FRANCIS BRANDON

(From the History of Callaway County Missouri, 1884, page 629-630)
Transcribed by Kris Breid, 31 May 2005

FRANCIS BRANDON, ex-mayor of Fulton. The Brandon family is one of the oldest in this country and in Europe. Edmund Tudor Brandon, the ancestor of the seventh generation of the subject of his sketch, settled in Virginia among the earliest colonists of that commonwealth, in 1619, the year before the landing of the Pilgrim fathers, and but thirteen years after the first white settlement in this country, at Jamestown. Edmund Tudor Brandon was a descendant of Sir William Brandon, a distinguished soldier of the House of Lancaster in the War of the Roses, who was standard-bearer to Henry VII, and was slain at the battle of Bosworth by Richard III, of the House of York, in the fifteenth century. The names of numerous other distinguished representatives of this family appear in English history, including that of Sir Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who was a gallant officer at the battle of Flouden, and afterwards married Mary, dowager of France, a sister to Henry VIII; but space cannot be given here to call attention to them all. Nor is it necessary. No true man bases his claims to consideration upon the fame of his ancestors, and none less than Francis Brandon, the subject of this sketch, a plain, honest man, now past three score years, who has lived a worthy, useful life, and will leave a name to his children unsullied by a wrong act.

Francis Brandon was born in Halifax county, Virginia, on the 20th of November, 1819, and was a son of Robert Brandon and wife, Jane Holt, both natives of the same State. In 1832 the family came to Callaway county, where they settled, and here the parents lived until their deaths. There were four children beside Francis, two sons and two daughters, only one of whom now, however, is living, Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Henderson, of this county. Francis Brandon was thirteen years of age when his parents came to Missouri, and he was therefore partly reared in Callaway county. Brought up on a farm, he followed that occupation successfully after he reached manhood until 1858. Prior to this, on the 15th of December, 1841, he was married to Miss Anna Bennett, of this county, born in May, 1823. Her parents, John and Susan (Holt) Bennett, came from Virginia in 1818. In 1858 Mr. Brandon moved to Fulton and followed the livery business Mr. Brandon moved to Fulton and followed the livery business here for a number of years. He also engaged in the hotel business, which he carried on for some time.In 1870 he was elected mayor of the city, an office which he filled for four years by consecutive re-elections. In1876 he was elected public administrator of the county, and served for four years until 1881. Since then he has been living in retirement form the active labors of life.

Mr. Brandon’s first wife died on the 31st of August, 1867, leaving him with five children: Mary A., now Mrs. Dawson; James N., John R., Susan V., now Mrs. Foy, and Laura M., now Mrs. Williams. In June, 1876, Mr. Brandon was married to his present wife, previously Mrs. Georgia A. Ewing, a widow lady, a daughter of George and Lucy Herring, pioneer settlers of this county form Virginia. Mr. B. is a member of the Missionary Baptist church. His wife belongs to the Christian church.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Township Transcriptions | Biography Transcriptions | Crimes and Criminals | Old Settlers | Official Records | Wars