Obituary - The Glasgow Weekly Times - Aug 19, 1885
Son of Thomas Bard Bransford and Hannah Little (slave). He married Parthena Coates, officially recorded on Dec 5, 1870 in Edmonson Co., KY.
From Mammoth Cave National Park Service: "Materson Bransford was the son of the affluent Tennessean Thomas Bransford and a slave woman. He was ultimately owned and leased by his own half-brother and began guiding at Mammoth Cave in the year 1838. Mat married a slave girl named Parthena and in time were able to build a small home for themselves and the four children that were born to them in slavery. As time passed the children grew and to Parthena's owner became marketable. Despite his best efforts Mat was powerless to stop his wife's owner from selling three of their four children into the very institiution of slavery to which they were bound. Suprisingly, some abolitionists of the day did not regard such an act as horrendous. In the early 1860's Mat guided abolitionist John Fowler Rusling through Mammoth Cave. Upon hearing of the orderal Rusling remarked, "I don't suppose you missed these children much? You colored people never do they say." Upon hearing such hurtful words, the heartbroken Mat was quick to inform him differently. After emancipation, Mat remained at the cave for the rest of his life. No doubt his eyes often gazed toward the old dusty road bed where his oldest children were last seen, hoping someday to see them return. There is no evidence to suggest they ever did."
Home in 1880: Edmonson, Kentucky
Mathew Bransford 50
Parthena Bransford 45
Josephine Bransford 33
Thomas Bransford 25
William Bransford 14
Henry Bransford 13
James Bransford 11
Lovel Lee 7
Next household, son:
Henry Bransford 31
Allice Bransford 29
Mary J. Bransford 10
Lizlie Bransford 8
Charles Bransford 6
Louis Bransford 4
John H. Bransford 2
Mathew Bransford 1m
Edward Hawkins 21
Son of Thomas Bard Bransford and Hannah Little (slave). He married Parthena Coates, officially recorded on Dec 5, 1870 in Edmonson Co., KY.
From Mammoth Cave National Park Service: "Materson Bransford was the son of the affluent Tennessean Thomas Bransford and a slave woman. He was ultimately owned and leased by his own half-brother and began guiding at Mammoth Cave in the year 1838. Mat married a slave girl named Parthena and in time were able to build a small home for themselves and the four children that were born to them in slavery. As time passed the children grew and to Parthena's owner became marketable. Despite his best efforts Mat was powerless to stop his wife's owner from selling three of their four children into the very institiution of slavery to which they were bound. Suprisingly, some abolitionists of the day did not regard such an act as horrendous. In the early 1860's Mat guided abolitionist John Fowler Rusling through Mammoth Cave. Upon hearing of the orderal Rusling remarked, "I don't suppose you missed these children much? You colored people never do they say." Upon hearing such hurtful words, the heartbroken Mat was quick to inform him differently. After emancipation, Mat remained at the cave for the rest of his life. No doubt his eyes often gazed toward the old dusty road bed where his oldest children were last seen, hoping someday to see them return. There is no evidence to suggest they ever did."
Home in 1880: Edmonson, Kentucky
Mathew Bransford 50
Parthena Bransford 45
Josephine Bransford 33
Thomas Bransford 25
William Bransford 14
Henry Bransford 13
James Bransford 11
Lovel Lee 7
Next household, son:
Henry Bransford 31
Allice Bransford 29
Mary J. Bransford 10
Lizlie Bransford 8
Charles Bransford 6
Louis Bransford 4
John H. Bransford 2
Mathew Bransford 1m
Edward Hawkins 21
Obituary - The Glasgow Weekly Times - Aug 19, 1885
Son of Thomas Bard Bransford and Hannah Little (slave). He married Parthena Coates, officially recorded on Dec 5, 1870 in Edmonson Co., KY.
From Mammoth Cave National Park Service: "Materson Bransford was the son of the affluent Tennessean Thomas Bransford and a slave woman. He was ultimately owned and leased by his own half-brother and began guiding at Mammoth Cave in the year 1838. Mat married a slave girl named Parthena and in time were able to build a small home for themselves and the four children that were born to them in slavery. As time passed the children grew and to Parthena's owner became marketable. Despite his best efforts Mat was powerless to stop his wife's owner from selling three of their four children into the very institiution of slavery to which they were bound. Suprisingly, some abolitionists of the day did not regard such an act as horrendous. In the early 1860's Mat guided abolitionist John Fowler Rusling through Mammoth Cave. Upon hearing of the orderal Rusling remarked, "I don't suppose you missed these children much? You colored people never do they say." Upon hearing such hurtful words, the heartbroken Mat was quick to inform him differently. After emancipation, Mat remained at the cave for the rest of his life. No doubt his eyes often gazed toward the old dusty road bed where his oldest children were last seen, hoping someday to see them return. There is no evidence to suggest they ever did."
Home in 1880: Edmonson, Kentucky
Mathew Bransford 50
Parthena Bransford 45
Josephine Bransford 33
Thomas Bransford 25
William Bransford 14
Henry Bransford 13
James Bransford 11
Lovel Lee 7
Next household, son:
Henry Bransford 31
Allice Bransford 29
Mary J. Bransford 10
Lizlie Bransford 8
Charles Bransford 6
Louis Bransford 4
John H. Bransford 2
Mathew Bransford 1m
Edward Hawkins 21
Son of Thomas Bard Bransford and Hannah Little (slave). He married Parthena Coates, officially recorded on Dec 5, 1870 in Edmonson Co., KY.
From Mammoth Cave National Park Service: "Materson Bransford was the son of the affluent Tennessean Thomas Bransford and a slave woman. He was ultimately owned and leased by his own half-brother and began guiding at Mammoth Cave in the year 1838. Mat married a slave girl named Parthena and in time were able to build a small home for themselves and the four children that were born to them in slavery. As time passed the children grew and to Parthena's owner became marketable. Despite his best efforts Mat was powerless to stop his wife's owner from selling three of their four children into the very institiution of slavery to which they were bound. Suprisingly, some abolitionists of the day did not regard such an act as horrendous. In the early 1860's Mat guided abolitionist John Fowler Rusling through Mammoth Cave. Upon hearing of the orderal Rusling remarked, "I don't suppose you missed these children much? You colored people never do they say." Upon hearing such hurtful words, the heartbroken Mat was quick to inform him differently. After emancipation, Mat remained at the cave for the rest of his life. No doubt his eyes often gazed toward the old dusty road bed where his oldest children were last seen, hoping someday to see them return. There is no evidence to suggest they ever did."
Home in 1880: Edmonson, Kentucky
Mathew Bransford 50
Parthena Bransford 45
Josephine Bransford 33
Thomas Bransford 25
William Bransford 14
Henry Bransford 13
James Bransford 11
Lovel Lee 7
Next household, son:
Henry Bransford 31
Allice Bransford 29
Mary J. Bransford 10
Lizlie Bransford 8
Charles Bransford 6
Louis Bransford 4
John H. Bransford 2
Mathew Bransford 1m
Edward Hawkins 21
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