Emmett Forest Branch (May 16, 1874 – February 23, 1932) was an American banker, politician and the 31st

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1924 to 1925, serving the remainder of the term of Warren T. McCray, who had resigned from office after being convicted for

mail fraud Mail fraud and wire fraud are terms used in the United States to describe the use of a physical or electronic mail system to defraud another, and are federal crimes there. Jurisdiction is claimed by the federal government if the illegal activity ...

. Branch's brief term focused on continuing the reforms and projects of his predecessor.

Early life

Branch was born in

Martinsville, Indiana Martinsville is a city in Washington Township, Morgan County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 11,828 at the 2010 United States Census. The city is the county seat of Morgan County. History Martinsville was founded in 1822. It i ...

the oldest of his four siblings Olive Branch, Leafy Branch, and Frank Oaks Branch. His parents were Elliot and Alice Parks Branch. His father was a Republican politician who had served in state government for several decades. His grandfather and great-grandfather had also been involved in state politics and served as state senators. He attended

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, or simply Indiana) is a public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the flagship campus of Indiana University and, with over 40,000 students, its largest ca ...

and graduated in 1896, where he played on the school's championship-winning baseball team. He would be the first Indiana University graduate to become governor. After college, he studied law with his uncle Judge M.H. Parks. He was admitted to the bar in 1899 and established a law practice in Martinsville. During the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...

, he enlisted in Company K of the 158th Regiment eventually rising to the rank of

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...

. After the war he entered politics and was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives, serving three terms from 1903 to 1909. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he returned to the army as a lieutenant colonel of the 151st Infantry. He later commanded the 165th Depot Brigade at Camp Travis in Texas and served as part of the forces guarding the Mexican border in 1916 and 1917.Gugin, page 269

Politics

Legislator

After returning from the army, he opened a law office in Martinsville and married Katherine Bain, the daughter of a prominent newspaper owner. The couple had one son. In 1902, he was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives and served for three terms. He was elected

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

in 1907 and 1908. While Speaker, he ended the omnibus practice that allowed multiple bills to be combined and passed without debate.Gugin, page 270 In 1910, he returned to his law practice where he remained until nominated to run for Lieutenant Governor in 1920 and won the election. As President of the Senate, he took part in debate and supported several controversial measures including banning gambling and liquor sales on

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...

. When legislation to ban teaching the

German language German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is als ...

in public was introduced, the Senate edged on violence and order was restored only after Branch beat his gavel so hard on the podium that he broke both the podium and the gavel, causing the chamber to burst into laughter.

Governor

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Warren T. McCray had been having a behind the scenes battle with the Indiana Ku Klux Klan and became involved in questionable loan transactions, which the Klan exposed as a scandal to force him out of office. McCray was convicted of

and sentenced to ten years in prison, forcing him to leave office on April 30, 1924. The same day, Branch was sworn in as governor. A close friend of McCray, he cried while taking the oath of office and later said that everything was so "sudden and surprising." Branch's term was brief, and he focused on continuing the projects and reforms McCray had begun, including expanding the state highway system, completing the new state prison, and expanding the school for the blind. He oversaw the completion of the

Riley Hospital for Children The Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health is a nationally ranked freestanding 354-bed, pediatric acute care children's hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is affiliated with the Indiana University School of Med ...

. A month after taking office, a boxing match was held in Michigan City. Prize fighting was illegal in Indiana, and protesters demanded that for the governor to shut down the match. Branch secretly ordered the militia mobilized and put on standby, and sent a general to attend the match to see if he could detect any gambling going on. The general reported that nothing of note happened, and the match was held without incident.Gugin, page 271

Later life

After his term as governor ended, he retired to Martinsville, where he practiced law and managed his business interests as President of the Branch Grain and Seed Company and a major stockholder in the Martinsville Trust Company. He also owned several large farms in Morgan County. In 1929, he was appointed by Governor

Harry G. Leslie Harry Guyer Leslie (April 6, 1878December 10, 1937) was an American politician and Indiana Republican Party member, speaker of the state house and the 33rd governor of the state. His term as governor was marked by the start of the Great Depressi ...

to manage the state armory, a post he held until his death from a heart attack on February 23, 1932. He is buried in the Hilldale Cemetery.

References

Notes Bibliography * *Justin E. Walsh ''et al.'' (eds), ''Biographical Directory of the Indiana General Assembly,'' volume 2 (1900–1984), (Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1984), p. 50.

External links

Indiana Historical Bureau: Biography and portrait
*Indiana Historical Bureau
"Emmett Forest Branch: Short Term Governor, Long Term Proponent for the People"National Association of Governors
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Branch, Emmett Forrest 1874 births 1932 deaths 20th-century American politicians People from Martinsville, Indiana Indiana University alumni Indiana lawyers American military personnel of the Spanish–American War United States Army personnel of World War I Lieutenant Governors of Indiana Republican Party governors of Indiana Republican Party members of the Indiana House of Representatives