Richard W. Brandon, farmer; P. O. Laura; was born in Newton Township in 1836, and is the son of I. P. and grandson of Richard Brandon, an early settler of this county. Richard's father came from Ireland at an early day and located in Virginia, where Richard was born, and married to Anna Piersol in 1809 she still survives and is deserving of more than a passing notice; she was born in Loudoun Co., Va., April 18, 1788 ; her father, born in England, came to Virginia when only 6 years old, and served in the war of 1776, with a Virginia regiment. Anna was twice married, and had eleven children. Isaiah, father of our subject, was the oldest child, and was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., May 6, 1810; when 16 years old he came to Miami Co., where his death occurred Feb. 1, 1878. He married Sarah, daughter of Amos Hall of Carolina; six sons and six daughters were the issue of this union; all grew up, were married, and living till within a year, when the oldest daughter, Martha, died. The spirit of 1876 had a well-marked outcrop in the fourth generation in the late war, which received five of the sons, and four of the sons-in-law, all entering the service as members of Co. B, 71st O. V. I., and all as privates but H. K. McConnell, who had a Second Lieutenant's recruiting commission; when mustered out, the sons' ranks were R. W., First Corporal; Samuel, First Lieutenant; Amos, Brevet Major; E. R. and I. V., Privates; the ranks of the sons-in-law, H. K. McConnell, Brevet Brigadier General; A. E. Duncan, Assistant Surgeon; William McConnell, First Lieutenant; John R. Johnson, Sergeant; all returned home; they participated in the battle of Shiloh, Jonesboro, latter part of siege of Atlanta, Lovejoy Station, two days' fight at Franklin, Nashville, Tenn., numerous skirmishes, and, at close of war, were sent into Texas, where they suffered severely by change of climate. Richard, our subject, was married in 1855 to Mary A., daughter of John McConnell, of Ireland, who came to this country when about 4 years old with his father. Of the eleven children born to this union, two have died.