Born: 1854, Jay
Died: January 1917, Pasadena, CA
Married: Mytie Branch
Children: Irene Branch, married to a man named Turner; her son was Herbert Turner.
Augustine Branch founded Saranac Lake's most famous construction company, Branch and Callanan with William Callanan. He was foreman for the building of the Wawbeek Hotel, and was contracted in 1892 to reconstruct the Riverside Inn. He was reported to be building a new school in Saranac Lake. 1 He purchased a sawmill in Saranac Lake in 1891 and formed the partnership with Callanan soon after.
He was involved in local community life and politics, including being a member of the Masons. He suffered from Bright's Disease in his early 60s, and moved to California with his family in hope of recovering his health. It was unsuccessful and he died at age 62 in Pasadena.
Augustine Branch and his wife Mytie are buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery.
Malone Farmer, January 17, 1917
LOCAL DEPARTMENT [excerpt]
... The Death of Augustine S. Branch at Pasadena, Calif., last week has removed one of the most substantial and useful citizens of Franklin County, a man who impressed everybody with his sincerity and kindliness and who played his full part in the citizenship of Franklin County. Mr. Branch was a native of Jay, Essex county, who learned the carpenter's trade early in life and afterwards became prominent as a contractor and building. When the old Wawbeek Hotel was built Mr. Branch was employed on it and was soon made foreman in charge of the entire job. Later he secured the contract for the reconstruction of Riverside Inn at Saranac Lake which led to him making Saranac Lake his home. Mr. Branch purchased a small sawmill there in 1891 and in the spring of 1892 he formed a partnership with W. J. Callanan, who had been connected with the Prescott Mill at Keeseville, then the largest lumber mill in that section. The firm of Branch & Callanan has since executed many big building contracts in the Adirondacks and had developed one of the largest finishing mill plants in Northern New York, selling mill work in all parts of the state. Mr. Branch in recent years had spent much of his time in the office, drafting, estimating and looking after the details of the business generally. The company is now incorporated for $50,000, has a surplus of $50,000, does a gross business of about $200,000 a year and now gives employment to about 200 men the year round. Mr. Branch was an exceedingly hard-working man and undoubtedly broke down under it, for he had been failing rapidly from Bright's disease for the past year, though he kept working till late in the fall, when he started election day for California, accompanied by his wife and daughter, Miss Irene Branch, in the hope of benefit from the change of climate. He showed at times temporary improvement but received no permanent benefit and finally succumbed to the disease on Wednesday last at Pasadena. Mr. Branch was 62 years of age. He was a very conscientious man, a public-spirited citizen and splendid neighbor. In politics he was an unanswering Republican and always took a deep interest in local and general politics. He was fond of fast horses and had owned several in recent years, his principal diversion being working them out, although he never himself drove them in races. He was a prominent Mason, being a member of Adirondack Lodge, of Elizabethtown, Wanneta Chapter, of Saranac Lake, Franklin Commandery, of Malone, and Karnak Temple, Mystic Shrine, Montreal. Beside his widow and daughter, four brothers survive. They are Ruthvin Branch, of Jay, Clarence Branch, of Keene, Frank Branch, of Camden, S. C., and L. D. Branch, of Saranac Lake.
Adirondack Record, January 19, 1917
A. S. BRANCH DIES IN PASADENA, CAL.
The Remains Brought to Saranac Lake for Funeral on Friday—A Progressive Citizen
A. S. Branch of Saranac Lake, died on Wednesday morning of last week at Pasadena, Calif., where he had been receiving treatment for Bright's disease for the last two months. The remains were started last Friday for Saranac Lake where they arrived yesterday (Thursday). There will be services at the Presbyterian church with the Masonic order in charge, on Friday afternoon of this week. Interment will or made in the Saranac Lake cemetery.
The news of the death of Mr. Branch was conveyed in a telegram sent by Miss Irene Branch, the daughter, and received by Mr. Branch's business associates last week Thursday. He had been in ill health for the last year, and had consulted many specialists and for a short period received treatment at Clifton Springs. Mr. and Mrs. Branch and their daughter left Saranac Lake for California on Election Day. While at times his condition showed improvement, the quest of health did not result in the benefits hoped for.
Mr Branch was the senior member the firm of Branch & Callanan, Inc. He was born in Jay, 62 years ago, and in his early life took up the trade of carpenter and undertook a number contracts before his removal to Saranac Lake in about 1800. A year and a half after Mr. Branch went to Saranac Lake he formed a co-partnership with W. J. Callanan, organizing the firm of Branch & Callanan. Mr. Branch and Mr. Callanan began business together at a small mill situated at the rear of the pumping, station in Main street, Saranac Lake, which they purchased from A. S. Wright.
From the Main street location Branch & Callanan removed to their present situation near union depot and with advancing years the volume of business increased to include contracts in many different parts of the country and to provide Saranac Lake with its most substantial industry. The concern of Branch & Callanan, Inc. today. gives employment to 200 men and its gross business approximates $200,000. It is incorporated with a capitalization of $50,000 and has a surplus of S50,900.
Mr. Branch was a close student of his business, an untiring worker and had a mind that thoroughly understood the construction of buildings, while at the same time he made the plans of many.
Mr. Branch was a lover of horses. The horse was his great playmate and driving was his principal diversion. His pride of later years was the pacing horse Branch, by Alcander, which he purchased as a green colt and which he broke to harness. Mr. Branch entered the horse in many Central New York events and also events on ice in Montreal and Ottawa, always taking down a piece of the purse in each race. He also had a horse which he called Little Tuff, a full brother of Branch, and he raced him on the ice track. He still owned Branch at the time of his death, but his latest horse was Lilly B, a pacing mare, by Black King.
Mr. Branch did not drive his horses in their races; but he drove them in their workouts and he always knew as much or more than than his trainers about the condition of the horse. As Mr. Branch was always interested in horses and racing, he was one of the best supporters of the sport at all times, and all men found him to be a good sportsman.
Mr. Branch was a Republican and had accepted the offices of village trustee and water commissioner, which he filled with credit, because of his practical knowledge, but he never sought political office or prominence.
The deceased was a member of Adirondack Lodge, F. & A. M., of Elizabethtown; Wanneta Chapter of Saranac Lake; Northern Constellation Commandery of Malone and of Karnak Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Montreal.
A widow, Rachel Cox Branch, and a daughter, Miss Irene Branch, survive. There are also four brothers, Ruthvin Branch of Jay, Clarence Branch of Keene, Frank Branch of Camden. S. C., and L. D. Branch of Saranac Lake. The death of Mr. Branch recalls to old residents of Saranac Lake Mr. Branch's first contract there, the construction of the Riverside Inn. The interesting history of hotels on that site is also recalled.
The original hotel, the Miller House, of which the late John J. Miller was proprietor, was the first hotel in Saranac Lake and one of the first in the Adirondacks. It was that portion of the house now used as servants' quarters, the kitchen, dining room and buffet.
Mr. Miller sold the hotel to the late Orlando Blood, who renamed it the Blood House. After a number of years. Mr. Blood. sold the house to the late Charles Kendall, who called it the Riverside Inn. After several years Mr. Kendall sold the house to George Berkeley, who was shot to death on his veranda, at which time the house again came into the possession of Blood. Berkeley called it the Adirondack House.
When Mr. Branch went to Saranac Lake in 1891, as a small contractor, Mr. Blood was in ownership of the hotel with Wallace Murray also having half interest. Mr. Branch received the contract to build the hotel as it now stands with the exception of the wing running to the edge of Lake Flower. His establishment was situated at that time just to the rear of where the village offices are today. Mr: Murray re-named the hotel the; Riverside Inn, which name it still carried when Pine & Corbett came from Paul Smiths and took it over in 1900. Seven years after their arrival they completed the structure as it now stands.
Comments
Footnotes
1. Plattsburgh Sentinel, August 19, 1892, p. 8
