6 JOHN CASPER BRANNER— PENROSE [MEMOIE ^vo\ T xxt 



of seismological projects; he was the founder of the society's Bulletin, and it was he who provided 

 the ideas and the ideals, the manuscripts, and the funds for the successful continuance of this 

 publication through a difficult period of 10 years; it was he who obtained a gift of $5,000 

 for the society, and he who by never-tiring efforts trebled its membership ; it was he who revived 

 a nearly defunct society in 1910, and through 10 years of constant effort built up an organization 

 of merit, worth, and usefulness." 



After Doctor Branner had retired from the presidency of Stanford University he retained 

 his home there and devoted much of his time to work on many scientific problems which his 

 busy life had previously prevented him from finishing. During this period he completed a 

 geological map of Brazil, which was published largely by the assistance of the Geological Society 

 of America, and with the map he wrote explanatory texts both in English and in Portuguese. 

 The great amount of geologic detail displayed over vast areas of country in this map is a mute 

 but eloquent testimony to the research, the learning, and the untiring efforts of its author. 



Doctor Branner was primarily a geologist, and his work covered a wide field in various 

 branches of the earth sciences, including paleontology, stratigraphy, mineralogy, seismology, 

 and economics; but he also accomplished important work in entomology, botany, and other 

 branches of biology. He was one of the last of the old-time scientists who were learned in 

 many branches of natural history, before the extreme specialization of modern times had made 

 it necessary for a research worker to confine himself to narrow lines of scientific investigation. 



In addition to his accomplishments as a scientist, he was a linguist of unusual ability, a 

 remarkable educator, and a strong leader of men. As a linguist he was learned in both ancient 

 andmodernlanguages. Latin and Greek were thoroughly familiar to him; andinmodernlanguages 

 he was preeminently a scholar in Portuguese, in which he wrote a grammar for English-speaking 

 people, a textbook of geology for the Brazilians, and an explanation of his geologic map of Brazil, 

 as well as numerous geologic reports relating to that country. In his later years he translated 

 from the Portuguese the History of the Origin and Establishment of the Inquisition in Portugal, 

 by Alexandre Herculano. Other modern languages also came easily to him and assisted him 

 greatly in his various travels. 



Doctor Branner as an educator achieved remarkable success with the students who studied 

 under him. His constant sympathy with them and his interest in their work did much to 

 inspire that feeling of affection and loyalty preeminently observable in them. His forceful, 

 fearless, and intensely intellectual personality, his wide experience in scientific research in 

 many regions, his broad vision not only in his work but in his knowledge of men, gathered around 

 him at Indiana University, on the Geological Survey of Arkansas, at Stanford University, and 

 on numerous trips to Brazil, a group of followers which was truly wonderful, both in their num- 

 bers and in their professional success in later life. His students have spread over almost every 

 part of the world, and an unusually large percentage of them have done honor to their instructor 

 and chief. As he himself said in later years, in referring to certain honorary recognitions which 

 he had received in his profession, the greatest honor of all is that which comes to one from hav- 

 ing men "who have been his students doing good and honest work in every quarter of the 

 globe." 



Doctor Branner married, in 1883, Miss Susan D. Kennedy, of Oneida, N. Y., a graduate of 

 Vassar College. They had three children, one a daughter, now married, and two sons. They 

 all graduated from Stanford University; and his two sons and his son-in-law enlisted as volun- 

 teers in the American Army during the recent war with Germany. In a letter to the writer 

 shortly afterwards Doctor Branner related how he also had tried to enlist but was not ac- 

 cepted on account of age. That never-failing spirit to face boldly and fearlessly whatever 

 difficulties fell to his lot was with him to the last. He died on March 1, 1922, in his seventy- 

 second year. 



Doctor Branner was a member of numerous scientific societies and had in many cases re- 

 ceived distinguished honors from them. He was a member of the National Academy of Sci- 

 ences, the American Philosophical Society, the Geological Society of America (president, 1904), 

 the Society of Economic Geologists; Seismological Society (president, 1910-1914); American 



