BIO: George B. BRANDON, Cumberland County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson OCRed by Judy Banja Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ _____________________________________________________________ >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 113-116 _____________________________________________________________ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/ GEORGE B. BRANDON, proprietor of the "Hotel Wellington." Carlisle, bears an English name but is of Irish nationality. He was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1843, and CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 113 his parents were Michael and Sarah (CochIan) Brandon. His father was a leather merchant, and a man of intelligence, force of character and literary inclinations. He died when George was yet too young to remember him, and the mother, afterward marrying again, came to America and settled in Jersey City. Here George was sent to the public schools, until he reached his thirteenth year. Feeling that he was old enough to do something for himself, he then left home and went to sea. His first position was as cabin boy on a sailing-vessel plying between New York and Liverpool, which place he held for three consecutive voyages. Emboldened by this experience, he next ventured upon a voyage which took him from home in a different direction. He managed to become firemen's mess boy on the "Black Warrior," to New Orleans. The firemen of an ocean steamer are not excessively tender in their treatment of boys over whom they have authority, but he reached his destination in fairly good condition and with another chapter added to his experience. Having a natural talent for music he early accustomed himself to play on whatever instrument he came across, and at New Orleans this accomplishment rendered him a good service. A man from Montgomery, Texas, named Walkenshaw, heard him play, and believing that he could use him in his business offered him $10 a month to come into his employ. The man was a merchant and among his stock in trade had a lot of musical instruments which he fancied a clerk who could play upon them could sell at big prices. Texas was then a new land, with a reputation for excitement that appealed as strongly to an ambitious boy as did a $10 a month job, and thus, doubly tempted, he accepted. In going to Montgomery they went up the Red river by boat to near the Texas State line, and thence by stage and private conveyance several hundred miles across the country. The trip was tiresome, but a memorable experience, and one of its pleasant incidents was the honor they had of a short stage ride with Gen. Sam Houston and Col. Thomas J. Rusk, two distinguished men whose names are conspicuously and indelibly woven into the history of the great State of Texas. Montgomery was then a place of about three hundred inhabitants, of an enterprising class, but in spite of young Brandon's abilities as a performer was a poor market for musical instruments. The Texan of that period had less use for flutes and violins than for guns and bowie-knives. Part of his duty was to make periodical trips to Houston over a road that was hardly more than a trail blazed through the sparse wood. It was a long distance and a lone way. Deer would cross his path within easy view; coveys of quail would fly up from in front of his pony's feet with startling suddenness, and as the gloom of evening settled over the land the howl of wolves and other wild animals could be heard in the distance. Three months of Texas experience satisfied the boy, and he concluded to go back to New York. He had saved only $15 out of his earnings, barely enough to pay his fare to Galveston, but he had a stock of self-reliance and audacity, not measured by dollars and cents, which he felt was sufficient for the undertaking, and he started. Among his fellow passengers on the stage was a man who asked him many questions. He answered them frankly and politely, and before they had reached Houston he had made a friend of the stranger, and through his favor got an opportunity to work his way on a vessel to New Orleans, and also from New Orleans to New York. His services proved 114 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. valuable, and the steward placed his name upon the ship's payroll, so that when he reached home he had more money in his pocket than he had when he left Montgomery. After a brief stay at home he a second time became a cabin boy on the "Black Warrior," plying between New York and New Orleans. This time he remained about a year with the vessel, and left her at New Orleans to take the position of second steward on the steamship "Mexico," of Morgan's Gulf Line. Morgan's Gulf Line consisted of five or six steamships which ran from New Orleans to Galveston and other ports on the coast of Texas. With this company he continued until the Civil war broke out. In the month of April, 1861, his ship was lying at Galveston when the Confederates seized the "Star of the West," at Indianola, and the Mexico's" first officer was detailed to go to Indianola and take the captured vessel to New Orleans. A week afterward, when the "Mexico" steamed up the river to New Orleans, Mr. Brandon saw the "Star of the West" anchored off the city with the Stars and Bars floating from her masthead over the Stars and Stripes. The sight was a sore humiliation to him and decided his course in the impending conflict. He then concluded to go back to New York, and the "Cahawba," the vessel upon which he came away, was the last the Confederate authorities, permitted to leave New Orleans for New York. This was Mr. Brandon's last sea voyage for some years. The opening of hostilities between the North and South ended all commercial traffic between New York and the Gulf, and he was compelled to lay off. While waiting for something to turn up he yielded to the promptings of patriotism and joined the army. On Aug. 9, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, of the 6th New Jersey Volunteers, and soon afterward went to the front, where, with the exception of a single furlough of ten days, he remained until Sept. 23, 1864, when he was mustered out of service at Trenton, N. J., his term of enlistment having expired. His regiment participated in all the battles fought by the Army of the Potomac during its term of service, excepting South Mountain and Antietam, and although he was in all these various engagements he was never wounded, nor was he ever so sick as to be sent to hospital. After a rest from his army experience, Mr. Brandon concluded to make a trip to the other side of the Atlantic. He got a berth in the steamer "Western Metropolis," which in due time landed him at Southampton, England. From Southampton he went to London, and after seeing the sights of that great city took a trip to the North of England, where he visited an aunt he never before had seen. From there he went to Liverpool, from Liverpool to Dublin, and from Dublin to Nenagh, in the western part of Ireland, where he visited his maternal grandmother, whom he also had never before seen. After completing his visits he concluded to return to America, and for that purpose went back to Liverpool. As he had not the money to pay his fare it was necessary for him to work his way. He did not know a soul in the whole city of Liverpool, which, coupled with his lack of money, left him at a disadvantage. His hopefulness never forsook him. In sauntering along the streets one evening he was attracted by an open air vaudeville performance and stopped to enjoy it. While thus absorbed he was dealt a friendly slap on the back, and on turning round his gaze met that of an old acquaintance, who unawares to him then lived in Liverpool. About the same time, he, CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 115 to his surprise, found in an unfrequented pocket four gold sovereigns, the gift of an aunt he had visited, who, knowing they would be declined if offered to him, surreptitiously put them into his clothes. He appreciated the kindly spirit which prompted her act, but returned them to her with thanks. On making known his intentions to the friend who had so unexpectedly found him, he advised him to apply to the port captain of the Guion Line, which he did with the result that he got an opportunity to work his way back to New York on the steamer "Nebraska." After his return to New York Mr. Brandon obtained the position of second steward on the steamship "South America," plying between New York and Rio Janeiro. This was a round trip of 11,000 miles, but Mr. Brandon found it an agreeable voyage and was pleased with his work. On his second trip, in addition to the duties of his own position, he had much to do with the management of the entire steward's department, and on getting back to New York, by the advice of his captain, he made application for the position of chief steward. The officials of the company thought him too young and inexperienced for the stewardship on such a long voyage and offered to make him chief steward of the steamship "San Jacinto," running from New York to Savannah. This position he accepted for one year, until that vessel went ashore on Body. Island, on the coast of North Carolina. By that time he had the required experience and without difficulty got the position of chief steward on the "North America," one of the steamships of the Brazilian Line. He continued in the capacity of chief steward with this line for six years, till the company was compelled to go out of business by reason of the governments of the United States and Brazil refusing to further extend the subsidy with which they had been supporting it. He next was steward for about six years on the Stonington Line steamers "Stonington" and "Massachusetts," between New York and Providence. He then turned his face landward, came to Pennsylvania, and with a Mr. Kenshaw leased the "United States Hotel" at Easton, and there, under the firm name of Kenshaw & Brandon, managed it successfully for two years. When he returned to New York he was soon employed by the United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company and ordered to the Steamer "Advance." After being on this ship for two years the company sent him on the new steamer "Allianca," where he remained for nearly two years, when, getting a bit tired of the sea, he again invaded Pennsylvania, and leased the "Brockerhoff House" in Bellefonte, where he remained for six years. At this time Daniel Hastings, afterward governor, built a large hotel for him in the mining town of Spangler. The town proved to be a failure, when he came to Carlisle and leased the "Mansion House" for six years. Thence he changed to "The Wellington," in the same town, where he has been proprietor and host since the spring of 1902. Fraternally, Mr. Brandon is a member of Hiram Lodge, A.F. & A.M., No. 1, Jersey City; Enterprise Chapter, No. Jersey City; St. John's Commandery, Carlisle; and Rajah Shrine, of Reading, Pa. He is a member of the G. A. R., and has been commander of his post, which he has also represented at the National Encampment. He belongs to the Veteran Legion and was instrumental in organizing the Veteran Legion at Bellefonte. Mr. Brandon has been twice married, first to Miss Dolly Burgen, of Jersey City, 116 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. who bore him two children, George N. and Mary, both of whom are living and unmarried. George N. Brandon is a professor of music, and though young in years has achieved special distinction in his art. Mrs. Dolly (Burgen) Brandon died in February, 1882, and Mr. Brandon afterward married Mrs. Lucy Patterson, of Bellefonte, who has borne him one child, Winnefred Lucy Brandon. By her former marriage Mrs. Lucy (Patterson) Brandon had one son, Robert Patterson, who remains a member of the family and is an efficient and obliging hotel clerk. Mr. Brandon from early youth has had a most varied and interesting career. At home and abroad, on land and at sea, he has met and associated with the world's different nationalities and studied them as a student does a book. He has dealt with men of high and low degree, under favorable and unfavorable circumstances; entertained all kinds of people, in all kinds of moods, and by observation and experience gained a knowledge of the whims of humanity which few men possess. A glance tells him the wants and needs of his guests, and he personally sees that they are provided for, so that the traveler who stops at his house is at home - he who does not is not wise.