Bios: JOSIAH BRADEN, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens
  
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      JOSIAH BRADEN,
  
  [p. 981] a veteran of the Civil War and a well-known farmer of Slippery
  Rock Township, has a farm of fifty-six acres lying one and a quarter
  miles east of Princeton. He was born near Harlansburg, Lawrence County,
  Pennsylvania November 8, 1837, and is a son of James and Rachel (Cotton)
  Braden.
  
  James Braden, grandfather of Josiah, was born in Ireland, and came to
  America shortly after the birth of his oldest child. They located near
  Coatesville, Pa., and later crossed the mountains to Mercer County,
  Pennsylvania. He died in that county and his widow in Lawrence County.
  
  James Braden was born in Mercer County, and attended the early schools
  of his home locality. After leaving school he worked on his father's
  farm and also learned the trade of a shoemaker, which he followed some
  years. He moved to a farm which he purchased in Butler County, near
  Slippery Rock, and there passed several years. In 1837 he purchased a
  farm in Slippery Rock Township, Mercer County, but which is now Scott
  Township, Lawrence County, where he thereafter lived until his death in
  1846. He married Elizabeth Maxwell, of Butler County, and they had two
  children, John and James, both now deceased. Mrs. Braden lived but a few
  years after her marriage, and he formed a second union with Rachel
  Cotton, a daughter of William Cotton, of near Pulaski. Both are now
  deceased and lie buried in Plain Grove Cemetery. They had the following
  offspring: Elizabeth, deceased; Mary, who lives with her brother,
  Josiah; Violet Amelda, deceased; Joseph P.; Eleanor S., deceased;
  Lorena, deceased; Josiah; William D.; Alexander C., and Rachel
  Elizabeth, deceased.
  
  Josiah Braden received his early education in Lawrence County public
  schools, and worked on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age.
  He then learned carpentering, which he followed some fifteen years,
  after which he worked in Philadelphia and the oil country for
  twenty-seven years. In 1878 he purchased the farm on which he now lives,
  made many desirable and needed improvements, and engaged in general
  farming, which he has since followed with uninterrupted success. In
  August, 1862, he enlisted, for nine mouths in the One Hundred and
  Thirty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served
  until May, 1863, during which time he participated in the battle of
  Chancellorsville and numerous skirmishes.
  
  Mr. Braden was united in marriage with Catherine Emery, a daughter of
  Isaac Emery, of Harlansburg, and they reared four children, as follows:
  William Harry, deceased; Frank E., who married Mary Linton, she being
  now deceased; John Wesley, deceased; James L., of New Castle, who
  married Margaret Zonna Taylor and has two children, Harold Clayton and
  Maurice Russell. Mrs. Braden died in 1876. Mr. Braden was a member of
  the local G.A.R. post until it was discontinued. Religiously he is a
  member of the Presbyterian Church.
  
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  20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and
  Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing
  Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
  
  Co. Histories <http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/>
  Updated: 12 Feb 2002