Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/414

 BRAINKRD.

BRANCH

BRAINERD, Thomas, tlerj?yman, was born in I.evdfii. N. v.. June 17. 1804. son of Jesso anil Mary (Tlioinas) lirainerd. He was educated at the Lowville aradeniy, taught school for a time, and afterwards read law. In 18'28 he en- tereil Antlover theological seminary, and was graduateastorate was at Cincinnati, where he preached with great success until 18:W. when he became editor of the Cincin- nati JiturnaL at the same time preaching occa- sionally. In l>v< he was appointed commissioner to the general assembly, and in 18:37 was called to the Pine street church in Philadelphia, where he remained tluring the rest of his life. He was a supiKirter of the so-called "new-school" theologi- cal movement, and an intimate friend of its leader. Dr. Lyman Beecher. He is the author of "Life of John Brainerd. the Brother of David Brainerd. and His Successor as Missionary to the Indians of New Jersey " (1866). See Mary Brainerd's ••Memoir of Thomas Brainerd" (1870). He died at Srranton, Pa.. Aug. -21, 1866.

BRAMAN, Benjamin, microscopist, was born in Norton. Mass., Nov. 23, 1831. He was graduated at Brown university in 1854, was tutor in the University grammar school for one year, instructor of Latin at the L'niversity of Michigan the follow- ing year, and was graduated at Andover theologi- cal seminary in 1859. He became pastor of the Congregational church at Shutesbury, Mass., in 1860. In 186'2 he was the principal of the academy at We.stport, Mass. In 1863-'64 he taught at Astoria. N. Y., and subsequently engaged in teaching drawing in the Cooper Union, N. Y. He was president of the New York microscopical society, corresponding secretary of tlie Torrey botanical club, member of the New York academy of science, and editor of the Journal of the New York Microscopical Society. He died in Norton, Mas<.. Jan. '20, 1R8'J.

BRAMLETTE, Thomas E., governor of Ken tucky, was born in Cumberland county, Ky., Jan. 3,1817. He received his education in the county scliools, was admitted to the bar in 1837, became state's attorney in 1848, and district judge in 1856. This latter office he resigned in 1861, and raising the 3<1 Kentucky infantry, he entered the Union army as colonel of volunteers, resigning his commission in 1863, having been elected gov- ernor of the state. He remained in office until 1867. He then resumed tlie practice of his pro- fession at Louisville, Ky., where he died Jan. 12, 1H7.-..

BRANCH, John, .statesman, was born in Hali- fax county. N. C., Nov. 4, 1 782. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1801. was admitted to the bar, and soon rose to eminence in his profession. He became judge of the suj^rior court, was elected to the state senate in 1811, and

re-elected each year until 1817. when lie became governor of Nortli Carolina. Upon the expiration of his term he was again returned to the legis- lature, and in 1823 was elected to the United States senate, where he remained until 1829, when he was apix)inted by President Jack.son as secre- tary of the navy. On the dissolution of the cabinet in 1831, Mr. Branch was elected as a representative from Carolina, to the22d Congress, and in 18:34 was again elected to the state senate. In 1843 he was appointed governor of the terri- tory of Florida, and after serving until the election of a governor under the new state con- stitution, he retired to private life. He died at Enfield. N. C. Jan. 4. 1863.

BRANCH, Lawrence O'Brien, soldier, was born in Halifax county, N. C, July 7, 1820, son of John Branch, secretary of the navy. He was graduated from Princeton college in 1838. He was admitted to the North Carolina bar, and open- ed an office at Raleigh, whence he was elected in 1854 a representative in the 34th Congress by the Democrats. He was twice re-elected, his last term of office ending March 3, 1861, When North- Carolina seceded in May, 1861, he joined the Con- federate army, and was promoted brigadier- general. When Newborn was taken by General Burnside, General Branch was commanding offi- cer. He then opposed the advance of the Federal troops into North Carolina and afterwards joined the army of Northern Virginia under General Lee. He was killed at the battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862.

BRANCH, Mary Lydia Bolles, poet, was born in New London, Conn., June 13, 1840; daughter of John R. and Mary (Hempstead) Bolles. Her education was obtained at the New London girls* high school and at Lincoln F. Emerson's school in Boston, Mass. She subsequently attended several courses of lectures by Prof. Louis Agassiz to the Harvard students at Cambridge, where she was usually the only lady in attendance ex- cept Mrs. Agassiz. She was married in 1870 to John L. Branch, a lawyer of Plainsville, Ohio, who, in 1874, removed to New York and was editor of The Surrogate. Mrs. Branch was a fre- quent contributor of short stories and ]X)ems to the leading literary newspapers and magazines of the period between 1870 and 1895. Slie was a member of the New York women's prison a.ssocia- tion, of the Froebel society, Brooklyn, and of one of the conferences of the Brooklyn bureau of charity. Her poem, " The Petrified Fern,"' which was suggested by the fossil ferns in the Agassiz collection at Cambridge, was included in William C. Bryant's '• Lil)rary of Poetr}' and Song," and Rossiter Joiin.son's •• Fiimous Single Poems." She is the author of "The Kanter Girls" (1893) and "The Old Hemp.stead Hou.se" (1896).