BIO: CLARENCE K. BRANDT, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson OCRed by Judy Banja Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ _____________________________________________________________ >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 397-398 _____________________________________________________________ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/ CLARENCE K. BRANDT. The Brandt family, one of the, oldest in Cumberland county, was founded in America by Adam Brandt, one of seven brothers who came to Cumberland county, Pa., from Germany, and who was the great-grandfather of the present generation of Brandts of Boiling Springs. He was born Nov. 20, 1751, and he died at the age of eighty-six years, eight months and fifteen days. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eve Metzger, was born Nov. 14, 1752, and died Feb. 10, 1830. (II) John Brandt, son of Adam, and grandfather of Clarence K. Brandt, was born on what is now known as the Jacob Hertzler farm, in Monroe township, not far from Williams Grove, and he died Dec. 29, 1837, at the age of forty-five years, five months and twenty-five days. He was a farmer of importance in Monroe township. In religious affiliations he was a member of the Dunkard Church. John Brandt married Elizabeth Coover, who died Dec. 12, 1887, aged ninety-four years, nine months andnine days. Eight children were born of this marriage: Mary Ann, who died April 17, 1867, aged fifty years, eleven months and eight days, was the wife of Isaac B. Mishler, who died Dec. 29, 1880, aged sixty-three years, one month and nine days; Elizabeth, born April 24, 1818, married John Kline, and died March 13, 1884; William, who died in Churchtown, this county, married Elizabeth Goodyear, also deceased; Susan, widow of George W. Brandt, was born Feb. 7, 1824; Adaline died unmarried, Nov. 5, 1883, aged fifty-six years, one month and one day; Levi, superintendent of the Paxton mills, Harrisburg, Pa., married Ellie Bailey; Sarah died unmarried, Dec. 12, 1889, aged fifty-four years and ten months; Frances, born July 8, 1831, died unmarried, May 2, 1860. (III) Susan Brandt, mentioned above as a daughter of John and Elizabeth Brandt, was married Aug. 16, 1849, to George W. Brandt, also a descendant of one of the seven brothers who came from Germany. He was born April 9, 1820, son of Martin Brandt, and died Sept. 18, 1866. His birth occurred at Brandt's mill, on the old homestead, and there he spent his boyhood days. His education was received in the common schools, and when a young man, he learned the tailoring trade at Dillsburg. He then went to Shippensburg, Baltimore, and later to western points, finally locating at Columbia, Lancaster county, Pa., where he spent some three or four years. While there he invented a hay rake which became known as the Brandt rake, and he engaged in the manufacture of these rakes in Cumberland county, in conjunction with a Mr. Smedley, under the firm caption of Brandt & Smedley. After the business was well established, he came to Carlisle, and established a branch office, taking charge of this end of the business, and so 398 CUMBERLAND COUNTY. continuing until just before his death, when he sold his interests. In the time that elapsed between his abandoning his tailoring business and his entering the manufacturing world, as well as some time after the he took up the latter, he was engaged in bottling mineral waters, with headquarters at Carlisle, and continued this enterprise for two years after he had assumed charge of the Carlisle branch of the rake manufacturing plant. In all of his operations, he was a very successful and enterprising business man. Early in life, he became a member of the Lutheran Church, to which his wife and children also belonged. Seven children were born to himself and wife: (1) Eugene Brandt died in infancy. (2) Josephine Louisiana Brandt was educated in the public schools and is now a celebrated artist in Oregon, her specialty being still life in oils. In addition to her talent in this direction, she also displayed remarkable talent in music, and was carefully educated in both vocal and instrumental music, attending for a time the Conservatory of Music at Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was under the personal direction of Theodore Thomas, Prof. Newberry and Prof. Carroll, and she taught music for several years. (3) Catharine Virginia Brandt is now one of the most popular teachers of Carlisle. Her education, which is an excellent one, was obtained in the common schools. (4) Clarence K. Brandt is mentioned below. (5) Elizabeth C. Brandt is the wife of John S. Searight, of Carlisle. (6) Lee Alvin Brandt, who is now in the men's furnishing business at Chicago, was formerly a railroad man in the West. (7) Georgiana Brandt died in infancy. Clarence K. Brandt, the fourth member of the above family, was educated in the common schools. When a boy he went to Mechanicsburg with Dr. M. B. Mosser to learn pharmacy, later going to Philadelphia with W. K. Boileau. About that time, he entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1883. He soon thereafter went to Minden, Neb., where he opened a drug store, and remained until 1891, when he took a trip through the western states, and for a short time was associated with W. R. Bennett & Co., in Omaha. His next location was in Chicago, where he remained until 1900, when he removed to Boiling Springs and embarked in a papering and paperhanging business in which he has been very successful. Mr. Brandt is a first-class mechanic, inheriting his father's mechanical genius, and he is a man highly respected in the place. In politics he is a Republican, but his close attention to business has so far prevented him from taking an active part in public affairs. The Brandt family is not only one of the oldest in Cumberland county, but as has already been shown, its members are among the well known, substantial and representative people of the several communities in which they make their homes. Some of the most important institutions in the financial and industrial life of this section of the State owe their being to the energy and foresight of some member of the Brandt family, while in political matters, the representatives of this family, have borne well their part.