Levi Branton, sometimes spelled as Levy was born about 1750 in England, VA or Washington Township, Beaufort County, North Carolina. His actual death date is unknown but it is thought to be in 1791 based on "A list of deceased Officers and Soldiers on whose Estates were granted in Beaufort County, NC (source: General Assembly Records Nov 1792-Jan 1973, Box 4, folder Misc). Levi's wife first name was Eli and she was born about 1754 in the same area. She died about 1814 in Pitt county, North Carolina. They were married about 1774 in Pitt county and had two boys. The oldest was named John thought to born about 1773. John died without issue at the age of 15 or 16. Uriah Branton, was born in 1775 in Washington Township, Beaufort County. In 1791, a bond was issued making wards of John and Uriah. Their guardian was James Williams. (Ref: Beaufort Co, NC Guardian Records, CRX series)

Levi's father is thought to be Samuel Branton, although there is no firm evidence at this time. Information in the Beaufort and Craven Counties Colonial papers seem to indicate they were related. Their earliest mention in North Carolina records occurred on 13 December 1773 when Levi and Eli were debtors of Colonel John McGee who died this date in Orange county, North Carolina (Ref: NCGSJ of 1975). Levi was a farmer until he went into military service in the North Carolina Revolutionary Army. He enlisted for eighteen months as a private in Colonel Abraham Shepard's Tenth Regiment, Bradley's company. He was paid 57 pounds, 2 shillings and 2 pence for service through 2 Dec 1780 (about $286)(Ref: NC Colonial records 1783,1882; NC Secretary of State, Treasures and Comptroller papers, V1,V2, part II, pg 286).

The nephew of Stephen Owens, age 51 stated under oath in 1820 in Beaufort County, he remembered Levi coming to his father's house in Beaufort County, North Carolina and enlisting under his Uncle Stephen Owens who was a recruiting officer of the Continental Line. He also stated that Levi had died while in service but this does not appear to be accurate based on later papers (Ref: Folder 325 in NC Archives). Levi is also shown on a document of a return of men raised in Beaufort Co, 1 Jul 1779 by Thomas Bonner, Col. (Ref: Beaufort Co, NC Genealogical Society Journal, Vol 2, Dec 1990, Nr 2, pg 14)

On 1 January 1782, Levi was given pay vouchers from the Hillsborough District for arrears of pay prior to this date for soldiers in the Continental Line.(Ref: GR 973.3456, pg 223). The voucher form was: By virtue of the authority vested in us by an act of the General Assembly, passed at New Bern, we hereby certify that the State of North Carolina is indebted to Levi Branton, private soldier in the Continental Line of said state, the sum of 20 pounds, 2 shillings and 8 pence, specie with interest (about $101) from the first day of August 1783 as appears by vouchers lodged in this office. Hillsborough, 1 May 1792 By order:___Clerk___District___Auditors___ If anyone can provide additional information as to Levi & Eli or parents of Levi Branton or other Branton's, contact me.

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