Background
Brantley was born near Lebanon, Tennessee. He came from a political family in Tennessee—two of his mother"s brothers were elected governor of Tennessee (Neill South Brown in 1847, John C Brown in 1871).
Brantley was born near Lebanon, Tennessee. He came from a political family in Tennessee—two of his mother"s brothers were elected governor of Tennessee (Neill South Brown in 1847, John C Brown in 1871).
After practicing law for several years, Brantly became a professor of Ancient Languages, first at Illinois College and then at the College of Montana in Deer Lodge. After returning to the practice of law for several years, Brantley was elected District Judge in the 3rd Judicial District of Montana in 1892 and then Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court in the November 1898 elections. He remained Chief Justice until resigning for reasons of health shortly before his death in 1922, in Helena, Montana.
Brantley"s brother Erskine Brantly (1850–1936) was a prominent clergyman and school official in Oklahoma.
(The rest of the family seems to have preferred the spelling Brantly, without the "e" Many period sources, however, spell Theodore Brantley"s name with the added "e")
Brantley was married in 1891 to Lois Reat and had 3 children - Theodore Lee, Lois Brown, and Neill Duncan Brantly. Lois Brown Brantly (1894–1972) married Francis A. Hazelbaker, who was lieutenant governor of Montana 1929–1933.