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Below is a family biography included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Daniel Lanning Bruner, a well-to-do farmer and stock raiser of Benton County, Ark., was born in Monroe County, Ind., August 1, 1841, and is a son of Elias and Matilda (Williams) Bruner, and grandson of Jacob Bruner. The latter was born in Germany, and was a hatter by trade but also owned and managed a farm. Elias Bruner was born in Shenandoah County, Va., in 1797, and, like his father, was a farmer and hatter by occupation. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and died in Benton County, Ark., April 10, 1871. His wife was born in Tennessee in 1807, and died in Benton County, Ark., October 25, 1874. Daniel Lanning Bruner was taken to Cumberland County, Ill., at the age of nine years, and the next year was removed to Cole County. He was taken to Texas in 1853, and was there reared to manhood. All the schooling he received was obtained while he was a small boy in Indiana and Illinois, reading and writing being the extent of his scholastic attainments. Since that time he has improved his education very much by private study, and he is an extensive and thoughtful reader. He located in Benton County, Ark., in 1868, and was here married two years later to Miss Penelope Litteral, who was born in Tennessee in October, 1843, a daughter of James Litteral, a farmer. In March, 1862, Mr. Bruner enlisted in the Confederate army, in Company I, Fifteenth Texas Volunteer Infantry, and served until the cessation of hostilities. He was in a number of hotly contested battles, but was never wounded. He was sergeant of his company and after the war returned home, broken down in health from hardships and exposure. By industry and good management he is now the owner of a good farm of 120 acres. He is a Master Mason, and he and family worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. His children were as follows: Mary Ellen, James B., Lucinda E., Walter Lee, Cora Edna, Reumira and Daniel Clinton; the latter of whom died September 18, 1888.

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This family biography is one of 240 biographies included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Benton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Benton County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

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