Melvin A. Brannon Papers

"Former U Dean Dies in Florida President John C. West was notified Monday of the death at Gainesville, Fla., of Dr. Melvin A. Brannon, dean of the liberal arts college at the University from 1911 to 1914. He was 84. Dr. Brannon, who had been doing research in Florida, was awarded an honorary degree from the University at the spring commencement in 1947. He was credited with organizing the University school of medicine in 1907 and was responsible for the establishment of the state public health laboratory in 1909. For four years, from 1907-11, he served as the first dean of the school of medicine. His work during his 20 years on the U faculty also took him to Devils Lake, where he organized a biological survey. He directed its work from 1908 until leaving the state in 1914. Dr. Brannon was one of the first men in the state to realize the industrial possibilities of brickmaking and began experiments with that work at Dickinson. Born in Lowell, Ind., Sept. 11, 1865, Dr. Brannon was graduated from Wabash college, at Crawfordsville, in 1889. He obtained his master's degree there in 1890 and for several years later studied at the marine biological laboratory at Woods Hole, Mass. He received his doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1912. During his career, he served as instructor in natural sciences in the Fort Wayne, Ind., high school and after leaving the University was president of the University of Idaho at Moscow from 1914-17 and of Beloit College in Wisconsin from 1917-23. He served as chancellor of the University of Montana from 1923-33. His first wife, the former Lida Lowry, died in 1919. He was married to Mrs. Anna Lytle Tannahill in 1923. After her death in 1934, he married the former Yvonne Tissler, one-time student at Beloit College, in 1938. In addition to this widow, two children by the first marriage, Eleanor and Lida, survive." Source: Grand Forks Herald, 29 March 1950

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