Theodore Brantly History of Montana, 1894 US Genweb Montana Archives Theodore Brantly, Judge of the Third Judicial District of Montana, comprising Deer Lodge and Granite Counties, is a native of Tennessee, born in Wilson County, February 12, 1852. Judge Brantly's great grandfather Edwin Brantly came with his family from Holland to this country and settled with his family in South Carolina. He was twice married, the maiden name of his second wife being Mary Reading. She was descended from a family of French Huguenots who had escaped massacre in their own land and had sought a refuge in America, taking up their abode in South Carolina. Edwin Brantly and his wife had four sons and two daughters. He served as captain during the War of 1812 and after that war removed to south Alabama where he was a slaveholder and owned and operated a large plantation. He spent the residue of his life there and died at the age of seventy-five years, his wife's death occurring there several years before his. Edwin Theodore, their youngest son, was Judge Brantly's father. He was born in southern Alabama and was educated in the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and in the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He was then ordained a Presbyterian minister and became pastor of the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Giles County Tennessee. In 1850 he married Miss Eliza Brown, a native of Giles County and a daughter of Duncan Brown, who had sprung from Scotch ancestors who had emigrated to the north of Ireland and from thence to America previous to the Revolution. Some members of the family participated in the war for independence. Some time after his marriage, Rev. Brantly removed to Wilson County. His whole life has been devoted to the work of the ministry and he is now preaching in Nashville Tennessee. His wife died in 1853. She was the mother of three children, two of whom are still living. The eldest son is following in the footsteps of his father and is doing faithful service as a Presbyterian clergyman. Judge Brantly was the second born of his father's family. He had the advantage of a refined home influence, and through his own efforts he secured a college education. It may be here noted the ravages of the Civil War had swept away nearly all the property belonging to the Brantly family and as Theodore grew up he found himself dependent upon his own resources. In 1874 he graduated from the Southwestern Presbyterian University at Clarksville Tennessee. From that date until 1878 most of his time was spent in teaching. He then entered Cumberland University at Lebanon Tennessee and after spending one year in that institution resumed teaching in order to earn the means with which to complete his studies. He returned to the university and finished his course, and graduated in 1880 with the degree of B.L. Immediately after his graduation young Brantly formed a law partnership with Hon. J.S. Gribble of Lebanon, Tennessee where he remained until March 1883, when the partnership was dissolved. He then traveled in the West looking for a location and finally decided upon Lincoln New Mexico. While making final arrangements for his removal to that point, he received notice of his election to the chair of ancient languages in Lincoln University, Lincoln Illinois. This position he accepted and filled for four years. In 1886-87 he was a teacher of Latin in the Sauveur Language School at Oswego New York and in 1887 he was elected to the chair of Latin and Greek in the College of Montana at Deer Lodge. This position he filled two years. In 1888 on examination before the Supreme Court of the State, he was admitted to the bar, after which he associated himself in the practice of law with Hon. J.C. Robinson of Deer Lodge. A year later this partnership was dissolved and Mr. Brantly opened an office on his own account and continued the practice of his profession alone. About this time he was nominated on the Republican ticket for District Judge, but was defeated by a small majority. In 1890 Hon. Ed Scharmkow became associated with him in practice and they did a large and successful business for two years, when in 1892 Mr. Brantly was elected to his present position, that of Judge of the Third Judicial District of Montana. Judge Brantly was married June 9, 1891 to Miss Lois Reat, a native of Tuscola, Illinois and a descendant of Scotch-Irish ancestors. They have a son, born in Deer Lodge, whom they have named after both his grandfathers-Theodore Lee. They reside in one of the lovely homes of Deer Lodge which the Judge built and in which he and his amiable wife entertain their many friends. USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format forprofit, nor for commercial presentation by any other organization. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express writtenpermission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist.