L. W. Branch, proprietor of the Mohawk Creamery at Mohawk, an establishment that is widely known throughout the valley for the high quality of its products, was born at East Springfield, in Otsego county, New York, May 17, 1882, and is a son of Charles N. and Lois A. (Walrath) Branch, both of whom were born at East Springfield, members of old families thereabout, and are still living there. Mrs. Branch was born on September 5, 1851, and is a daughter of Jacob Walrath, who was a substantial farmer of that neighborhood. Charles N. Branch was born on August 5, 1850, and is a son of George W. and Harriet M. (Hinds) Branch, both of whom spent their last days at East Springfield, where for many years George W. Branch was widely known in the building trades, a carpenter and cabinet maker. Charles N. Branch is a retired farmer, making his home at East Springfield, which town he served as assessor for no fewer than twenty-two years, a rather notable term of public service.
Reared at East Springfield, L. W. Branch was an attendant of the high school there in 1895 and then became actively associated with his father in the operation of the home farm, and was thus engaged for about five years, at the end of which time he went to Ilion and became employed in the assembly department of the great plant of the Remington Typewriter Company, where he remained for something more than two years. In 1912 Mr. Branch became interested in the creamery business and in association with C. J. Hinds opened a retail grocery establishment and creamery at Mohawk, the two doing business under the name of the Cold Spring Dairy Products Company. Six months later Mr. Branch bought the interest of his partner in this business and has since continued to operate the plant alone, carrying on under the name of the Mohawk Creamery. By careful attention to methods of production and faithful attention to details of distribution Mr. Branch has built up an establishment whose products have found a wide and growing market in the trade area covered by his trucks.
On October 2, 1907, at East Springfield, L. W. Branch was united in marriage to Miss Anna Franklin, who also was born at that place; a graduate of High School Class of 1904 and is likewise a member of one of the old families there. Mrs. Branch is a member at large of the patriotic society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, formerly a member of the Gen. James Clinton chapter at East Springfield, from which she transferred her membership to the Mohawk Valley chapter at Ilion. She also is a member of the Mohawk chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and of the White Shrine at Utica. Mr. and Mrs. Branch are Democrats and give proper attention to local civic affairs. Mr. Branch is a member of Evergreen Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, at Springfield Center, New York, and is also affiliated with the local lodge of the Knights of the Maccabees at East Springfield, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mrs. Branch was born on April 11, 1886, and is a daughter of Benjamin and Euphemia (McGaw) Franklin, who are now living at East Springfield and the latter of whom was born in Scotland, July 18, 1852, a daughter of Robert and Jessie McGaw, who spent all their lives in their native country. Benjamin Franklin, a farmer, now living retired, was born at East Springfield on November 13, 1846, and all his life has been spent there. His parents, Daniel and Ann (Kelly) Franklin, also were native New Yorkers, the latter born in the town of Stark in 1824. She died at East Springfield in June, 1906. Daniel Franklin was born at East Springfield on April 16, 1822, and died there in November 6, 1906, he then being past eighty-four years of age. He was a substantial farmer and, was a son of Moses and Hannah (Basinger) Franklin, the latter of whom spent her last days at Cooperstown. Moses Franklin was a native of Connecticut who at the age of seventeen years volunteered his services in behalf of the cause of the colonists and served as a soldier of the Revolution. He became a well-to-do farmer and spent his last days at East Springfield, this state, where his family still is worthily represented.