Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/550

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

years a fast friend and liberal supporter. While devoted to his own church, he was singularly free from sectarianism. His heart went out to the ministry and brethren of sister churches, and with them he delighted to mingle and to worship.

Thomas Branch married (first) at Oak Hill, in Amelia county, Virginia, October 19, 1825. Sarah Pride, daughter of John Blythe Read, of Wales and Chesterfield, Virginia. He married (second) in West- moreland county, Virginia, April 22, 1857, Anne Adams, daughter of James Wheel- wright. By his first marriage thirteen chil- dren were born ; by his second marriage three. His second son, James Read Branch, was colonel in the Confederate army, win- ning imperishable honor by his daring bravery ; his fourth son, Thomas Plummer Branch, was a gallant major of the Con- federacy, and later one of the most promi- nent of Southern business men ; the fifth son and tenth child, William Addison Branch, enlisted under his brother. Colonel James Read Branch, and served with dis- tinction throughout the entire conflict ; Mel- ville Irby Branch, the sixth son, left school in 1863, at the age of sixteen years, to enter the Confederate army, resuming his studies at Virginia Military Institute after the war ended. Three sons-in-law of Thomas Branch also served in the Confederate army.

John Patteson Branch, third son. of Thomas (2) and Sarah Pride (Read) Branch, was born in Petersburg, October 9, 1830. He was well educated in the best public and private schools of Petersburg, and would have entered college but for his then poor health. He began his commercial career in 1848 as clerk in his father's office, and by close study of books on commercial subjects and still closer attention to the advice and guidance of his honored father, he laid broad and deep the foundation upon which to build his future business structure. This association with his father was most valu- able and one the father himself requested, washing to have his son near him. He con- tinued in mercantile life until 1861, then en- listed in the Forty-fourth Virginia Bat- talion, entered the Confederate army, rose to the rank of first lieutenant, surrendered with the forces of General Lee at Appomat- tox, April 9, 1865, and returned home paroled by the order of General Grant. On the re- treat from Petersburg to Appomattox Court

House, Lieutenant Branch was detailed on the stafif of Major Snodgrass, then acting quartermaster-general of General Lee's army.

After the war he returned to Petersburg, where he was engaged in the banking busi- ness until 1871, then went to Richmond with his father, was connected with the Mer- chants' National Bank of Richmond, and in 1880 succeeded his father as president of that institution, also succeeding him as head of the banking and commission firm of Thomas Branch & Company. From 1880 until his death he was the head of the Mer- chants' National Bank, founded by his father in 1871, an institution that with a capital of two hundred thousand dollars has a bulwark of security in a surplus fund of one million dollars. He was a financier of recognized ability, and in business circles his matured judgment and wise counsel car- ried the greatest weight. His place in the business world was secure, resting as it did upon "Character," the foundation of all per- manent success.

The work done by Mr. Branch for human- ity was through many avenues, but prin- cipally through the church and educational methods. His public spirit extended to all of God's creatures, and in his zeal he knew neither city, county or state lines. He was the author of a number of articles on finance, written primarily for the purpose of in- structing the public generally in things vitaj to commercial welfare and business progress. In the city he preached the gospel of sanitation and led the forces of progress in demanding better sewers, better drain- age, better paving, pure food, and all other matters pertaining to public welfare. From such leadership resulted better things, a board of health, and more efifective sanitary regulations. As heretofore stated, he gave the money to the city of Richmond for the erection of the first building for public baths in the state. His contributions to public charities were more than generous, and he gave himself to the public good, laboring in behalf of every movement that advanced and against every movement that injured the cause of municipal improvement. In the church, as in business, the mantle of his honored father fell upon him, and in this perhaps was his greatest work. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church from his thirteenth vear until his death; he