rebecca nelson broughten
1915-1970
Life Story
A Life of Faith, Music, and Community (1915–1970)
Rebecca Nelson Broughten lived a life deeply rooted in the spiritual and communal traditions of Newton County, Mississippi. Born in September 1915 to Matthew Henry and Minnie Moore Nelson, she came of age in the rural landscape of Newton’s Beat 4, where family, labor, and faith were inseparable parts of daily life.
From an early age, Rebecca embodied the resilience required of young Black women in the early twentieth-century South.
Early Life in Newton County
By the age of fourteen, Rebecca was already balancing the dual demands of schooling and farm labor, recorded in the census as an unpaid worker on the family farm. Her experience reflects a broader reality of the post-Reconstruction South, where education often existed alongside the necessity of contributing to the household’s survival.
Raised in a hardworking family, Rebecca’s early years were shaped by discipline, responsibility, and the close bonds of rural community life.
Family and Marriages
Rebecca’s personal life was marked by both love and transition.
She first married George Bradshaw, and from this union came her son, John Earl Bradshaw. Following George’s death, Rebecca later remarried Arthur Broughten, whose surname also appears in records as Braughten —a reminder of the fluidity and inconsistency often found in historical documentation.
By 1950, Rebecca’s life had shifted geographically as well as personally. She had relocated to Biloxi, Mississippi, where she resided on Bellmon Alley. There, she managed her household while maintaining extended family connections, including relatives such as Ellis McDonald, who lived with the family.
A Life of Service and Music
Rebecca Nelson Broughten was perhaps best known for her deep faith and extraordinary musical gift.
Her spiritual journey began at St. Cloud Baptist Church, and she later became a dedicated member of White Stone Missionary Baptist Church. Yet her influence was not confined to a single congregation.
As a talented pianist, Rebecca served numerous churches throughout the Newton County area, providing the musical foundation for worship services, revivals, and community gatherings. In an era when music was central to both spiritual expression and communal identity, her role placed her at the very heart of religious life.
Through her hands at the piano, she helped shape the soundscape of faith for an entire community.
Survivors and Extended Family
At the time of her passing, Rebecca left behind a family that reflected the broader migration patterns of the twentieth century, stretching from Mississippi to the urban North.
Son:
- John Earl Bradshaw (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Brother:
- Bennie (Ben) Nelson (Newton, Mississippi)
Sisters:
- Mrs. Rossett Evans (Indianapolis, Indiana)
- Mrs. Mattie Pierce (Laurel, Mississippi)
- Miss Louise Nelson (Biloxi, Mississippi)
- Mrs. Estella McDonald (Newton, Mississippi)
Final Rest and Homegoing
Rebecca Nelson Broughten passed away on February 16, 1970, at the age of 54.
Her homegoing service was held on February 20, 1970, at Union Chapel Methodist Church, officiated by Rev. S. Hays. The service brought together the very community she had served so faithfully through her music.
She was laid to rest at Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery, returning to the soil of Newton County where her life began and where her legacy would endure.
Legacy
Rebecca Nelson Broughten’s life reflects the quiet but profound influence of those who sustain community life through faith, service, and cultural expression. Though she may not have held public office or achieved widespread recognition, her contributions were deeply felt in the churches she served and the family she nurtured.
Her legacy lives on in the echoes of the hymns she played, the congregations she uplifted, and the generations who remember her as both musician and matriarch.
Research Note
Historical records reflect variations in the spelling of Rebecca’s second husband’s surname—appearing as Hydain, Braughten, and Broughten. Such inconsistencies are common in archival research and underscore the importance of cross-referencing sources. Her obituary confirms her identity and standing as a beloved member of the Newton County community.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church Graveyard
Sources
- Vital Records: “Mrs. Rebecca N. Broughten,” obituary, The Newton Record (Newton, MS), February 20, 1970; digital image, uploaded April 23, 2026
- .Census Data (1930): 1930 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, population schedule, Beat 4, enumeration district (ED) 51-14, sheet 7B, dwelling 131, family 137, Rebecca Nelson in household of Minnie Nelson; digital image, Ancestry.com (accessed April 23, 2026).
- Census Data (1950): 1950 U.S. Census, Harrison County, Mississippi, population schedule, Biloxi, ED 24-42, sheet 13, dwelling 74, Rebecca Braughton in household of Aurthur Braughton; digital image, Ancestry.com (accessed April 23, 2026).
- Cemetery Records: Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed April 23, 2026), memorial page for Rebecca Nelson Broughten (1915–1970), Find A Grave Memorial ID [204949184], citing Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery, Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi.
- Family Relations: The obituary identifies Rebecca as the daughter of Henry and Minnie Nelson and lists siblings Bennie Nelson, Rossett Evans, Mattie Pierce, Louise Nelson, and Estella McDonald.
- Church Affiliation: Obituary of Rebecca N. Broughten, notes her service as a pianist for various Newton area churches and membership at St. Cloud Baptist and Whitestone Baptist.
Research Observations: Surname Variations: Note that the 1950 Census spells the surname as Braughten, while the obituary and Find A Grave records use Broughten. The census also transcribes the husband’s name as Aurthur, whereas the obituary lists him as Arthur Hydain.
Birth Date: The 1930 and 1950 censuses suggest a birth year of 1916, but the obituary and tombstone records specify September 1915. In genealogical writing, it is standard to prioritize the specific month/year from the obituary or death record over the calculated age from a census.
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