For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 82
JUDGE WILLIAM F. BRANNAN. Among the lawyers whose names are inseparably connected with the history of Iowa none will be remembered with a more profound respect than Judge William F. Brannan, deceased. Coming to Muscatine in the pioneer days, he soon gained a prominent place in the estimation of the people and for fifty years was active in the promotion of every worthy cause. As a lawyer he ranked with the brightest Iowa has ever known and as an impartial judge upon the bench he had few peers, his legal learning and broad comprehension of principles of law, combined with clear discernment and sound common sense, making him an ideal jurist.The record of his life covers almost eighty-six years. He was born in Washington, D.C., September 24, 1824, and was a son of John and Mary ( McLeod ) Brannan, natives of Ireland, who came to this country early in the nineteenth century and located at Washington city. He received his preliminary education at McLeod's Academy and his first employment was as messenger in the pension department of the government, with which his father was connected. At sixteen years of age he entered the Globe printing office as an apprentice, continuing his studies in the academy. In 1843 he secured a position as teacher at Hagerstown, Maryland, and later was employed as a private tutor in prominent families of Hagerstown. While thus engaged he began the study of law, having determined to devote his life to a professional career. In 1846, at the age of twenty-two years, he was admitted to the bar but, having acquired an interest in the Hagerstown Mail, he served as its editor for some time, finally selling out and soon afterward being appointed auditor of the court of chancery. It was while serving in that position that he began the practice of a profession in which he was destined to become distinguished. However, on account of failing health a change of climate became desirable and he decided to cast his fortune with the west, coming to Muscatine, Iowa, in May, 1855, where he opened a law office, and before the close of twelve months was recognized as one of the brightest attorneys in this region of the country.
His first preferment came to him in 1856, when he was nominated by the democratic party as a member of the convention to revise the constitution of the state. The republican majority in the county at that time was two hundred, but he succeeded in reducing this majority to ten. In 1858 he was elected the first county superintendent of schools of Muscatine county and organized the school system of this county. At the close of his term his law practice had grown to such an extent that it was necessary for him to decline reelection. He was also appointed trustee of the University of Iowa and inaugurated the movement for coeducation, which became successful four years after his retirement. In 1869 and also in 1884 he was a candidate for the supreme bench on the democratic ticket and while he was defeated he came nearer being elected than any other democratic candidate for that office in the history of the state up to that time. In the early days he was quite prominent in the councils of his party and was a deligate to the democratic national convention that nominated Horatio Seymour for president in 1868 and also to the national convention at Chicago in 1884 which nominated Grover Cleveland for the first time. In recognition of his high standing he was named as one of the vice presidents of the latter convention. In the early ' 70s he permitted his name to be used as a candidate for congress and was defeated only by a narrow margin. It was two years later, in 1872, that his name became identified with the district bench. J. Scott Richman having resigned from the bench, the lawyers of the district met at Davenport and unanimously recommended the appointment of Judge Brannan to fill the vacancy. Although he was a democrat, he was appointed to this position within less than a week by Governor Carpenter, a republican, and at the time of the election was elected to serve out the term though the district was heavily republican. He was chosen for a full term in 1874, his name appearing on the ticket for both parties, as he refused to run as a partisan candidate. The custom he then inaugurated has prevailed ever since that time and judicial elections in the seventh judicial district have been taken out of the realms on politics.
A year after his reelection Judge Brannan resigned from the bench to resume the practice of law under the firm name of Brannan & Jayne, the junior member being Henry Jayne, who studied law in Judge Brannan's office and had been admitted to partnership with him in the later part of the ' 60s. William Hoffman was taken into the firm, the title becoming Brannan, Jayne & Hoffman. This firm gained prominence and had charge of a great deal of important litigation in state and federal courts. Judge Brannan was not permitted by his friends to remain in private practice, as he was again elected to the district bench in 1886 and continued in that position without interruption for sixteen years, retiring in 1902, at the close of his term, after announcing that he would not again be a candidate. He was succeeded by Judge D. V. Jackson, of Muscatine. At a meeting of the bar association of the seventh district held at Davenport, in June, 1902, the convention unanimously adopted resolutions thanking Judge Brannan for his services and commending him in very high terms. These resolutions were as follows and indicate the esteem in which he was held by his brethren at the bar:
" Whereas, Hon.William F. Brannan has devoted the best energies of his life to the fulfillment of the duties of district judge and has at all times been conscientious, painstaking, honest and fearless in the cause of justice and has always been broadminded, liberal and impartial; and,
" Whereas, after many years of toil and labor he has now voluntarily asked to be relieved from judicial service; be it
"Resolved by the district bar association in convention assembled that we do now most sincerely tender him a vote of thanks for his past services; that we acknowledge and record our love and esteem for him as a citizen, lawyer and jurist; that we now renew our expression of unlimited confidence in his ability, integrity and honesty."Judge Brannan was one of the most widely known of the district judges in the state and, being possessed of an extraordinary amount of public spirit, he was well fitted to be one of the builders of the foundation upon which the commonwealth stands. He was the possessor of a remarkable memory and could remember not only the issue of the case but its title and ofttimes the very page upon which the opinion could be found. His opinions were favorably commented upon by the supreme court many times and were models of completeness and comprehensiveness. In his judgments he was rarely reversed and at one time in a Jasper county case the supreme court used Judge Brannan's opinion as it's own, stating that it was clear and comprehensive and could not be improved upon. For these and other reasons he gained a prestige which few district judges have ever enjoyed. Early in his career he became interested in newspaper work and in after life often found time to apply himself in that direction. For years his office was adjacent to the old Muscatine News and during that time he did much of the editorial writing for that paper. He also contributed a series of articles to a Chicago paper on " Life in Washington in President Jackson's Time " and was the author of many other newspaper articles and sketches.
After his retirement from the bench Judge Brannan lived a quiet life in his adopted city, still, however, keeping up his reading and taking a deep interest in public affairs. For some months previous to his decease his health declined and he passed from earthly scenes February 12, 1910. Although of studious habits, he possessed fine social characteristics and no man more deeply enjoyed the companionship of family and friends. He was of a kindly, sympathetic nature, a lover of his home and his native country, and a citizen whom it was a delight to know and to honor. His memory will long be revered not only by a large circle of friends in Muscatine county but by many in other parts of the state and country who knew him.
Judge Brannan was married in Muscatine in 1879 to Mary Helen McColm, who is now living at the family home in Muscatine. Two children blessed this union: Will F. Brannan, Jr., of New York city; and Thomas H. Brannan, a record of whom appears elsewhere in this work. He also has two step children: J. Lee Ewing, now of Mangum, Oklahoma; and Mrs. Lura E. Tipton, of Bakersfield, California; and a daughter by a previous marriage, Mrs. Hector Geiger, of New York city.
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