The Mountain Wave
November 12, 1897

Mr. James Bratton, of Leslie, was in town Saturday, shaking hands with his friends. Mr. Bratton is one of the best known farmers of the Cove, is always full of good humor and is a most pleasant and entertaining gentleman to converse with. While here he ordered the WAVE sent to Mr. S.E. Hatchett, of Vernon, Tex., and Mr. L.F. Bratton of Cleburne, Ark.

Contributor: Travis Holt (48272081) • [email protected] April 11, 2022

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Published in the Wave on May 28, 1915
Old Settler's Letter No. 6
HAND-TO-HAND ENCOUNTERS WITH BRUIN--ROCKED IN A TURTLE SHELL FOR A CRADLE
To the Mountain Wave;

I send you a little history of my residence in Searcy county. I was born in Hardin county, Tennessee, October 3, 1838. My father, with others, moved from Tennessee the same year to Searcy county and settled at the mouth of Spring Creek on Buffalo River, and made one crop. While living there I had forty shakes of the ague and didn't miss a day, and was rocked in a turtle shell for a cradle. My father had a pet bear and it would throw me down and suck my ear. My father left there and moved to the Cowen's Barren's close to Yellville, Marion county, Ark. and stayed there two years. He then moved to Wiley's Cove and settled a place near the old homestead, then bought the old home place where I was raised. I wasn't as lucky as Uncle Vol Williams was killing six deer in three shots. But when I was a boy I killed nine wild turkeys in one day with an old long rifle gun, and when I was going on 21 years of age I killed fifty squirrels in one day. When I was first married in 1859, I moved to the place that I am now living on, and have never been off the place, only when in the army just after the war I killed many bear and deer. The first bear I ever killed was in a cave located up what we called Happy Hollow. The cave is in Pete Adams' field. After this in the hills of Buffalo, I killed several bear by going into caves after them and running them with dogs. I helped to kill and cache seventeen bears one winter. My brother John Bratton and I killed a bear on Big creek by setting a pistol and wounding it, and John finished it with an axe. I was in one panther killing. I have gone into caves after bears and put the muzzle of a pistol close to their heads. I have fired as many as nine shots at a bear in a cave-in, have had them and the dogs fight all around me, and no further than eight or ten steps away. But I did kill one dog by trying to save him. I have saved some dogs by just putting a pistol against the bear's head and firing it. I am going to be 77 years of age and can still see how to shoot a rifle and find bees in the timber.
James Bratton, Sr. Leslie, Ark., May 18, 1915

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Marshall Mountain Wave - Friday, March 26, 1920

James Bratton, Sr., died at his residence in Leslie, Thursday, March 20, 1920. He was in his eighty-second year and had resided in Searcy County all his life, the family moving here from Tennessee when he was an infant. He had resided on the same farm in Wiley's Cove, and near Leslie, since his marriage in 1859. He married Dicey Hatchett, who preceded him in death fourteen years ago.

Deceased is survived by his widow and six children. The children are: Judge V. C Bratton, and Mrs. Sam G Daniel, of Marshall; Mrs. S G Thomas, of Leslie, N M Bratton and Mrs. Matt Sooter of Newell, South Dakota, and Mrs. Robert Shipman, of Oklahoma.

Mr. Bratton had been an influential and untiring worker in the Methodist Church since 1848. He was a Union soldier and drew a federal pension for several years.
Married (1st) on 2 October 1859 to Dicey Anah Hatchett, (2nd) on 29 August 1912 in Searcy County, Arkansas to Missouri Arkansas Hatchett, and (3rd) to Louisa Sanders.