JOHN CASPER BRANNER 



By R. A. F. Penrose, Jr. 1 



John Casper Branner was born at the town of New Market, Jefferson County, Tenn., 

 on July 4, 1850. He was the son of Michael T. Branner and Elsie Baker Branner. His family 

 were among the early settlers of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in the colonial days. They 

 probably came originally from southern Germany or eastern Switzerland before the middle of 

 the eighteenth century, and first settled in Pennsylvania. Somewhat later Casper Branner 

 moved to Virginia, where in 1760 he received a grant of land in the Shenandoah Valley from 

 Lord Fairfax, who had been given large estates in Virginia by Charles II. 2 



The family lived in this region until 1799, when Doctor Branner's great grandfather, 

 Michael Branner, moved to Jefferson County, Tenn., and took up lands near the town of 

 Dandridge on the Frenchbroad Kiver. He became the progenitor of the Tennessee branch of 

 the family, while his brother, John Branner, who remained in the Shenandoah Valley, became 

 the progenitor of the Virginia branch of the family. Both branches have multiplied and have 

 spread widely through many parts of the United States. Strong, active, and earnest people 

 have been characteristic of the family, and many of them have occupied high positions in the 

 communities in which they lived. 



In the early childhood of Doctor Branner his family moved from New Market, Tenn., to 

 the farms near Dandridge, owned by his father, some miles distant. At that time the country 

 was sparsely settled, and books and schools were not numerous. The early education of Doctor 

 Branner therefore was confined largely to local schools and to the reading of such books as were 

 available. He attended the Maury Academy, about a mile from Dandridge, and later studied 

 at what was known as the North Schoolhouse, at a school at Graham's Chapel, and still later 

 he attended school at New Market. 



Doctor Branner was naturally of an inquiring disposition, and in the scarcity of books he 

 early developed a deep interest in the natural features of the country surrounding him. He 

 thus rapidly became familiar with the character of the rocks and of the animals and flowers 

 that were found in the neighborhood. This early bringing up in close contact with nature, 

 followed later by an education in institutions of high learning, doubtless served to develop 

 that remarkable originality and initiative which distinguished him in later life and which pro- 

 duced a man who became eminent among the scientists of his generation. In his early days he 

 was intended for the ministry and was examined as to his qualifications for it, but he apparently 

 never went further in this calling, having decided to devote himself to science. 



In 1866 Doctor Branner went to Maryville College, situated near Knoxville, Tenn., where 

 he remained for about two years. At this period the demoralization in the South which followed 

 the Civil War reached even to Maryville College; the students became discontented and many 

 of them left. Doctor Branner was then 18 years of age, and the new institution known as 

 Cornell University had lately been established at Ithaca, N. Y. He was attracted by the 

 possibilities for study there, and in 1S69 went to what was known as the Ithaca Academy to 

 prepare for the university, which he entered the next year. 



At Cornell, Doctor Branner took up mostly scientific courses, particularly in geology, 

 botany, zoology, and other branches of natural science. Here also he had the good fortune to 

 meet Prof. Louis Agassiz and Dr. Charles F. Hartt, the latter then professor of geology at 



1 The writer desires to express his sincere appreciation of the information given to himjby Mrs. J. C. Branner in the preparation of this memoir. 

 Such assistance has been always willingly granted and has greatly helped the writer in his description of the life work of Doctor Branner. 



1 See " Casper Branner of Virginia and his descendants," by J. C. Branner, Palo Alto, Calif., 1913; also "Address at the reunion of the descend- 

 ants of Casper Branner of Virginia, held at the original homestead, near Forestville, Vs., Aug. 30, 1918." Published in Shenandoah Valley, 

 New Market, Va., Sept. 5, 1918. (The "New Market," Va., mentioned here should not be confused with the "New Market," Tenn., mentioned 

 in the text of this memoir.— Author). 



