McBratney, Robert, journalist, was born near Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 1, 1818, a son of Robert and Margaret (Hoskins) McBratney, the father of Scotch and the mother of English descent. He received a common school education and at the age of sixteen years began learning the printer's trade. Four years later he commenced the publication of the Union County Star at Marysville, Ohio. In 1841 he visited Louisiana and Texas, after which he worked on newspapers at Xenia, Ohio, and Detroit, Mich., until 1856. He was a delegate that year to the convention that nominated Gen. John C. Fremont for president, and after the election decided to try his fortune in the West. In Feb., 1857, he located at Atchison, Kan., where he became identified with the company that bought the Squatter Sovereign. With F. G. Adams he assumed the editorial management of the paper which was changed to a free-state organ. In 1861 he assisted in organizing the Frontier Guard (q. v.) and was then register of the Junction City land office until the fall of 1864. He was interested in the building of some of the early Kansas railroads, and from 1872 to 1875 was president of the First National bank of Junction City. Mr. McBratney was twice married. On March 28, 1848, he married Mary Palmer, of Springfield, Ohio, who died on March 18, 1859, and subsequently he married Mary E. Harbison, of Xenia, Ohio. She died on May 10, 1859. Some time later Mr. McBratney went to New Mexico and died at Santa Fe on Feb. 6, 1881.