History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/John M. Brainard
JOHN M. BRAINARD was born at Blairsville, Pennsylvania,, on the 30th of March, 1836. He was educated in the common schools, Eldersridge Academy and at Beloit College, Wisconsin. In 1856 he came to Iowa, locating at Charles City where he engaged in school teaching. For the two following years he taught at Mason City and Clear Lake in Cerro Gordo County. In the spring of 1880, he founded the Clear Lake Independent in company with Silan Noyes and entered upon his career as a journalist which he followed in Iowa for forty-two years. In 1868-9 he was the editor of the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil. In 1879 he became the editor and publisher of the Boons Standard, conducting that journal until 1902. Mr. Brainard was an accomplished writer, but found time during his busy life to serve as superintendent of schools in Cerro Gordo County, clerk of the court in Story, member of the city council and postmaster in Boone. In 1860-61 he was a member of the State Board of Education when that body had entire legislative control of the school system of the State. He was one of the promoters of the railroad from Boone to Des Moines in company with L. W. Reynolds, which was built in 1880-81. He secured the employment of the late Colonel George E. Waring by the city of Boone to plan and direct the construction of its twenty-five miles of sewers. He has taken a deep interest in the schools of that city, serving on the board, and is secretary of the Ericson Free Public Library.