I don't know if this will help you or not, but there are often references to
branded animals--particularly horses--in 18th Century wills from Virginia. I'll
be glad to furnish some examples if you wish...

Stephanie Stoermer

[log in to unmask] wrote:

>      Yesterday, the excavation crew at the Hermitage plantation in Tennessee
> recovered what appears to be a branding iron.  Can anyone help me with
> references to the history of livestock branding, or perhaps some
> top-of-your-head info on region and time periods for the practice?