Museum the New Llano Colony



Anita Brannon

Birth: She was born around 1897 in Ohio.  

Family Information: Wife of Dick Brannon.  

Description:  

Pre-Colony History: In 1918 she married Richard Brannon in New Jersey. In 1920 she was living in Ohio with her parents and brother, along with her artist husband while she did clerical work for the Red Cross. In 1930 the couple were living in Illinois while he worked as a poster artist.

She and her husband came to the colony in December 1928 to visit his parents.

They again arrived in the colony in time to participate in the 1931 Christmas program, where she accompanied Doc Williams on the piano as he sang "Breakfast in my Bed on Sunday Morning." A very nice surprise was offered when Phillip Ellison tapped his way up the steps and onto the stage to the rapid music on the piano by Mrs. Brannon. The tap dancing of Ellison, who also is a recent member and friend of the Jaufroid family, from Covington, LA was so good that he had to put on some other fancy steps.  

Home in Colony: In March 1933, while both George Pickett and her husband, Dick, were away, she and Alice Pickett joined forces to keep the home fires burning in the Pickett's new home.  

Job in Colony: In December 1931, as a new arrival, she began working as one of the secretaries for the General Manager. In April 1932, while George Pickett was out of town, she led the GMs office crew in doing a thorough cleaning of the office.

In July 1932 she and Dick served Sunday lunch sandwiches under the supervision of Mrs. Walter Fread.

In January 1933 it was reported that she'd been run ragged trying to keep up with "the dictator", G.T.P.  

Other Info: In 1933 she was part of the mixed quartet, the Llano Four, composed of Dr. Williams on the upper end; Anita and Mary Roe; and Comrade Gaylord on the lower end. She sang a strong soprano and often took part in the theater programs as part of this group, as well as with other ensembles.

In January 1933 she tripped on a loose board in the boardwalk -- it tripped her and came up to meet her right above the eye.

In March 1933 she attended a good-bye party for the Sanford family, along with Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Banta, Mrs. June Black, Sybil Black, Mr. and Mrs. DuProz, Mr. and Mrs. Hess, Cyrus Horney, Mr. and Mrs. B. Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. Marve Sanford, Lou Colt, and the Messrs. Githens, D. Sanford, Beanfellow, and Starkweather.

In May 1933 she celebrated Marvin Sanford's birthday, along with DeForest and Smith Sanford, Anita Brannon, Florence Anderson, Mrs. Ivy Hoag, Mr. and Mrs. DuProz, and Bernie and Leona Stevens.

Later that month a group including Anita, Birdie and Chauncey DuProz, D.F. Stanley, Armin Doneis and Rhea Mae Baldwin trekked to the Kid Kolony over abandoned trails, broken bridges and log crossings. They enjoyed a musical afternoon, in which the mixed quartet sang two lovely numbers.

Also that month she was much concerned over a letter from Alice Pickett, written from New Jersey, telling of the nervous strain which had finally put the GM on his back for a while. Now he would have to rest.

In June 1933 the Mixed Quartette met at the Gaylord home to bid farewell to Anita who would be leaving soon for Chicago and would then be going on to the colony location at Gila, New Mexico.

Later that month more than sixty-five colonists gathered to "express their appreciation of that tall person who is the private secretary of the general manager, as well as soprano in the Llano Four and a whole lot of other things." She was leaving that week to visit her sick mother in Chicago. She announced that "she ha[d] a round trip ticket for Llano and expect[ed] to see Dick there when she return[ed]."  

Post-Colony History: In 1934 she and Dick "of Chicago" sent a letter to the colonists at Gila, New Mexico stating that they would be sending "more Christmas for the children."

In 1937 she and Dick sent a ten dollar bill to "assist in carrying on the ever-present expenses."

In 1940 she and Dick were living in Illinois.  

Death:  

Sources: US Census: 1920, 1930, 1940; New Jersey Marriage Index; "Llano Colonist": January 9, 1932, April 16, 1932, July 23, 1932, October 1, 1932, October 8, 1932, October 15, 1932, October 29, 1932, January 7, 1933, February 4, 1933, February 25, 1933, March 4, 1933, March 11, 1933, May 6, 1933, June 3, 1933, June 10, 1933, November 18, 1933, December 29, 1934, October 23, 1937; "Leesville Leader": December 26, 1940  

 

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