Edward Brant

As printed in 1906

EDWARD BRANT, to whom has been vouchsafed an honorable retirement from an active business career by reason of the fact that through his former activity and well directed labor he has achieved a handsome competence, has contributed in a substantial measure to the commercial prosperity and business activity in Berrien county. Carrying forward to a successful completion whatever he undertakes, his wise counsel and executive force have proven a strong directing influence in various business interests. Mr. Brant is a native of Ohio, where his birth occurred in 1845. He was brought to Michigan by his parents Mason and Almira (Tobias) Brant, who settled on a tract of government land in Ionia county. In 1849, during the excitement attendant upon the discovery of gold in California, Mason Brant left his family upon the farm which he had partially cleared, and joined the rush of pioneers across the plains to the Pacific coast, where he died after three years of pioneer adventure in the gold fields.

No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Edward Brant in the days of his childhood and youth. He worked in the fields through the summer months and pursued his studies at the district school during the winter, varying the monotony of a steady pursuit of knowledge with intervals of wood-chopping and excursions into the surrounding forests after deer and other wild game. During this formative period of his young life he was living with his mother, who ably cared for her children after the death of the father.

After attaining to man's estate he turned his attention to the lumber business in Michigan and for thirty years was successfully engaged in this industry, which is one of the leading sources of the state's wealth. Mr. Brant thoroughly acquainted himself with every branch of the lumber trade, and his excellent judgment of the value of timber, as well as the ready adaptability which he manifested in controlling a business concern, led to his signal success. His operations in this field included a saw-mill at Covert, Michigan, and a tract of land in Watervliet township, Berrien county, from which tie cut the timber and cleared the brush until he now owns a farm containing three hundred acres of the finest land in the fruit belt. Later, settling in Benton Harbor, he has dealt to a considerable extent in real estate and is now the owner of valuable property here. His operations in real-estate have been characterized by safe and conservative investments and he receives a large income from the buildings which be owns in this city. In 1890 he built the Hotel Benton, which at the time of its construction was the finest hostelry in southwestern Michigan. He leased it for a period of five years to Alonzo Vincent, who then removed to St. Joseph, Michigan, and took charge of the Hotel Whitcombe. The Hotel Benton has since remained under the management of Mr. Brant and his son-in-law, ex-sheriff Collins, who is elsewhere represented in this work. Into other fields of activity Mr. Brant has extended his efforts. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers & Merchants' Bank of Benton Harbor and has been one of its directors from the beginning. He yet holds stock in this institution and his well known ability as a conservative financier has been instrumental in making it a paying concern.

He was one of the organizers of the Benton Harbor & St. Joseph Electric Railway Company, acted as a member of its directorate for several years and at one time was a heavy stockholder. In fact, there are few enterprises in this locality that have not felt the stimulus of Mr. Brant's personality, and although he is now practically living retired from the active control of business interests, he is yet financially connected with several of importance. He possesses untiring energy, is quick of perception, forms his plans readily and is determined in their execution. Making good use of his opportunities, he has prospered from year to year,, conducting all matters of business carefully and successfully, displaying in all his acts an aptitude for successful management.

Mr. Brant was married in Watervliet township to Miss Martha J. Carpenter, a native of Canada, and they have become the parents of four children: Mason; Carrie, who is the wife of William Becht and has one child, Lincoln; Ida M., the wife of Fred B. Collins, by whom she has one child, Hallie Bell; and Myrtle, deceased. Mr. Brant is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is an exemplary representative of the craft, being always true to its teachings and in sympathy with its principles. His political support is given to the Democratic party and whenever he has permitted his name to be used on the ballot representing his party's principles and his own convictions, the people, irrespective of political affiliation, have testified their confidence in his judgment and their esteem of his unique personality by giving the Democratic ticket their eager support. For several terms he was a supervisor of Watervliet township. He has always been a helpful factor in political work in the city and for one term served as mayor of Benton Harbor. His administration was characterized by conservative expenditure of the city's funds and a liberal enforcement of laws which had produced unnecessary hardship for the business interests of the city, through strict enforcement by previous administrations. Any measure for the betterment of the city, either financially or otherwise, receives his endorsement and he opposes strongly any movement which is inimical to the best interests of the community. His position upon any question is never an equivocal one, for he is firm in support of his honest convictions. He has not permitted the accumulation of a competence to effect in any way his attitude toward those less successful than he and has always a cheerful word and a pleasant smile for those wath whom he comes in contact.

As printed in A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.