Bio: Mrs. Venetia Brantley, Winn & Grant Parish
From an undated issue of the Alexandria Town Talk, found in the Cammie Henry
Archives, Watson Memorial Library, Northwestern State University,
Natchitoches, LA.   This was apparently written by Dr. Milton Dunn, of
Winn-Grant Parish, as he was famous for writing historical articles about
folks in the old days, and quick to recognize people for their good deeds and
publish same:
Submitted to USGENWEB by:
Greggory E. Davies
120 Ted Price Lane
Winnfield, LA  71483





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MRS. VENETIA BRANTLEY



Mrs. Venetia Brantley

Mrs. Venetia Brantley, recently deceased, was born on Saline Bayou, Winn
Parish, long before Grant Parish was thought of.  She was a noble soul,
daughter of Maj. John Waddell, a planter and gentleman of the old school.  He
had a fine cultivated mind, extensive reader.  He was of family of illustrious
Waddells of North Carolina and came to Winn Parish at an early day with the
Strong, Pearre, and Lyons families, who founded fine estates on Saline.  Maj.
Waddell found a Spanish family there who bore no name.  They went by nick name
of Prusettes.  Out of the romantic fancy of his mind, he gave them the name of
DeSoto.  Many descendants now live in Central Louisiana.  

Miss Venetia Waddell was of the class at Montgomery Academy taught by Mrs.
Huthnance that furnished many young volunteers to Pierson's and McCain's
Company, some of which fill soldiers' graves, died and killed in battle.  Adam
McCain, Wm. Alford, Albert Noble, Wm. Rogers, John and Ambrose Prather, Gova
Turner, all lost during the war.

Edwin C. Brantley, who she married, was a printer, by trade, member Winn
Rifles, 3rd La., a brother-in-law to Johnson J. Hooper, who was associated
with Moore in editing Montgomery, (Ala.) Mail.  Hooper was the author of
famous Cousin Sally Dillard, which was contemporary with Flush Times, Maj.
Jones Courtship, Thorp of Concordia, Tom Owen, the Bee Hunter, and other
humorous works which spirited our people in the antebellum days.

M. Dunn