History of Wayne County, Indiana;
Volume II, (1884)
City of Richmond
p. 156, 157 & 158

Thaddeus W. O. Braffett, Auditor Wayne County, Ind., was born in Bradford County, Pa., April 12, 1829, a son of Alfred and Eliza (Long) Braffett, his father a native of Pennsylvania, of French descent, and his mother a native of Vermont, of English descent. In 1831 his parents removed to Ohio, settling near old Fort Black, built as such by General William Henry Harrison, near New Madison, Darke Co., Ohio; subsequently moved to Braffettsville in the same county, and in 1839 removed to New Paris, Preble Co., Ohio, where his father died in the year 1865, and where is mother still lives, now in the eightieth year of her age. Our subject is the second of five children. He received a commercial school education and followed merchandising with his father until the year 1855. In 1857, having lost his wife, he went to California and spent three years in the mining interest, returning in 1860. In January, 1861, he went to Geneseo, Ill., taking charge of a wholesale and retail drygoods and agricultural house. When the first gun was fired on Fort Sumter, he at once offered his service to the Government as a private soldier and enlisted in Company B, Ninth Illinois Cavalry; was promoted to Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain of his company. The regiment went into camp at Camp Douglas, Ill.; from there to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Mo., and later was ordered to Pilot Knob, Mo., where his regiment was first engaged in battle with the guerrilla bands of the Rebel Colonel Pickett; the regiment, with others of infantry, was placed under the command of General Steele, and took up marching orders to join General Frank Siegel at Pea Ridge, but with guerrilla bands and bushwhackers in front impeding the march, the battle of Pea Ridge was fought before General Steele's arrival. They were then ordered to Jacksonsport, Ark., where, after its arrival, communication was cut off by the rebels, but the timely arrival of General Curtis's command from Pea Ridge relieved them from all being captured as prisoners of war. Under General Curtis the command was ordered to Little Rock, Ark., having to fight their way all along the line of march for two weeks. With superior numbers of rebels in front, the line of march was changed to Helena, on the Mississippi River. From constant exposure, forward marches and attacks by guerrilla banks in front and rear, the little army of General Curtis was badly cut to pieces. On arriving at Helena they went into camp on the low grounds and disease easily took hold of the men, and of those left, one-third of Captain Braffett's company died. After two months in camp, the regiment was ordered to Memphis, Tenn., Captain Braffett contracting the malaria disease that carried so many of his company to death; laid at Helena for two months almost dead, but rallied sufficiently to return to his home, then at New Paris, Ohio. After a short furlough he again returned to his regiment, but the old disease again took hold of him and prostrated him lower than ever. On account of this disability, he reluctantly tended his resignation. He was discharged in January, 1863, returning to his home, then in Richmond. In 1865 Captain Braffett was elected Assistant Clerk (by the Republicans) of the Indiana House of Representatives, also Assistant Clerk of the special session of that body in the same year, and Journal Clerk of the Indiana State Senate in 1869. Subsequently he became the traveling agent for the wholesale grocery house of William Glenn & Sons, Cincinnati, Ohio, whom he represented for several years and afterward connected himself with the New York house of Francis H. Leggett & Co. In 1880 he resigned his traveling agency and was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Wayne Circuit Court, which position he held for three years, having been (in the meantime) elected Auditor of Wayne County, which responsible office he is now filling, having entered upon his duties Nov. 1, 1883. Captain Braffett is a Mason of high rank, having taken all the degrees conferred by that order in the United States (save the Thirty-third degree). He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was married in 1849 to Sarah A. E. Ireland, of New Paris Ohio, who died in 1855, leaving three children. One son and daughter reside in Cincinnati, Ohio, and one daughter in Richmond; all married. In January, 1862, Captain Braffett, while in the army was married to Miss Lizzie J. Mitchell, of Oxford, Ohio. They have three children---two sons and one daughter (unmarried). They reside at No. 36 South Thirteenth street, Richmond. Captain Braffett and family are active members of the United Presbyterian church.