William Bratton (1779 - 1841) served as a private in the U.S. Army and joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition's Corps of Discovery near Clarksville, Indiana, in 1803. The Corps explored the lands of the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest. Bratton's duties included hunter, blacksmith, and saltmaker. He completed the entire journey and was discharged on October 10, 1806. In 1822 he settled on a farm in Wayne Township and held various county and township offices, including Justice of the Peace.