Branscomb, Charles H., who with Charles Robinson selected the site for the town of Lawrence, was a native of New Hampshire. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Exeter, N. H., and Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1845. Subsequently he studied law at the Cambridge Law School, was admitted to the bar and practiced for six years in Massachusetts. Upon the organization of the Emigrant Aid Society (q. v.) Mr. Branscomb became one of its agents. He came to Kansas in July, 1854, and went up the Kansas river as far as Fort Riley to select a location for a town, but finally agreed with Dr. Robinson on the site of Lawrence. On July 28 he conducted the pioneer party of 30 persons sent out by the society to Lawrence, where they arrived on Aug. 1. The second party, also conducted by Mr. Branscomb, arrived in October. He continued to act as agent for the aid society until 1858, when he located in Lawrence and opened a law office. He immediately began to take an active part in the political life of the territory; was elected to the territorial house of representatives; was a member of the Leavenworth constitutional convention; and after his removal to St. Louis, Mo., was a member of the Missouri legislature.