Theodore M. Brantley (or Brantly) (February 12, 1851 – September 16, 1922) was the longest-serving Chief Justice of the

Montana Supreme Court The Montana Supreme Court is the supreme court, highest court of the state court system in the U.S. state of Montana. It is established and its powers defined by Article VII of the 1972 Montana Constitution. It is primarily an appellate court wh ...

, serving for 23 years (1899–1922).

Biography

Brantley was born near

Lebanon, Tennessee Lebanon is the county seat of Wilson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 38,431 at the 2020 census. Lebanon is located in Middle Tennessee, approximately east of downtown Nashville. Lebanon is part of the Nashville Metropolit ...

. He came from a political family in Tennessee—two of his mother's brothers were elected governor of Tennessee (

Neill S. Brown Neill Smith Brown (April 18, 1810January 30, 1886) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 12th Governor of Tennessee from 1847 to 1849, and as the United States Minister to Russia from 1850 to 1853. He also served several term ...

in 1847,

John C. Brown John Calvin Brown (January 6, 1827August 17, 1889) was a Confederate Army officer and an American politician and businessman. Although he originally opposed secession, Brown fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War, eventually ...

in 1871). Brantley was educated at

Southwestern Presbyterian University Rhodes College is a private liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee. Historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), it is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleg ...

Clarksville, Tennessee Clarksville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States. It is the fifth-largest city in the state behind Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 2020 United States ce ...

and the law school of

Cumberland University Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee. It was founded in 1842. The campus's current historic buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896. History 1842-1861 The university was founded by the Cumberland ...

in Lebanon, graduating in 1881. After practicing law for several years, Brantly became a professor of Ancient Languages, first at

Illinois College Illinois College is a private liberal arts college in Jacksonville, Illinois. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA). It was the second college founded in Illinois, but the first to grant a degree ( ...

and then at the

College of Montana The College of Montana was a private liberal arts college that existed in Deer Lodge, Montana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1878 as the "Montana Collegiate Institute", the school was the first institution of higher learning ...

Deer Lodge Deer Lodge is a city in and the county seat of Powell County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,938 at the 2020 census. Description The city is perhaps best known as the home of the Montana State Prison, a major local employer. ...

. After returning to the practice of law for several years, Brantley was elected District Judge in the 3rd Judicial District of Montana in 1892 and then Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court in the November 1898 elections. He remained Chief Justice until resigning for reasons of health shortly before his death in 1922, in

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the capital city of Montana, United States, and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and established on October 30, 1864. Due to the gold rush, Helena would ...

. Brantley became a

Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

in 1892 and served as the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Montana in 1900. Brantley was married in 1891 to Lois Reat and had 3 children - Theodore Lee, Lois Brown, and Neill Duncan Brantly. Neill Duncan Brantly (1897–1972) joined the navy and became a Rear Admiral during World War II, commanding vessels at the

Battle of Leyte Gulf The Battle of Leyte Gulf ( fil, Labanan sa golpo ng Leyte, lit=Battle of Leyte gulf; ) was the largest naval battle of World War II and by some criteria the largest naval battle in history, with over 200,000 naval personnel involved. It was fou ...

. Lois Brown Brantly (1894–1972) married Frank A. Hazelbaker, lieutenant governor of Montana 1929–1933. Brantley's brother Erskine Brantly (1850–1936) was a prominent clergyman and school official in

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

. Brantly Hall at the University of Montana is named after Brantley's wife Lois, who served as head resident there for many years.1957 University of Montana press release
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Notes

References

Montana lawyers Justices of the Montana Supreme Court People from Lebanon, Tennessee Rhodes College alumni Rocky Mountain College faculty Cumberland University alumni Illinois College faculty 1851 births 1922 deaths Chief Justices of the Montana Supreme Court 19th-century American lawyers American Freemasons {{Montana-state-judge-stub