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Edward Thomas "Tom" Broughton Jr. was born April
3, 1834 to Edward Thomas Broughton and his wife Rachel Winborne (Walker) Broughton.
During his childhood, he would move with his parents and siblings
from Monroe County Alabama to Ouachita County, Arkansas in 1842
then to Jasper County, Texas in 1847. By 1850, just in time for
the US Census a 16-year-old E. T. Broughton Jr was living in
Cherokee County, Texas near Old Larissa. Then about 1852, the
Broughtons moved to Smith County, Texas near Old Omen.
The following is an excerpt from an unpublished book written by Mary Lee Barnes in 1990 on The Broughton Family (Part 1, pg 27).
"It is stated in an article written in The Encyclopedia of the New West in 1881 that he was educated in the common schools of the country, but not being satisfied with these 'meager attainments,' he began to study law and classical literature and taught school. One family legend says that at age 18 he went back to Jasper to teach and, apparently, to continue his study of the law. In 1858 he was admitted to law practice and he immediately went into partnership with T. B. Greenwood of Athens, in Herderson County, Texas. His brother D. W. had already joined the firm."
The above quote is footnoted - based on the following sources: Broughton Memoirs by Milton Leon Broughton, 1972, 3rd edition, p 170. and from copies of Broughton Family Papers, Mars Collection from Shirley Frain, Tucker, Georgia.
Tom, as Edward T. Broughton Jr was called, married Mary Elizabeth Douglas (daughter of Rev. Alexander Douglas of Smith County, Texas) on June 6, 1856 in Smith County, Tx. The Broughton couple would have seven children: Born in Smith County, Texas were Sargeant Prentiss, born May 3, 1857; Tomie Margaret, born June 24, 1861; Salina Ema, born October 1863. Born in Kaufman County, Texas were twins John and James "Jim" Postell, born November 24, 1865. Born in Grayson County, Texas were Edward Thomas III, born December 20, 1868 and William Pinckney, born August 29, 1871.
Tom supported his family with his law practice which continued to grow steadily in Athens, but in 1859, he and his brother D. W. moved their practice to Kaufman, Texas where they partnered with another attorney, R. H. English. Tom even became a candidate for District Attorney, carrying five of the seven counties in the district, but then came the Civil War....
In 1861, shortly after the birth of his second child, daughter Tomie Margaret, Tom left his family and joined the Confederate Army, enlisting in a group called the Texas Wide Awakes which was organized in Kaufman County. He was on the muster roll of Captain Jack Wharton's company. Then records show became Captain of the 7th Texas Infantry, Company C, commanded by Col. John Gregg. The company mustered in Marshall and in October moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Tom would be imprisoned twice during the war. The first time was after his regiment was sent to Fort Donaldson, Tennessee where a four-day fight ended with the Confederate fort surrendering to General U. S. Grant. As a prisoner of war, E. T. "Tom" Broughton Jr would spend time at Camp Douglas near Chicago, Camp Chase near Columbus Ohio and Johnson's Island near Sandusky, Ohio. In September of 1862, he was taken to Vicksburg where on the 26th, he was exchanged.
After his release, Tom came home briefly to recruit and then in December 1862 he went to Port Hudson, Louisiana where he joined confederate forces to battle Farragut's bombardment of the fort with gunboats.
In a report filed in May of 1863 in the Official Record of the Union and Confederate Armies, Colonel H. B. Granbury, 7th Texas Infantry gives an account Broughton at the engagement of Raymond Mississippi. He writes, "I omitted to state that Captain E. T. Broughton, Company C, was among the last to leave the creek, having animated his men throughout the affair with his presence and bearing. He is among the missing."
Captain Broughton found himself again a prisoner of war at Johnson's Island where he remained for a year and spent some of his time studying French. While he was held prison, his wife would give birth to the couple's third child and second daughter, Salina. Also during this time Tom was stricken with small pox and became nearly blind. It was in this physical condition that he was again exchanged in May of 1864.
According to the War Department - Adjutant's General's Office, when Tom's wife, Mollie, applied for a pension, their report states Captain Broughton was paroled at Hammond General Hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland on May 3, 1864 and was received at Acken's Landing May 8, 1864 for exchange. No later record has been found.
One researcher says upon his exchange Tom was immediately promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment then commanded by Colonel J. W. Brown of Rusk. He wrote of the promotion in letters to his wife, Mollie, but apparently the promotion was never officially recorded. Another researcher, James McCaffrey, author of A Band of Heroes, says a General Granbury recommended Broughton for a promotion on August 10, 1864 just a few weeks after the Battle of Atlanta, "but the record is not clear as to whether or not the promotion came through." While records indicate Broughton resigned "as captain of Company C, 7th TX Infantry Regiment." he's referred to as Colonel Broughton in many records following the war.
Despite his impaired health, Tom would return to battle. He is said to have joined John B. Hood's Brigade and took part in those "desparate and disastrous campaigns." He fought in battles at Decatur, Alabama, Spring Hill and Franklin, Tennessee. During the Battle at Franklin, where 15 generals were either killed or wounded, E. T. "Tom" Broughton commanded a regiment in three days of fighting around Nashville despite receiving a severe wounded in the thigh. According to the book, A Band of Heroes, Captain E. T. Broughton took over command as senior officer after General Granbury had been killed at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee and "that the use of a Captain as Commanding Officer was highly unusual and indicates the condition Confederate Forces were in." After the army retreated to Corinty and then to Tupelo, Mississippi, the nearly blind and wounded Broughton suffering from "obstinate chronic conjunctivitis and general debility" resigned his command on January 16, 1865. He was granted leave of absence pending action on his resignation. General Lee surrended a few weeks later.
After the war, Tom returned to his law practice in Kaufman. In May 1867 he moved his family to Sherman Texas in Grayson County. In April 1869, the Sherman Courier printed an add for his law firm:
From a History of Grayson County we get this quote:
"The following are some of the attorneys who were residents of Grayson County during the reconstruction period: E. T. Broughton for whom Broughton Street is named; J. S. & George W. Porter, Bros."
In Sherman,Texas, E. T. Broughton Jr. ran for and was elected to the Texas State Legislature. In Members of the Legislature of the State of Texas from 1846 to 1939, E. T. Broughton is recorded as serving in the Twelfth Legislature under Gov. Davis and Lt Gov. Flannagan in: Provisional Session (Feb. 8-24, 1870), Called Session (April 26-August 15, 1870), Regular Session (Jan.10-May 31, 1871) and First Called Session (Sept.12-Dec.2, 1871). The record also shows him participating in the Thirteenth Legislature under Gov. E.J. Davis and Lt Gov. Don Campbell in: Regular Session (Jan. 14-June 4, 1871) "District 22 Sherman Grayson County and other counties in the district: Cooke, Denton, Jack, Montague, Wise, Clay, Young Wichita, Throckmorton and Baylor."
In The Encyclopedia of the New West the following description is given of Broughton: "Described as a man of fine appearance, nearly six feet tall, erect commanding, he was a man of superior intellect, strong in his prejudices, ardent in his attachments, bitter in his enmities, but gentlemanly in deportment, honest adn true inall his actions, an able lawyer, and eloquent advocate, an upright citizen and one whom his fellowmen delighted to honor."
Edward T. Broughton Jr. lived until February 11, 1874 when he died allegedly of a service-related illness shortly before his fortieth birthday. The following is his obituary as published in the SHerman Courier on February 12, 1874.
"Col. E. T. Broughton died at this residence in this city at 2 o'clock yesterday evening, from a lingering illness of several months.
"Col. Broughton has been in Sherman since 1867 during which time Sherman has had no more devoted a friend. He served with distinction as a Senator from the 22nd District in the Legislature since 1869 and had it not been for his bad health, he would probably have been re-elected to that important position. He won his military title by service in the Confederate Army, answering to the first call made by the troops, and remained by his flag he loved until all was lost save honor. He leaves a small family and a host of friends to mourn his loss."
He was buried in Sherman, Texas although, sadly, noone knows his exact burial place.
Research
information was submitted by Mary Lee Barnes of Tennessee - a descendant of Edward Thomas Broughton Sr.
and
Herbert W. "Hub" Broughton of Frisco, Alabama - a descendant of Nathaniel Broughton
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