T. J. Brannan was born at Bynum, Texas on October 28, 1915 to George and Myrtle Brannan. A member of the Cowboy Turtles Association, he was a calf roper and rodeo performer who appeared in such places as Madison Square Garden in New York, the Boston Garden Rodeo, the Fort Worth Exposition and Fat Stock Show, Cheyenne, Denver, and several cities in Utah.
In 1938 Brannan moved to Comstock for three years, where he made his home with Mr. & Mrs. F. J. Barnett. Brannan was considered to be a top roper and won many titles. Mr. Barnett says of him: “T. J. was always congenial and made a top hand in working and rounding up stock”.
In 1939 T. J. won the roping at Gatesville, a four-calf average and he did it with a 10 second penalty. Also, in 1939 he placed in the Fort Worth roping several times for day money and finished third in the average. He also won the Trinidad, Colorado rodeo.
In 1940 T. J. won third in the average at San Angelo, finished second at Crystal City by placing twice in the day money and won at Uvalde on a three-calf average, also taking second for All-Around Cowboy. Also, in 1940 he won the roping in Big Springs and Corsicana. He then traveled to Madison Square Garden where out of six calves he placed four times for day money. This was his second trip to New York and while he was there, he had the pleasure of meeting Gene Autry, Paul Whiteman and many famous movie stars.
The year 1941 started off well for Brannan. He won the first day monies and second in the average a Tucson and also placed several times in the Fort Worth roping, finishing fourth in the average.
On April 18, T. J. underwent an appendectomy and seemed to be recovering well until shortly before his death on April 24, 1941. On April 1st, just a few weeks before his death, T. J. was among the top 25 cowboys in the Turtles Association stan the standings. Not long after he died, the following brief statement appeared in the Turtles Association paper.
“T. J. Brannan, who has been among the top ropers the past few seasons, died after an operation for appendicitis in Del Rio, Texas in late April. Here is another boy who will be greatly missed by the Turtles and rodeo fans. He was 26 years old.
