The family of which Mr. Branch is a representative is a remarkable one, consisting of nine children, -- seven daughters and two sons, all living. Mr. Branch is a native of Worthington, N. H., born March 2, 1821. His father, Elisha Branch, was born in the same house. His mother, Sally (Thompson) Branch, was a native of Berkshire, Co., Mass. The Branches were agriculturists, and when N. C. Branch was twelve years old his family removed to Ohio, settling in Medina County, where the father died in October 1856, the mother surviving until February, 1866. N. C. Branch gave all his time until of age to his father. At the age of twenth-three he married Miss Laura M., daughter of Uriah and Lydia Chappell. Mr. Chappell was a native of Connecticut, born Nov. 14, 1794; his wife Lydia (Marsh) Chappell, born in Massachusetts, Aug. 31, 1786. To them were born three children, Miss Laura being the youngest and only daughter, born May 22, 1825. When she was quite young her parents removed to Ithaca, N. Y., and from there to Ohio, where she was married to Mr. Branch. Her parents afterwards removed to Michigan, where both died; her mother Sept. 20, 1858, and her father, Oct. 17, 1863. They were the third family to settle in Medina township, Ohio, and settled early in Michigan, coming here in 1846, at the same time with Mr. Branch, who had worked his father's farm the two previous years. Mr. Branch settled on the east eighty acres of his present home, which was the first purchase, and to which he has added eithty acres, the last being the pioneer home of Mr. Branch's parents. Mr. Branch was able to pay but seventy dollars on his original purchase, then a dense forest, but now consisting of fertile fields, finely improved, and stocked with thoroughbred cattle and fine-wooled sheep.
To Mr. and Mrs. Branch have been born eleven children, of whom three are living: Ella J., born May 12, 1852, now Mrs. A. C. Jefferson, and residing in Livingston County; Dell A., born Aug. 13, 1863, and Archie E., born Dec. 5, 1865. They lost four children within ten days in the fall of 1858, seven deaths occuring in the family within three weeks.
Mr. Branch's educational advantages were those of the common school, with one summer at college. In politics he was formerly a Whig, now a Republican, and though his town has always been Democratic his interest in political matters has not flagged, and he has held the offices of justice of the peace and highway commissioner.
Mr. and Mrs. Branch are Congregationalists, Mr. Branch uniting with them when thirteen years old, Mrs. Branch with the Wesleyan-Methodists when she was seventeen. They brought letters with them from their respective churches when they came to Michigan, and, as there was no Congregation Church near them, united with the Wesleyan-Methodist, but two eyars ago both united with the Congregational Church at Williamston, in which they take an active interest. Mr. Branch is a deacon and member of the building committee, who are erecting a find church edifice to which they have contributed liberally.
Taken from:
"History of Ingham and Eaton Counties Michigan, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Their Prominent Men and Pioneers", by Samuel W. Durant.
Published by D. W. Ensign & Co., 1880.
Page 347-348
Sondra Higbee