Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/415

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BRANDT.


BKANT.


BRANDT, Carl Ludwig, artist, was born near Hambm-g, in Holstein, Germany, Sept. 22, 1881; son of an eminent plij^sician. His first drawing lessons were received from his father, and lie studied in the best schools of Europe before immi- grating to the United States in 1852. He estab- lished a studio at Hastings-on-the-Hudsou and another at Savannah, Ga. . indulging in frequent extended visits to Europe for study and in- spiration. He was chosen a national academician in 1873 and in 1883 became director of the Telfair academy of arts and sciences, Sa- vannah, Ga. He has been especially successful with portraits, and numbered among his sitters John Jacob Astor, Mr. and Mrs. William B. Astor, George S. Appleton, Gen. H. R. Jackson, Dr. John W. Draper and others. In 1881 he painted a full-length portrait of his wife, which was exhibited at the academy in 1882 and at the International Exhibition in 1883. Dr. F. Pecht, writing of this portrait in his "Modern Art at the International Exhibition, " says: " The most skilful of all these ladies" portraits is the one in full figure by Carl L. Brandt, in fact a most charming picture, a masterpiece good enough for Netscher." Mr. Brandt has done some creditable work as a sculptor, a colossal bust of Humboldt being his most notable work. His best known paintings are: " A Dish of Alpine Strawberries " (1869); "The Fortune Teller" (1869); "Return from the Alps " (1874); " Monte Rosa at Sunrise," " Bay of Naples during Eruption of Vesuvius in 1867," " Resignation, ■■ and "The Golden Treas- ures of Mexico. ■'

BRANNAN, John Milton, soldier, was born in the District of Columbia in 1819. He entered West Point in 1837, was graduated in 1841, served on the northern frontier during the border dis- turbances, and in the Mexican and Seminole wars, winning distinction and gradual promotion for meritorious conduct. He entered the civil war with the rank of brigadier-general of volun teers, was appointed brevet lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at the battle of Jacksonville, Fla., in 1862; major in the regular army in August, 1863, and brevet colonel in September, 1863, for meritorious service at the battle of Chickamauga. He was active in the Tennessee and the Georgia campaigns, being present at the most important engagements of each, and receiving two brevets in recognition of his services. He was mustered out of the volunteer service in 1866, and after enjoj'ing a short leave of absence was placed in commantl of Fort Trumbull, Conn. He was at Ogdensburg, N. Y., during the Fenian disturb- ances of 1870, and at Philadelphia during the rail- road riots of 1877, commanding United States troops at both places. He was retired from active service in 1883. He died Dec. 16, 1893.


BRANNAN, Samuel, pioneer, was born at Saco Me., in 1819. He learned the printers trade; entered the Mormon church and became an elder and preacher. He led in the Mormon expedition to California in 1845; establislied The Star a Mormon journal, the first newspaper published in San Francisco, and worked zealouslj' for the growtli and improvement of the colon}-. He op- posed the abandonment of the Mormon settle- ments in California, thus antagonizing Brigham Young and subsequently left the Mormon churcli, establisliing himself in a general merchandise business which made him wealthy after the dis- cover}- of gold populated California. He was con- s])icuous in the efforts to quell the Sacramento squatter riots in 1850, and a leader of the vigil- ance committee of San Francisco in 1851. He establislied a distillery at Calistogo, Cal.. in 1859. and later having become bankrupt retired toa large tract of land in Sonora. Mex.. given him by the Mexican government in recognition of his services, which he tried to colonize, but without success.

BRANNER, John Casper, geologist, was born in New Market, Tenn., July 4, 1850; son of Michael T. and Elsie (Baker) Branner; grandson of Casper Branner; and a descendant of Casper Branner of Virginia. He was graduated from Cornell university, B.S., in 1874: was assistant geologist to the Imperial geological survey of Brazil, 1875-78; assistant engineer and inter- preter of the Sao Cyriaco mining company, ^linas Geraes, Brazil, 1878-79: special botanist for Tliomas A. Edison in South America, 1880-"81; and special agent of the United States, depart- ment of agriculture, for investigating cotton and the insects affecting it in Brazil, 1882-83. He was topographical geologist of the geological survey of Pennsylvania in the anthracite distnct, 1883-'85; professor of geology at the University of Indiana, 1885-'91; director of the Scranton, Pa., summer school of geology in 1886; state geologist and director of the state weather service of Arkansas, 1887-'93, and was elected professor of geology at Leland Stanford Jr. universitv in 1893, and vice-president of that universit}' in 1899. He received the degree of Ph. D. from the University of Indiana in 1885 and that of LL.D. from the University of Arkansas in 1897. He was elected a member of several geological and other scientific societies at home and abroad; and served as associate editor of the Journal of Geology. BRANT, Joseph, (Thayendanega), Indian wass born on the banks of the Oliio in 1742: son of Mohawk, chief of the Wolf ti-ibe, and grandson of one of the five sachems or Indian kings who visited London in the reign of Queen Anne (1710). Sir Richard Steele mentions them in the Tatler of May 13, 1710, and Addison give tliem place in a number of the Spectator. His