University of Virginia Library

THE BROADDUS FAMILY

The name Broaddus is a contraction of Broadhurst and corresponds
to Whitehurst, Deerhurst, Penhurst and many other
kindred names, the "hurst," denoting a knoll or wooded hill.
The family is of Anglo-Saxon origin and for centuries has been
prominent in British life, having given to the Empire many statesmen,
among whom may be mentioned Henry Broadhurst, a member
of Gladstone's government and for many years a member of
Parliament. The family name in America is written by a few
with one "d" but by the majority with two. The arms of the
family are thus described:

Quarterly, az. and or, fretty, raguly counterchanged.

A swan erm. swimming, charged on the breast with an
estoile sa. wings expanded or, fretty, raguly az.

Edward Broaddus, the first of the family in America of whom
anything is definitely known, emigrated from Wales and settled
on Gwynn's Island in Virginia. From Gwynn's Island he removed
to the lower part of Caroline—then King and Queen—
in 1715, where he resided till his death at about seventy years
of age. He was twice married and had by his first wife two
sons and two daughters and by his second marriage five sons.

---

393

His eldest son, Thomas, married Ann Redd by whom he had
seven sons. He was a soldier in the War of the Revolution and
died in Caroline at an advanced age. The History of the Broaddus
Family, by Rev. Andrew Broaddus, II, of Sparta, Va., (Central
Baptist Print, St. Louis 1888) traces the descent of various branches
of the family through Thomas Broaddus, son of Edward the
emigrant and his daughter Catherine who m. Edwin Motley and
through Robin Broaddus, seventh son of Edward the emigrant.

Edwin Broaddus, son of Thomas, I, and grandson of Edward
the emigrant, removed to Kentucky at an early day, being the
first member of the family to leave Virginia. He became the
progenitor of the Broaddus family in Kentucky and other midwestern
States. His youngest son, Andrew Broaddus, removed
to Missouri and married there. While living in Missouri he
made a trip to Santa Fe with Kit Carson, and while on this trip
accidently shot himself in the hand making an amputation of the
arm necessary. This operation was performed by his companions
with a butcher knife, using the instrument first to cut
through the flesh and afterwards converting it into a saw, by
hacking the edge, for cutting the bone. The wound was cauterized
by a red hot king-bolt from one of the wagons. He returned to
Kentucky where he died at an advanced age, leaving forty-two
grandchildren and fifty-five great grandchildren.

Eldridge J. Broaddus, son of Andrew of Missouri and Kentucky,
was elected Circuit Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial
District of Missouri in 1874 and served six years. He was for
many years attorney for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul
Railroad.

The Broaddus family has been prominent in the life of Caroline
from the formation of the county to the present. Hardly a
Legislative Petition from Caroline is to be found without the
Broaddus name. The family has been no less prominent in the
history of the Baptist church, having given more ministers to that
denomination than any other one family in America.

---

394

Burke Arms