Deeds in the state archives
from 1848 in which the children of the late Asa
Branson and Hester(or also Ester), his late wife, sold some property in New
Hanover, Burlington Co. The children were listed as Benjamin Branson,
Jonathan Branson( living in Ohio), Elizabeth Wood, Alice Poinsett, and Joseph
Branson and wife Mariah( the long "I" sound)
Joseph Branson, family lore says he "disappeared". Joseph used to journey on foot to Toms River (about 10 miles form his home in Cedar Crest now known as Bamber Lake). He would be occasionally seen along with Asa Dayton carring on his back one hundred pounds of flour.
Anne Collins Branson his son Hudsons wife had seen many bears in the area.
One day the women were picking cranberries, and after they were finished one of the ladies started home alone. When the rest of the women arrived home the ladies husband asked where she was, but no one knew. They all returned to the bog to look for her. When they were returning, they found her remains where a bear had killed her..
This story could maybe explain the disappearance of Joseph Branson. Maybe he met the same fate as he walked alone most of the time. If true he did not abondon the family but was killed in the same manner and his body was then never found.[122.ftw]
