Paul Revere Braniff

Paul Revere Braniff (August 30, 1897 – June 15, 1954) was an airline entrepreneur. Paul, along with his brother Thomas Elmer Braniff, was one of the original founders of Braniff Airways, Inc. d/b/a Braniff International Airways (after 1948).

Paul Revere Braniff was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He grew up during the early era of aviation, and, as a youngster, became fascinated with the new way of transport. His family moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1900. Paul Revere Braniff met Marie Agnes Maney and they married on April 29, 1920.

Marie Maney was born on May 2, 1898, in El Reno, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of James W. Maney who was an Oklahoma Territory Pioneer. He built thousands of miles of railroads throughout the Western United States. His occupation was Civil Engineer and was President of the Clinton and Western Oklahoma Railroad and founded a chain of grain elevators in the Enid, Oklahoma area. Marie Maney grew up at Maney House in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that is now a historically protected property. She attended and graduated from schools in Baltimore, Maryland.

Marie Agnes Braniff was highly interested in her husband's work. When he founded Paul R. Braniff, Inc. and then its successor Braniff Airways, Inc., she traveled with him scouting new routes. Mrs. Braniff great love for Paul and his aviation interests led her to compile a very detailed archive on the history of Braniff Airways. She remained highly interested and involved in the preservation of Braniff history even after Paul Braniff's death in 1954.

Paul and his wife Marie settled into a Northwest Oklahoma City home shortly after they married, that Mrs. Braniff lived in until her death on April 29, 1988. After Paul's death in 1954, Mrs. Braniff she worked as a Records Archivist at the Oklahoma State Capital Building. She also worked at the St. Thomas More Book Store also in Oklahoma City. She was active at her church teaching Sunday School at St. Francis Assisi Catholic Church. She was a member of the Legion of Mary at the same church.

Paul and Marie had one child, a son, John Paul Braniff, who was born on October 29, 1927. John Braniff died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on February 1, 2013, at the age of 85.

Paul Braniff joined the United States Army during World War I as a mechanic and private on July 6, 1917. He went to France, becoming a corporal, then a temporary sergeant. In France, he learned to shoot, becoming an avid gunman, although he never used this ability other than for warfare.

...
Wikipedia