, Sr. died in the U.S. service during the Civil War. He left a widow and one daughter.

Polly, the oldest of the daughters of Adam Branstetter married Amos Jackson and lived in Green County, Illinois.

Elizabeth, the second daughter of Adam Branstetter married James Branstetter, a second cousin in 1834, and settled two and one-half miles east of New Harmony on the place now owned by Pete Hanson. They lived there until 1859 when they moved to New Harmony where they lived until 1881 when James Branstetter died, after which Elizabeth Branstetter moved to Vandalia and died there in 1898. To Them [sic] were born fifteen children, three dying in infancy and twelve lived to be grown and have families. Eight are still living, namely William, James and Martha in California; Sara Gourley of New Harmony; Henry and Darrie Dye of Vandalia, Susan Wilson of Utah and D.E.S. Branstetter of Farber, Mo.

Julia the third daughter of Adam Branstetter married Sanford Pigg, lived and died on Lick Creek east of New Harmony where James Jones had his annual picnics a few years ago. To them one child was born, George Pigg of Vandalia.

Susan, the fourth daughter married James Lemons, who lived but a short time after they were married. To Susan Lemons one daughter was born. Susan lived with her father Adam Branstetter and moved with him and family to Wellsville about the year 1858. Susan then married Hiram Lewis and lived in Wellsville where she died.

Amanda, the youngest daughter of Adam Branstetter married a Mr. Manning and moved to California where she died.

This concludes a brief history of Adam Branstetter and family, one of the pioneer settlers of western part of Pike County, Missouri.

H.A.B.