William A. B. Branch
Encyclopedia
William Augustus Blount Branch, (born February 26, 1847 in Tallahassee, Fla.
, son of Lawrence O’Bryan Branch and great-nephew of John Branch)was a Representative from North Carolina
.
, in 1852. He attended Lovejoy’s Academy in Raleigh, N.C., Bingham Military Academy near Mebane, N.C.
, the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, and Virginia Military Institute
at Lexington
. He joined the Confederate Army
and served as a courier on the staff of Gen. R. F. Hoke. He later surrendered with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s army in 1865.
Branch studied law but never practiced. In 1867 he took charge of his landed estate near Washington
, Beaufort County, N.C.
, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1891-March 3, 1895) and was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1894 to the Fifty-fourth Congress. He again engaged in agricultural pursuits on his estate. In 1896 Branch became a member of the State house of representatives. He died in Washington, N.C., November 18, 1910; interment in Oakdale Cemetery.
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, son of Lawrence O’Bryan Branch and great-nephew of John Branch)was a Representative from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Career
Branch moved with his father to Raleigh, N.C.Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, in 1852. He attended Lovejoy’s Academy in Raleigh, N.C., Bingham Military Academy near Mebane, N.C.
Mebane, North Carolina
Mebane is a city located mostly in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States, with a part of it in Orange County, North Carolina. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The current population estimate is 10,624. According to the , the town was named for...
, the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
at Chapel Hill, and Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
at Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
. He joined the Confederate Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
and served as a courier on the staff of Gen. R. F. Hoke. He later surrendered with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s army in 1865.
Branch studied law but never practiced. In 1867 he took charge of his landed estate near Washington
Washington County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,723 people, 5,367 households, and 3,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 6,174 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, Beaufort County, N.C.
Beaufort County, North Carolina
- Law and government :Beaufort County is a member of the Mid-East Commission regional council of governments.Beaufort County is one of the proposed sites for a Navy outlying landing field. This practice airfield would allow pilots to simulate landings on an aircraft carrier...
, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1891-March 3, 1895) and was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1894 to the Fifty-fourth Congress. He again engaged in agricultural pursuits on his estate. In 1896 Branch became a member of the State house of representatives. He died in Washington, N.C., November 18, 1910; interment in Oakdale Cemetery.