Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Richard Brand

Richard Marmon Brand was born on July 25, 1900, in Urbana, Ohio, According to his World War II draft card. In the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Brand was the only child of Thomas, a dentist, and Bessie. The family resided in Urbana at 403 Church Street. 

On September 12, 1918, Brand signed his World War I draft card. He was a student who lived at 229 Scioto in Urbana. His description was slender build, medium height, with blue eyes and light brown hair. Brand named his mother as next of kin. 

The same address was recorded in the 1920 census. Unemployed Brand lived with his parents. 

Shortly after the census Brand moved south to Cincinnati. The 1921 Cincinnati city directory listed Brand as a Commercial Tribune reporter whose address was 540 West 7th. Editor & Publisher, February 11, 1922, said “Richard Brand has left the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune to go on the desk of the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch.”  “Richard M. Brand” was his byline at the Dispatch. 

The Ohio Archaeological and Historical Publications, Volume 31, 1922, told the story of Brand’s portrait of Senator Thomas Morris that was drawn based on a person’s memory. 

Brand illustrated at least one of his articles. Below are details of his illustration in the Dispatch, April 25, 1926.

American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Brand produced the Sunday panel, Along Our Street, from September 12 to December 5, 1926, for the Dispatch. Information about his art training has not been found. 

The Dispatch, October 12, 1927, reported Brand’s marriage, to Helen Armpriester, which took place on June 4. The paper said Brand attended Wittenberg College at Springfield and Ohio State University where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi.

In the 1930 census, the couple were Columbus residents at 55 Hamilton Avenue. Brand was a newspaper reporter. The 1931 Columbus, Ohio city directory listed the same address. He was employed at the Dispatch. 

According to the 1940 census, Brand had returned to Urbana where he was the head of the household, which included his father, a widower. Brand’s house was valued at $6,000 and located at 239 Scioto Street. He was a self-employed magazine writer who had three years of college education. The Dispatch, March 10, 1952, said Brand wrote true detective stories for several national magazines. 

Brand signed his World War II draft card on February 14, 1942. His address was unchanged. He was described as five feet five-and-a-half inches, 138 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. 

The Dispatch, February 27, 1944, said Brand was named news editor of the Urbana Daily Citizen. He also served several terms as coroner of Champaign County. In 1950 Brand settled in Naples, Florida where he was editor of the Collier County News. 

Brand passed away on March 9, 1952, in Fort Myers, Florida. He was laid to rest at Oak Dale Cemetery.