Edward P. Branch

This article is about the mayor of Melbourne, Florida. For the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, see Edward Thomas Branch.
Edward P. Branch
5th Mayor of Melbourne, Florida
In office
December 6, 1892 – December 12, 1893[1]
Preceded byL.P. Ely
Succeeded byH.D. Brown
Personal details
Born(1842-05-24)May 24, 1842[2]
Painesville, Ohio[2]
DiedJanuary 6, 1937(1937-01-06) (aged 94)[2]
Jacksonville, Florida[2]
SpouseAbbie Clark Branch
Residence(s)Melbourne, Florida
OccupationMerchant and banker

Edward P. Branch (May 24, 1842 – January 6, 1937) was a one-term mayor of Melbourne, Florida from 1892 to 1893.

Edward Branch attended the Madison Seminary, in Madison Ohio, from 1858 to 1860. When the Civil War broke out, he along with several of his schoolmates joined the fight. He enlisted in Co. F, 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

He was a writer and wrote "Plain People - A Story of the Western Reserve". He often wrote to the editor of the Painesville's Telegraph about stories of growing up in Lake County Ohio. One of his letters lead to the Madison Seminary Reunions which were held from 1893 until sometime in the 1930s.

He came to Melbourne, Florida in 1886.[3] He influenced Henry Flagler to bring the Florida East Coast Railway through Melbourne.[3]

In 1889, he organized the First Congregational Church along with his wife, and 10 others.[3] In 1913, he was a member of the National Council of Delegates for the American Congregational Church.[4]

After the death of Richard W. Goode in 1912, he was appointed postmaster of Melbourne.[5]

  1. ^ City of Melbourne - Mayors - Chronological Order of Terms (1888 to Present), Melbourne City Clerk's Office
  2. ^ a b c d "Florida, Deaths, 1877–1939," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FPHB-9ZF : accessed 07 Feb 2014), Edward P. Branch, 06 Jan 1937.
  3. ^ a b c Raley, K.; Flotte, A.R. (2002). Melbourne and Eau Gallie. Arcadia. p. 33. ISBN 9780738514178. Retrieved 13 Aug 2015.
  4. ^ American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Meeting (1913). "Annual Report - American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions". Annual Report (v. 103-106). The Board. ISSN 0362-7632. Retrieved 13 Aug 2015.
  5. ^ "Early Post Office Site in Melbourne Marker - Historic Markers Across Florida". lat34north.com. Retrieved 13 Aug 2015.