James H. Brannon Biography


	This biography appears on pages 691-692 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JAMES H. BRANNON is one of the sterling pioneers of Grant county, 
is engaged in the livery business in the city of Milbank, where he 
established the first enterprise of the sort and where he now conducts 
the largest livery in the county, and he is also prominently identified 
with the farming and live-stock industries in this section of the 
state, having gained Marked prosperity through his well directed energy 
and honorable and straightforward methods.  

	Mr. Brannon has the distinction of being a native of the fine old 
Bay state of the Union, having been born in Princeton, Worcester 
county, Massachusetts, on the 25th of November, 1859, and being a son 
of John and Margaret E. Brannon, both of whom died in Massachusetts. 
the father having been a native of Ireland, whence he came to the 
United States in his youth, while he followed the vocation of farmer 
during the major portion of his life. This worthy couple became the 
parents of nine children, and of the number three sons and three 
daughters are still living. The subject was reared in his native place 
and secured his early educational discipline in the public schools. At 
the age of twelve years he entered upon an apprenticeship at the trade 
of cabinetmaking, in Worcester, Massachusetts, and continued to be 
employed at the same for a period of four years, at the expiration of 
which, in the centennial year, 1876, he came west, remaining for a few 
months in Iowa and in the fall of the same year taking up his residence 
in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he was employed in a sash 
and blind manufactory for the ensuing year. He then, in 1879, came to 
Grant county, South Dakota, and filed a claim to a homestead, in 
Kilborn township, erecting a house on the place the same year. In the 
spring of 1880 he put in a crop and also cut that season about forty 
tons of hay, but while he was in Milbank a prairie fire swept his farm 
and destroyed everything, including his buildings and about seventy 
dollars in greenbacks which he had left in his house. In 1880 Mr. 
Brannon erected the first livery and feed barn in Milbank, the same 
being about the fourth building constructed in the village, and here he 
has ever since retained his home and continued in the livery business 
having now the largest barn, the best equipment and controlling the 
largest business in the line in the county, while he is one of the 
liberal and popular citizens of the county, having the esteem of all 
who know him and being a man of marked geniality and courtesy. He is 
the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of valuable farming land, 
near Twin Brooks, this county, and there gives special attention to the 
raising of high-grade stock, having an average of about fifty head of 
graded shorthorn cattle. He is also interested in some fine standard-
bred track horses, raking a deep interest in turf affairs. For the past 
eighteen years Mr. Brannon has also conducted an ice business in 
Milbank, securing a representative patronage and having the best of 
facilities for putting up pure ice and also for dispensing the same to 
his many customers. He is progressive and public-spirited, wide-awake 
and energetic, and has gained a position of prominence through his own 
efforts, in connection with the industrial, business and civic affairs 
of Grant county. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Republican 
party, and fraternally is identified with the Knights of Pythias and 
the Modern Woodmen of America.  

	On the 14th of January, 1893, Mr. Brannon was united in marriage 
to Miss Mary W. Preston, who was born in Connecticut, being a daughter 
of Edward Preston, who is now living at Unionville, Connecticut. Of 
this union have been born four children, all of whom remain at the 
parental home, namely: Edith M., Roy J., Irene G. and Gladys E. The 
attractive family residence is one of the hospitable homes of Milbank, 
and is a favored resort of the wide circle of friends whom our subject 
and his family have gathered about them in the community.