Stanton Strother Brannin
Stanton Strother Brannin was born September 8, 1844,
in Georgetown, Wisconsin. He was raised by his uncle, Jimmy Brannin, and his older sister,
Elnora. In
1862, he came to Montana Territory with his aunts, Ann & Summer Gibson and their husbands. Henry Gibson
settled at the Gateway of the Mountains on the Missouri River where they ran a toll gate. While
living here, Stanton broke horses for money and adventure.
He worked a supply pack train that went from Helena to
Ft. Benton, Virginia City, Bannack and Walla Walla. He met up with Bill Braham around Townsend, Montana. After hearing about the silver strike in New Mexico,
they headed south. It was in Golden, New Mexico,
that he met Guadelupe Villanueva. They were married in 1869 at Pena Blanca.
The following year they moved to Lincoln County. They
had a cabin on the Rio Bonito near Lincoln. Stanton had a government contract to furnish meat for the
soldiers at Ft. Stanton. From here, the now growing family moved to Silver City in Grant County, New
Mexico. He was one of the founders of Georgetown, New Mexico, a mining town. He worked the Satisfaction
Mine. In 1877, Stanton sold his mining claim and went to ranching on the Sapillo. He also ran a sawmill.
In 1881, he was appointed 1st Lieutenant in Co. K, 1st Regiment Militia, by Governor Sheldon. His job was to
round up "renegade Indians." He also served as County Commissioner for 3 full
terms and part of a
4th.
He moved his family to Montana. New Mexico was too
wild and too crowded. Big time ranchers tried to muscle out the little guys, and Stanton was not one to
reckon with. The family took a year long trek to Montana where they settled in relative peace.
Stanton's final journey was to Helena, Montana, where he died in 1907.