Brand Whitlock
Brand Whitlock was a notable American writer and politician born on March 4, 1869, in Urbana, Ohio. He was the son of a Methodist minister and became an influential figure in both political reform and literature. Whitlock's political journey began with a shift from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party in 1888, influenced by his opposition to protective tariffs. He made significant contributions to journalism, working for the leading Democratic newspaper, the Chicago Herald, after leaving the Toledo Blade.
Whitlock was elected mayor of Toledo four times between 1905 and 1911 and wrote several books reflecting his political experiences, including *The Thirteenth District* and *Forty Years of It*, the latter being an autobiography. His diplomatic career peaked when President Woodrow Wilson appointed him as minister to Belgium during World War I, where he earned the nickname Le Ministre protecteur for his humanitarian efforts. He documented his experiences in the book *Belgium: A Personal Narrative*. Whitlock's legacy includes a diverse body of work, spanning both fiction and nonfiction, and he passed away in Cannes, France, in 1934.
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Brand Whitlock
Author
- Born: March 4, 1869
- Birthplace: Urbana, Ohio
- Died: May 24, 1934
- Place of death: Cannes, France
Biography
Writer and politician Brand Whitlock was born in Urbana, Ohio, on March 4, 1869. He was the son of Methodist minister Reverend Elias D. Whitlock and Mollie Lavinia (Brand) Whitlock. Whitlock married Susan Brainerd in 1892; she died in the same year. Three years later, in 1895, he married Susan’s sister Ella. He attended public schools and also received private tutelage. He later studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1894.
Politics figured heavily into Whitlock’s life. In 1888, Whitlock and his grandfather, upset over protective tariffs, renounced their Republican status and became Democrats and devout supporters of Grover Cleveland. Due to his change in politics, Whitlock quit his job at the Toledo Blade in 1890 and moved to the Chicago Herald, as it was the leading Democratic newspaper in Chicago. Along with his switch to the Herald, Whitlock’s political focus shifted to reform politics. His political background influenced many of his later writings.
In 1897 Whitlock moved to Toledo, Ohio, where he set up a successful law practice. In between serving clients, Whitlock wrote many books. His book The Thirteenth District: A Story of a Candidate was reprinted sixty-six years after its initial publication in 1902, due to its relevance to American grassroots politics. He was elected mayor of Toledo four times between 1905 and 1911.
In 1914, Whitlock wrote Forty Years of It, a novel chronicling his long involvement in politics. The Boston Transcript, when reviewing the book, wrote that the book was an “intensely graphic portrayal of American life and its social upheavals as viewed by a sturdy man who is not afraid to speak and to write as he thinks.” When World War I erupted, President Woodrow Wilson appointed him minister to Belgium. In this position, Whitlock was known for his immense dedication to counteracting the horrors of the war. Belgium: A Personal Narrative is a combination of his papers and journal from his time as the minister to Belgium. He was recognized for his skillful diplomatic efforts, earning the nickname Le Ministre protecteur. He remained in Belgium until 1922, when he retired, even though he was offered the position of ambassador to Belgium.
Whitlock was the author of numerous books of both fiction and nonfiction, including The Thirteenth District (1902), The Turn of the Balance (1907), Abraham Lincoln (1908), an autobiography titled Forty Years of It (1914), and Belgium: A Personal Narrative (1919). He died in Cannes, France, in 1934.