The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-03
Veteran Financier and Phil.
anthropist Succumbed Last
Night
Bank President
Thirty-hve Years
Succeeded His Father At Head
of Merchants n National
Bank-Gave Largely To All
Good Causes

John f. Branch is dead.
All Richmond and virginia wal -
saddened by the passing q This man
y hose WORK has stood the ties; OF tine.
whose Known benefactieus have been
many. and those unknown even more
numerous.
Surrounded by members Of his faEn-
iiy. he died At $40 o'clock last night
In his home at No. West Franklin
Street
Mr.. Branch was actively engaged in
his, numerous Ausiueas and philan-
, thropic enterprises up TO little more
,han two weeks ago when he con-
tracted a severe cold which, with tho
infrfnities of age. told Oh mis- long,
vigorous constitution and hnalIy ter-sa
minated fatally At the lime OF his
death all his children were gathered
at his home except Blythe Walker
Branch. OF Paris. France.
During his illness Mr.. Branch had
been attended by Drs Edward and
stuart Mcclure. Hobsor, Bullock.
Smith and Barker, the last named of
Johns Hopkins, Baltimore.
Funeral arrangements will not hs
made uutil today.
Was Born in Petersburg.
John Patfeson Branch was an tn-s
fuentiaf and beloved citizen OF Rich-s
noud for forty -four years. all thai
time being q banker of promincne0.s
citizen OF usefulness and a Chris-i
tiau whose character and mode OF
life proved beneficial to many young
men who came within the sphere Cf
his influence,
MIR. Branch, was born in Petersburg.
October. 9. 1880. and was thus in the
eighty fifth year of his age at hia
death. He vas the son of the late
Thomas Branch, and Sarah Pride
F.. l., -
merchant and banker Of Petersburg
and afterwards of Richmond. and WAS
well known throughout the State. He
was sheriff and then Mayor of Peters,
burg ard D member Of The Virginia
Secession Convention OF 1861. CAST
ing hts lot in the end for secession.
though at first. like many other Viz
Ginians. a Cftonst.
John =. Branch received splendid
common school education, but poor
health prevented him trorn attending
college. In lS4S he entered his fa-a
Tiers office as clerk. spending his
spare time in the study of books On
commercial subjects. He remained
in the mercantile business until ehA
beginning of the War Between the
States. when he enlisted in the Cons
federate Army. becoming first lieu-s
tenant in the FQrty-fourth Virginia
Battalion. He remained in the army
until the close of the War surrender-s
ing with General Lee at Appomattox.
On The retreat of the Confederate
forces fren4 Petersburg, he was de-
tailed on the staff of Major Snod-
grass, who was actirg quarter nlaster
general of Lees army.
ON May IS, 1853, during the prog
ress of the war. he was married to
Miss Mary Louise Merritt Kerr, OK
Petersburg From this union there
y oh Iraf Un
Blythe Walker Branch and John Kerr
Branch; and two daughters. Effie Kerr
Branch, and Margaret Elizabeth
Branch. now Mrs. Arthur Graham
GLASGOW. of London. England
e, Bank President Tfirty-Ffvc Years.
At the close of the war Mr.. Branch
entered the banking business moving
to Richmond in 1871. Nearly thirty
FIVE years ago Mr. Branch Succeeded
his father as president of the Mar
chants National Bank, which position
he filed with the most marked ss1c-3
cess holding IL TO the day OF Ha
death.
Mr. Branch was q member OF the
Centenary Methodist Church at thcS
time of his death; steward ana
trustee of the church; o member OF
the board Of trustees OF Eandoiph..
Macon system of colleges and acad.i
emies of the board of trustees OK thel
Methodist Orphanage of the Virginia
conference ard of the beard Of mAn~
ayers of tho Methodist Institute TOR.
Christian work, Richmond. He was
repeatedly delegate to the ANNA
and general conferences OF his church
Several years ago he built ana
equipped the Branch dormitory A.
Randolph Macon College at Ashlands
and has recently given a second 40
nation to this college.
prara No RTeAflY